Text © World of Showjumping

Finishing on a total of four faults, the Belgian team topped Friday’s CSIO5* Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Sweden at Falsterbo Horse Show. It all came down to the very last rider in the ring, but it was the Belgian team consisting of Pieter Clemens and Hulde G (Vigo d’Arsouilles Stx x Warrant), Koen Vereecke and Kasanova de la Pomme (Bamako de Muze x ), Gilles Thomas and Luna van het Dennehof (Prince van de Wolfsakker x Quidam de Revel) as well as Wilm Vermeir and IQ van het Steentje (Toulon x Kannan) that were the best in Falsterbo today. 

After the first round, it was Great Britain – with Jessica Mendoza and Play (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly), Joseph Stockdale and Equine America Cacharel (Cachas x Quinar Z), Jodie Hall McAteer and Salt’N Peppa (Stolzenberg x Escudo 19) as well as Ellen Whitaker and Equine America Spacecake (Stakkatol x Kannan) on the team – and Norway – with Marie Valdar Longem and Echo de Virton (Vagabond de la Pomme x Grignoteur de la Fontaine), Marit Haarr Skollerud and Nelson van’t Roosakker (Zandor x Kashmir van Schuttershof), Benedikte Serigstad Endresen and Stenhaga Tulip Tattoo (Caressini L x No Limit) as well as Geir Gulliksen and Equine America Grandino H (Calvino Z x Numero Uno) on the team – leading the way with both nations on a score of zero. Belgium and Switzerland followed on four faults, the Netherlands on five faults, Italy on eight faults, and Sweden as well as Denmark on 12 faults.

The second round shook up the standings. When Gilles Thomas delivered the third clear for his team in round two, the Belgians could only wait and see how far it would take them as the end result was no longer in their hands. Belgian anchor rider Wilm Vermeir didn’t even have to jump the last round, but did so anyway and also delivered a steady clear – and the pressure was on for Great Britain and Norway. 

The Norwegians could not keep up though, and slowly fell down on the result list, while the Dutch delivered three clears – coming from Jur Vrieling and Long John Silver 3 (Lasino x San Patrignano Corrado), Johnny Pals and Charley (Calido I x Askari), as well as Harrie Smolders and Darry Lou (Otangelo x Nabab de Reve) – to stay on their five faults from the first round. 

Great Britain could best end up with adding four faults to their score from round one, but only if their last pair – Ellen Whitaker and Equine America Spacecake (Stakkatol x Kannan) – would be able to deliver a clear as last to go in the Nations Cup. A clear from Whitaker would mean that Great Britain and Belgium would be tied on four faults, resulting in a jump-off for the win. With more than one penalty, the Brits would end up behind the Belgians, as well as the Dutch. 

And it got as thrilling as it could get. Because of the excited Swedish audience, Whitaker didn’t hear the bell and it was not until the speaker called for her attention that she realized that she had to get going. In the end, the clock started ticking before she crossed the start line and despite being clear on the fences, Whitaker had to see four time penalties added to her score – which dropped the Brits down behind the Belgians and the Dutch. Norway fell down to fourth ahead of Denmark, Italy, Sweden and Switzerland.

Belgian Chef d’Equipe Peter Weinberg was very proud of his winning team: “My team was in a brilliant form. In the second round, it was absolutely fantastic that all horses jumped clear rounds – it is such a fantastic feeling!” he said. 

Looking ahead, Weinberg said: “In two weeks we have Hickstead with the next leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup and all four riders will compete there as well.”