Press release from Agria Royal International Horse Show, edited by World of Showjumping

A strong German team saw off the challenge from the Brits in Friday’s CSIO5* Agria Nations Cup of Great Britain at Hickstead.

The host nation had been hoping for a hat-trick of titles, having won the Edward, Prince of Wales Cup in both 2023 and 2024. But in the end, the German quartet was just too strong, finishing on a team total of eight faults while the Brits finished one fence in arrears with 12 faults.

By the half-way stage of the two-round competition, Germany had already established themselves as front runners, with clear rounds by Rene Dittmer and Corsica X (Connor 48 x Corofino II) and Marco Kutscher aboard Catelly (Catalido x Ephebe For Ever) and a four-fault round by Stefan Engbers on Baju NRW (Balou du Rouet x Calido I) leaving them equal with Ireland on four faults. Great Britain was third on eight faults, with clears by Ben Maher and Enjeu De Grisien (Toulon x Andiamo) and Hickstead team debutant Adrian Whiteway on Chacco Volo (Chacco-Blue x Carthago), as well as eight faults by Jessica Mendoza and Summerhouse (Guidam Sohn x Indoctro).

In the second round, Dittmer and Kutscher produced two more clears, with Engbers finishing on four faults once again. Maher secured the much-needed double clear to keep the Brits in contention, with Mendoza going clear in the second round and Whiteway finishing with just one fence down. When Georgia Tame, the fourth team rider for Great Britain, picked up eight faults towards the end of the course with Be Golden (Golden Hawk x Namelus R), it meant Germany had secured the win without anchorman Marcus Ehning having to jump a second time with Priam Du Roset (Plot Blue x Tanael du Serein). 

“I am very proud and happy. I think I haven’t been here for 11 or 12 years, so it’s really nice coming back and winning together with my team mates,” said Marco Kutscher, who switched to riding the less experienced Catelly after a fall on top horse Aventador-S on Thursday. “I was very satisfied with my horse today, I’ve never jumped him over any open water so I was wondering what he’d do, so I was very happy to be double clear and winning.”

His team mate Rene Dittmer was making his return to Hickstead after competing here for the first time last year. “Corsica delivered a double clear so I am very happy. I really like big grass fields and old traditional shows, they are my favourite and my horse always jumps well in big grass rings,” he said.

It was Stefan Engbers second five-star Nations Cup appearance, and his first win. “I was proud, and so happy to win here,” he said.

The ultra-experienced Marcus Ehning was, unusually, the discount score for his team. “I was very happy with today, even my first round, I had two down in the triple but the horse jumped fine. I love it here at Hickstead and we like to come back.”

At the press conference, Hickstead Director Edward Bunn gave thanks to title sponsors Agria, who secured the future of this historic class in 2024. “I’d like to thank Vicki Wentworth from Agria for their continued support of this fabulous competition. Without their support we wouldn’t be able to invest in Hickstead, such as the new stables, or continue to make it one of the best facilities in the world,” he said.

Edward also gave credit to course designers Kelvin Bywater and Ben Townley, who designed a strong course with just the right amount of clear rounds and questions. “Congratulations to Kelvin and Ben for their course, I thought it was a very fair course and produced a great result,” added Edward.  

Germany’s chef d’equipe Otto Becker said: “I want to thank the whole Bunn family. For us Germans, Hickstead is always something special, we come here always. The whole place is something special to us and it means a lot to win here. It means a lot to the sport and also to Germany."

While it was a little disappointing for the home supporters to miss out on seeing Britain take a third consecutive win, chef d’equipe Di Lampard was proud of how the home nation had performed. “It’s fantastic to be on the podium here, and it was close in the end,” she said. “We had some new riders again stepping up to teams at the home Nations Cup, and I couldn’t be more delighted with how they are progressing.”

European team gold medallists Belgium ended up in third place with 17 faults, with Ireland fourth on 20 and France fifth on 24. Hickstead first-timers the UAE were sixth ahead of the Netherlands and Sweden.