Edited press release from EEF

It was a sunny day all round for Team Spain who rode to victory in the CSIO3* 1.50m Longines EEF Series Semi-Final in Deauville, France. Displaying masterful riding, the Spanish quartet were decisive winners as the only team to finish on zero faults, as the popular French venue was basked in glorious sunshine throughout. The British team were chasing at Spanish heels, but had to settle to second with four penalties overall, whilst Ireland took third on five penalties.

Spain had selected a strong and more mature squad including international star Sergio Alvarez Moya on Puma HS (Untouchable x Party Dance), Mariano Martinez Bastida on Belano vd Wijnhoeve Z (Berlin x Darco), Imma Roquet Autonell on Icenta del Maset (Indrett del Maset x Dobel's Cento) and Iván Serrano Sáez on Rain Man (Chacco-Blue x Pilot). Mariano Martinez Bastida and Iván Serrano Sáez both delivered double clear rounds, while Alvarez Moya posted a clear the first time out and Roquet Autonell jumped clear in round two – leaving the Spanish on a score of zero. 

The 1.50m track was designed by Yann Royant and saw jumping penalties peppered throughout both rounds but both the combinations towards the end of the cause proved demanding for a number of riders. 

Ten teams came forward for the first of two semi-finals in the Longines EEF Series, with five teams going forward to the Final which will be held in Warsaw, Poland on 8th September. It was a tight finish for the remaining qualifying places with Sweden, Denmark, France and Poland all finished in 16 faults and it was left to time to separate them, causing France and Poland to miss out on qualification by mere milliseconds. 

Sweden and Denmark will join Spain, Great Britain and Ireland at the Final in September. The second of the two Longines EEF Series Semi-Finals will take place in Budapest (Hungary) on 12th July to decide the remaining 5 finalists.