The Dutch team won Friday’s CSIO3* 1.45m Nations Cup Trophy J&T Banka in Prague, the Czech Republic. 

It was a convincing win for Rob Ehrens’ men, that ended on a total score of four penalties ahead of Ireland on eight and Japan on twelve. The three first riders on the Dutch team – Bart Bles with Israel v/d Dennehoeve (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Darco), Frank Schuttert with Lyonel D (Little Joe x Chacco-Blue) and Jeroen Dubbeldam with Oak Grove’s Carlyle (Casall x Corrado I) – all delivered such solid performances in both rounds that fourth rider Jur Vrieling with VDL Glasgow vh Merelsnest (Nabab de Reve x Darco) didn’t even have to jump.

Michael Blake’s Irish runner-up team consisted of Mark Mcauley on Jasco Vd Bisschop (Dulf van den Bisschop x Krunch de Breve), Bertram Allen riding Gun Powder (Econoon van het Lindenhof x Caretano Z), Michael Duffy with Jeff Ten Halven (Toulon x Crown Z) as well as Anthony Condon and Sfs Aristio (Arko III x Voltaire). 

The third placed Japanese team, led by Paul Schockemöhle, was made up by Koki Saito on Chilensky (Chintan x Cornet Obolensky), Daisuke Fukushima on Chanyon (Chacco-Blue x Grand Canyon), Taizo Sugitani on Heroine de Muze (Tinka's Boy x For Pleasure) and Eiken Sato on Chacanno (Chacco-Blue x Kannan).

“It is a great show here and really well organised,” Dutch coach Rob Ehrens commented after the win. "The facilities for horses and people are very good. The rings are big with a super surface. The horses already jumped good on the first day and today I was also very satisfied. My riders were highly motivated and the horses jumped well, it was nice to be able to get back into action together.”