Di Lampard and the winner's fist pump!
Only the top six teams after round one qualified to move forward to the deciding second round in last Saturday's CSIO5* BMO Nations Cup at the Spruce Meadows 'Masters'. Great Britain and Germany were leading the way on a score of zero, followed by Ireland and the USA on a team total of four, Belgium and Brazil carried twelve, while France, the Netherlands, Canada, Austria and Mexico were left out of contention.
In the second round, it was Robert Ridland’s Team USA that kept pushing and putting pressure on the others, with all four horse-and-rider combinations jumping clear. With Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard (Mylord Carthago x Ahorn), Elena Haas and Claude (Captain Jack 44 x Cefalo), Laura Kraut and Tres Bien Z (Toulon x Nabab de Reve), as well as Aaron Vale aboard Styles (Cornet Obolensky x Canturo), all delivering flawless rounds, they secured the U.S. a top three finish with their team total of four. However, which step of the podium would be theirs was in the hands of the German and British teams that battled on head-to-head until the very end.
With these images, we take you behind the scenes as the prestigious title was decided.
All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping. No reproduction of any of the content in this article will be accepted without a written permission, all rights reserved © World of Showjumping.com. If copyright violations occur, a penalty fee will apply.
Getting ready...
Cool, calm, collected – Joe Stockdale's Ebanking and Charlotte Attwell.
It was all in the details for Team Brazil...
A quiet moment... Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard with Corentin Tual at the famous in-gate.
Post-round treats for Nicola Philippaerts' Qnokke de Muze from Tiffany Letallec.
Aaron Vale getting ready to get on after watching Lillie Keenan's ride.
Double clear for Team USA and kisses for Argan de Beliard!
Team Legacy – Jeroen Dubbeldam celebrates a clear from Daniel Coyle and Legacy with Ariel Grange.
All smiles for Daniel Coyle after a brilliant clear with Legacy to help fight the Irish cause.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
You'll never walk alone... Matthew Sampson and Ebolensky on their way to the International Arena.
Germany's Christian Kukuk analyses his four faults with Jessica Kürten on live TV.
Watching on the sidelines... Olivier Philippaerts and below, the Brazilian chef d'equipe Piet Raijmakers.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
When it counts the most... Thibault Philippaerts and Lyandro delivered a clear for Team Belgium.
For Belgium, it was a true family affair, with three of the Philippaerts-brothers part of the team.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
How about that? Robert Ridland's team kept pushing in the second round, with Elena Haas, 22, and Claude following Lillie Keenan and Argan de Beliard with another clear.
All the love for Claude...
Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames Singclair answered right back, jumping their second clear of the day.
For Belgium it was an uphill battle... literally.
Ben Maher and Enjeu de Grisien, double clear for Di Lampard's British team.
Brazil's Pedro Junquiera Muylaert and Quax 76 on their way to the ring for the second time around, after posting a clear in round one.
Roy Van Beek and Cavoiro-H OLD delivered two steady rounds for Belgium.
Tiffany Foster and Lillie Keenan having a laugh.
A double clear in the bag – Laura Kraut and Tres Bien Z for Team USA.
Bertram Allen's Qonquest de Rigo chilling in the warm-up.
Gangster v/h Noddevelt, Daniel Deusser and Marine Renaudet on their way to the ring.
Ben Maher was all smiles after Joe Stockdale and Ebanking jumped double clear as the third pair out for Great Britain.
High fives and hugs all around...
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
Olivier Philippaerts and Dixie Moon were the Belgian anchors.
Aaron Vale and Styles anchored the American team to finish on an overall score of four.
A job well done!
After his team-mates jumped three clears in the first round, Germany's Richard Vogel and Cloudio could sit it out. In the second round, however, it was all left in their hands; a clear was needed. A slight drift to the final fence cost them, leaving Germany on four faults and eventually to the second place.
Thumbs up from Tom Wachman after a double clear on Tabasco de Toxandria Z as the best of the Irish.
As the last pair out, Donald Whitaker and Millfield Colette jumped a picture perfect round...
...securing a British win in the BMO Nations Cup of Canada – for the first time since 1996.
“It was kind of all you ever dreamed of doing, really, being at Spruce Meadows, last go, to win – it is a fairy-tale,” Donald Whitaker said about sealing the deal.
Meanwhile, the Germans – who finished second – were busy analysing what went wrong.
Scott Brash was among the first to congratulate Donald and Millfield Colette after their phenomenal round...
...followed by another British Olympic Champion, Nick Skelton.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
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Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
Donald Whitaker with his girlfriend Nicola Pohl. “For me, it would be impossible without the people around me, the backing of Nicola and her family at Dagobertshausen, and the help and support from the staff, their endless hours," Donald told WoSJ earlier this summer. "We're on the horse in the ring, but I think our staff are just as deserving of the medals and the trophies. It takes an army, and without their support, I wouldn't be here, it wouldn’t be possible.”
No sore losers here – Richard Vogel congratulates Donald Whitaker.
The heroes behind it all...
The grooms for the British team: Gwendoline Bellamy, Kate Titulaer, Brigita Unciūtė and Charlotte Attwell.
With Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh in attendance, Di Lampard's team ended a 29-year drought of British wins in Calgary.
“The spirit of this team is second to none,” Di Lampard said about her winning group. “It has come together so well this year – I am so proud.”
Di has spoken!
Then