Team Belgium confirmed their return to Europe Division 1 when sealing promotion with a definitive victory at the sixth leg of the FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 2 League in Roeser (LUX) on Friday. 

Taking command with the only zero score of the first round they added just six more in round two without calling up their anchor partnership, while the hosts sprang a major surprise when finishing a superb second ahead of the United Arab Emirates in third. 

Belgium cannot now be overtaken at the top of the Division 2 leaderboard after an extremely effective campaign, but the battle for the second available spot in next year’s 10-nation Division 1 series and the FEI Nations Cup Final in Barcelona (ESP) in September will continue at the last leg in Gijon (ESP) next month. The British look set to take it, but another less than sparkling performance today failed to improve their position.

"We knew at the beginning of the year that some of our top riders would compete at Global shows during the season so from the start we planned to give opportunities to many riders, and I’m very, very happy that it has worked out so well! I’m very proud of them all - it means a lot to be back in Division 1 next year!" said Belgian Chef d'EquipePeter Weinberg. 

Pathfinder Nicola Philippaerts (24) was the only Belgian to fault in the first round, but his clear with H&M Harley vd Bisschop (Dulf van den Bisschop x Coronado) second time out was followed by Catherine Van Roosbroeck’s (29) effortless double-clear with the stallion Gautcho da Quinta (Cicero Z x Upsilon vd Heffinck). So although Dominique Hendrickx (43) and Bacardi les Hauts (Rexar du Houssoit x Cavalier) collected six faults for a stop after an unfortunate slip on the turn to the influential penultimate triple combination, that was good enough to ensure that Vilm Vermeir (37) and Iq van het Steentje (Toulon x Kannan) didn’t have to go again because victory was already assured.   

"We went to St Gallen and the team ended up in fourth place, Gautcho and I were fourth in the Grand Prix and I got the prize for Leading Rider. He has been jumping double-clear and doing well all this season. We bought him when he was four (he’s now 11) and I built him up to this level. I know he made it look easy today. I think he’s in the best form of his life!" said Catherine Van Roosbroeck after being double clear for Belgium. 

The crowd held their breath as a battle for runner-up spot ensued between first-round four-faulters Luxembourg and Switzerland. Christian Weier’s single error was followed by two from Victor Bettendorf second time out, but when Victor's sister Charlotte Bettendorf went clear and anchorman Marcel Ewen picked up just a single time fault it fell to London 2012 Olympic champion, Switzerland's Steve Guerdat, to pin the hosts, now on a final total of nine, back to third. A mistake in the triple combination put paid to that however, dropping the Swiss to fourth behind the impressive UAE foursome.

Now lying third with 180 points, Luxembourg could challenge the British for that much-sought-after second-place finish on the Division 2 leaderboard with another good performance in Gijon (ESP) next month. “That possibility was presented to us today, but we’ll have to see as a team if it makes sense,” said Christian Weier however. “It’s a nice spot to be in, but we mustn't get carried away. We’ve just a small string of horses!”

"We have been working a long time toward this goal and wanting to promote the sport in Luxembourg. What happened today is something special, our first time to have a team in a Nations Cup in Luxembourg. We have to be realistic with our means though, we’ve seen other teams coming up from the second division to the first and it doesn’t work out for them. We don’t have enough horses -  I’m an amateur and personally I think it would be aiming too high, but of course it’s not my decision!" Weier concluded. 

Standings in FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 2 after round six in Roeser (LUX) based on best four results per nation: 

1.    Belgium - 380 points

2.    Great Britain - 255 points

3.    Luxembourg - 180 points

4.    Denmark - 172.5 points

5.    Norway - 165 points

6.    Austria - 150 points 

7.    Portugal - 145 points

8.    Czech Republic - 140 points