Text © World of Showjumping 

It was a day of real shake-up at the Longines FEI European Championships 2019, with Belgium bouncing back from sitting 8th to take over the lead from Germany that now are 2nd. Great Britain had a good day too, going from 4th to 3rd while France fell down from 2nd to 4th and Sweden from 3rd to 5th. With the current standings, Belgium, Great Britain and France are within reach of the three tickets that are available for the Tokyo Olympic Games – which means a lot is at stake as the teams go into tomorrow’s deciding round. With only 1.15 penalty points separating Belgium from Germany, and 6.32 points between the leading team and France in fourth position anything can happen on Friday. 

“Our first goal is to qualify for Tokyo, that’s what we are aiming for and then we look for the rest,” Belgium’s Chef d’Equipe Peter Weinberg said after Thursday’s round. “The boys did a fantastic job, and the horses were jumping brilliant. We knew that today would change quite a bit, and after being 8th yesterday we really had to fight. But, there is still another day to come.”

Louis Konickx had built a real game-changer of a track in Rotterdam today. Set at 1.60m and counting fourteen fences, including an open water at jump seven and a triple combination at 13abc it took a lot of concentration from the horses and riders to make it around on a clean sheet. “I think the course designer did a fantastic job,” Belgium’s Pieter Devos said. “Yesterday was not so heavy, but today it was much more technical and then we see the faults coming. However, I think it was a horse-friendly course, and I think we can go to day three at this championship without the horses being in the red. It was a technical course to the end, the last line was also difficult. We had to ride with a plan until the last fence, and that is what we managed today.”

Fifteen teams were lined up for today’s second round in Rotterdam, with the ten highest ranked going in group two. Pieter Devos and Claire Z (Clearway x Coronado) gave the Belgians the best possible start with a clear round, and Jos Verlooy and Igor (Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof x Nabab de Reve) followed suit as their second pair out. While other team riders were struggling, things were starting to look a lot brighter for Belgium that were closing in on the top four.

“It’s Igor’s second championships, we also jumped at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon last year,” Verlooy explained. “He was a bit greener back then, and over the year we have gotten more together as a combination and I started to get to know him better. This year he did not do so much. His form feels just on time, he is fresh and I’m looking forward to the next days!” 

Great Britain was also adding to the pressure on those ahead, with both Ben Maher on Explosion W (Chacco-Blue x Beloubet du Rouet) and Holly Smith on Hearts Destiny (Heart Throb x Rabino) going clear. With his performance, Maher kept on his individual score of 0.62 and with overnight leader Peder Fredricson still to come the heat could be felt on all fronts.  

Like so many others, Belgium’s third in line – Jerome Guery on Quel Homme de Hus (Quidam de Revel x Candillo) – had two of the bogey fences down, the vertical following the water and the middle element of the triple. If they wanted to stay in the game, Gregory Wathelet had to be clear. It was no different for Great Britain either, as Amanda Derbyshire recorded eight faults – meaning anchor rider Scott Brash had to be brilliant to keep them in the medal zone. 

With Belgium and Great Britain busy closing in, the top three teams had their hands full to keep it together. Moving on to the final line-up of riders, Belgium would with a clear round pass overnight leaders Germany on the standings – as would Great Britain. 

Wisely enough, Belgium had put their most experienced rider last – Gregory Wathelet is no stranger to pressure. While MJT Nevados S (Calvados Z x Romualdo) is new to this level, he does have a gold medal from the FEI World Breeding Jumping Championships as a 7-year-old – and knowing each other well sure worked to this couple’s advantage today. Their partnership resulted in the much-needed clear for Belgium to put them in the lead. 

“It’s his first championship, and he really fights for me,” Wathelet said of MJT Nevados S.  “We know that we have a strong team. Our horses were a bit young, now they are older and more experienced. Now we have to keep our focus, and fight again tomorrow,” Wathelet continued. 

As for Brash, luck saved its presence for another day – leaving Hello M’Lady (Indoctro x Baloubet du Rouet) with a foot in the water and the British team on a score of 13.41 – eventually putting them third on the standings pushing ahead of both France and Sweden.

The Swedes, who have been on top form this season with a string of Nations Cup wins, could not keep it together today and had to add twelve penalties to their score after discharging Fredrik Jönsson’s seventeen faults. An unlucky pole on 5b also meant that Peder Fredricson and H&M All In (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Andiamo Z) had to give up their individual lead to Ben Maher and Explosion W, adding to the blue-and-yellow disappointment. 

Like Belgium, France has come to Rotterdam for Olympic qualification. Anchor Alexis Deroubaix kept them in the hunt for that with their only clear round of the day, delivered on Timon d’Aure (Mylord Carthago HN x Drakkar Des Hutins). With that as their best result, the French were left on an overall score of 17.39 followed by Sweden on 18.81. 

Despite clears from pathfinders Simone Blum and DSP Alice (Askari x Landrebell), as well as anchors Daniel Deusser and Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Mr. Blue), Germany had to let go of their lead as Christian Ahlmann and Marcus Ehning both had eight faults each. Nevertheless, they are the ones to now be breathing Belgium in the neck – and Friday’s final might just see the tables turn yet againg as the medals will be decided. 

Individually, Ben Maher leads the way on a score 0.62 followed by Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat on 1.31 and Alexis Deroubaix on 1.40.