Press release from Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova
 

At the FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors and Children 2022 in Oliva Nova, Spain, medals were decided in Saturday's competitions: First in the individual final for the Juniors, then in the team final for the Children. 

Presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort, Saturday’s individual final for the Juniors had the best 29 horse-and-rider combinations of the week at start. Ahead of the final, Belgium’s Evelyne Putters was holding the lead on a score of 0.84, followed by Dutch rider Nick Nanning on 2.43 in second, Hungary’s Gyula Szuhai Jr. on 2.75 in third, Spain’s Olivia Alvarez Garcia on 2.96 in fourth and Norway’s Ingrid Sandhei Bjørklund on 2.98 in fifth. However, the top eight were within four penalties, and the two final rounds over 1.40m courses set by Santiago Varela shook up the standings. 

After the first round, clears from Finland’s Jone Illi and Eolita L (Verdi TN x Daimler), Belgium’s Aurealia Guisson and No Limit vh Legitahof Z (Nabab de Reve x Berlin) as well as Ireland’s Francis Derwin and AHG Whiterock Cruise Down (Cruisings Micky Finn x Touchdown) moved them up on the leader board – with Illi taking the lead on a score of 3.03 ahead of Guisson in second on 3.40 and Derwin in third on 4 penalty points. A foot in the water for Putters and Nabeau van het Migroveld Z (Nabab de Reve x Taran de La Pomme) left her sitting fourth with a total score of 4.84 after round one, while Ireland’s Tom Wachman and Lazzaro Delle Schiave (Acodetto 2 x Gluecksgriff) jumped clear – putting pressure on the top four, as he was sitting fifth on 6.18.

There was no margin for error as the Juniors took to the second round of their individual final. Last year’s European Champion in the Children’s category, Hungary’s Gyula Szuhai Jr. jumped clear, ending his first Junior Championship on a total score of 6.75 – eventually good enough for the fifth place. Dutch rider Nick Nanning and Bandia (Clinsmann 2 x Quintero) also jumped clear, moving them up to fourth with a total score of 6.43. Clear rounds from the Belgian team gold medallists Putters and Guisson saw them finish on scores of 4.84 and 3.40 respectively, securing them another medal – the question was which one it would be. As last to go, Finland’s Jone Illi and the wonderful Eolita L made light work of the second and last round of the individual final. Finishing clear, the pair ended their week in Oliva Nova with a total score of 3.03, taking home the individual gold, while Guisson added silver to her collection and Putters bronze. 

“I had an excellent week, my horse was absolutely top,” Illi said after his victory. “We just jumped the Nordic Baltic Championships, where we won and it is only a week ago. She has jumped absolutely perfect, even if it is hot – in Finland it is never weather like this!” 

“I did not expect this at all, it is awesome. I have had Eolita for three years, she came to me from the Netherlands. She is very spicy, but she always gives her best, she is a lovely horse,” Illi smiled. 

“It is like a dream,” Aurelia Guisson said after taking silver. “Last year I was on the podium with my brother, he was second and I was third, and now I am so happy that Evelyne is third,” she said, smiling at her Belgian teammate Putters. “My horse is homebred, she is only nine and she is just lovely,” Aurelia said about her horse No Limit vh Legitahof Z. “She is by Nabab de Reve, just like Evelyne’s horse.” 

“I was a bit disappointed after the first round, having the foot in the water,” bronze medallist Evelyne Putters said. “I think I could have avoided that, but we came back good in the second round. I am super happy, and I was already happy with the team gold.” 

The German, French and Spanish teams started the second round of the team final in Children’s category on a score of zero, while the Italian team was sitting fourth on a score of four followed by Sweden, Ireland, Finland and the Netherlands on a score of eight and Belgium and Poland on a score of nine. In a competition presented by Freejump, the Children jumped a 1.30m course set by Santiago Varela. 

Only the German team – consisting of Lennard Tillmann and Oreal des Etains Z (Orlando x Corrado I), Antonia Häsler and Dynamite N (Nintender x Eklat), Ava Ferch on Quintessa Lox (Quinton x Casir Ask), Tony Stormanns and Dia Nova (Diamant de Revel x Cardento 933) as well as Vieca Sofie Bade and Chades Of Grey (Contendro I x Colbert GTI) – kept their score of zero in the final round. Clears from Tillmann, Ferch and Stormanns in the final round secured the Germans the team gold. 

After the second round of the final, Italy and France were tied on four penalties, and their medals were decided by a jump-off. In the end the Italians – with a team consisting of Giovanni Vincoli on Qitana VDV (Quasimodo Z x Julio V), Lavinia Lo Bosco on Ocean (Presley Boy x Quatoubet), Anna Ruggeri on Dakotah 2 (Diarado x Laurin), Enrico Santoni on Katrin (Kannan x Numero Uno) and Daphne Giunti on Touche d’Arrogance) – were quickest, taking home team silver, while France – with a team consisting of Romane Blanc on Zig Zag Z (Zandor Z x Carthago), Melina Bouillot on Canabis d’Albain (Baloubet du Rouet x Kannan), Timothee Goffinet on Volubie du Givre (Winningmood x Damiro B), Lucas Delachaussee on Atcha des Coteaux (Controe x Bonhomme II) and Louise Anquetin on Uccello de Hus (Quidam x Contender) – took team bronze. 

“I am very happy,” German Chef d’Equipe Eberhard Seemann said after the victory. "Even though leading up to this event, my Children won a Nations Cup in Hagen, I was a little bit nervous coming here. We had a great team here, with an amazing team spirit. I believe that these championships are essential for Children; after this, they will move on to the Junior division and it is important to have this experience to develop step by step. Personally, I love the classes for Children in general, and especially these Championships, because this way we can really bring the future talents forward. To me, these are one of the most important events there is!” 

Individually, ten horse-and-rider combinations in the Children’s category move onto Sunday’s final with a score of zero. 

The FEI Jumping European Championship for Young Riders, Juniors and Children 2022 in Oliva Nova concludes on Sunday with the individual final for Young Riders and Children as well as the farewell competition for Children.