Barcelona: German team fifth after first round
For the 14th time, the male and female show-jumpers are competing for the victory of the best teams at the Nations' Cup Final in Barcelona. National coach Otto Becker (Sendenhorst) sent André Thiem (Plau am See), Jana Wargers (Belgium), Christian Kukuk (Riesenbeck) and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (Pinneberg) into the "race" for the "international match". Before the decisive final on Sunday, the team is in fifth place.
The Nations' Cup Final of the FEI World Equestrian Federation leads the 14 qualified nations or their teams with 54 pairs through the first round. The best eight teams secure their ticket for the grand final on Sunday, which is endowed with 1.25 million Euros, the remaining six teams compete for 300,000 Euros in the B-final, known as the Challenge Cup, on Saturday evening. So much for the regulations.
Germany started promisingly. André Thieme, reigning European Champion and unlucky rider at the World Championships in Herning after his fall, rode his mare DSP Chakaria (by Chap), bred in Brandenburg-Anhalt, to a classy clear round. Jana Wargers, the Westphalian from Emsdetten, who rides for Ashford Farm in Belgium, had a four-fault ride with the Holsteiner Limbridge (by Limbus), as did Christian Kukuk, who failed an obstacle with the Belgian stallion Mumbai, son of Diamant de Semilly. Before the final rider Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann and the Belgian Plot Blue son Messi van'T Ruytershof, Germany ranked second together with Ireland. However, Janne Meyer was not able to achieve a clear round either, her throw counted. In the end, the team placed fifth with eight faults.
The French were the outstanding riders in Barcelona. Simon Delestre, Kevin Staut, Julien Epaillard and Frederic Cottard were all clear and put their country in the lead. The Irish took second place, finishing the first round with only four faults. They were followed, somewhat surprisingly, by the Spanish, who shared third place with the Belgians (both with five faults). No less than three nations claimed fifth place with eight faults: Besides Germany, these are Switzerland and the Netherlands. The British (12) just made it into the grand final on Sunday, knocking the Brazilians out of the race thanks to their better times. The grand final starts on Sunday at 3 pm and will be broadcast live on Clipmyhorse.tv.
