GB SHOWJUMPERS ARE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS IN HERNING - 22 August 2013 Team GBR Showjumpers made history this evening (22 August 2013) at the ECCO FEI European Championships in Herning, Denmark winning the Team Gold medal just one year after taking Team Gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games. This consecutive double has only been achieved once before, some seventeen years ago in 1996 (by Germany) and demonstrates the strength of British Showjumping after their tumultuous win twelve months before. Holding the lead from the end of day two, the GB riders knew there was still a long way to go if they were to ensure that the gold medal was not to fall from their grasp. Ben Maher with the stunning 11 year-old grey mare Cella, owned by Jane Clark, put in a brilliant opening clear for the team. Their copy book round followed two clean sheets from the previous rounds of the competition that saw them top the leader board in the speed class on both the opening day of the Championships and the first round of the Team competition. Their impeccable form leaves Ben on zero penalties and leading the Individual competition heading into the Individual Final, which takes place on Saturday. Michael Whitaker was the second rider to come forward with his own 11 year-old chestnut gelding Viking V. Looking set to produce a second clear to match his previous round, Michael was unlucky to roll the top rail of a vertical for four faults. Stopping the clock just outside the time accrued an additional penalty, giving him a total of 5 faults. However with other medal contending nations also picking up faults, GBR remained in the lead at the halfway stage, ahead of strong challenges from Germany and Sweden. Will Funnell and his homebred 12 year-old stallion Billy Congo must have felt a tremendous amount of pressure in this, their first Senior European Championships together, particularly having incurred 12 penalties in their previous round. But with Billy Congo having settled into the Championship environment, William gave the ride of his life to put in a well-deserved clear within the time allowed. It was now all down to the fourth and final team riders to decide who would take the medals home. GBR’s gold medal hopes rested on the shoulders of team anchorman Scott Brash, with Lady Kirkham and Lord & Lady Harris’s bay gelding Hello Sanctos. With all of the other nation’s results in, GBR held the lead with only one fence in hand. A solitary rail fell early on in the course, but a determined Scott lived up to his nickname - ‘Mr Cool’. Where many might have crumbled Scott held his nerve; the 27 year old recovered to return home with no further faults and claim the gold for Team GBR. RESULTS: Gold Great Britain (12.18) Silver Germany (12.77) Bronze Sweden (13.44) Further details about the European Championships can be located on the Herning 2013 website: european-herning.dk/GB.aspx Live streaming from the event is available by visiting feitv.org and a link to all broadcast times including the BBC Red Button can be found by clicking on the following link equestrianteamgbr.co.uk/news-article.aspx?article=european-tv-coverage-2013
Posted on: Fri, 23 Aug 2013 09:40:38 +0000
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