They swept all before them at the 2021 edition in Avenches (SUI), and once again Team Great Britain sends a world-class squad of riders and horses to the 36th edition of the FEI Eventing European Championship which kicks off at Haras du Pin in Normandy (FRA) next Wednesday, 9 August 2023.

However this event won’t all be about places on the podium.

There are also two Olympic qualifying spots on offer to countries that have not already booked their tickets to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the battle between the four nations competing for those two places is expected to be intense.

A total of 58 athletes from 14 countries will line out at the French venue including teams from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland along with individuals from Denmark, Finland, Hungary and Poland.

In the race for the two Olympic team slots are Austria, Belgium, Italy and The Netherlands. 

70th anniversary

This will be the 70th anniversary of this championship which dates all the way back to Badminton (GBR) in 1953 where the hosts took individual gold and silver and fielded the only side to finish the team competition.

The sport has come a long way since then, but British dominance has remained a constant theme with 19 individual and 23 European team titles under their belts. And the defending champions are back out in force once more this time around.

For Germany the dream of a seventh team victory didn’t come true last time around as they had to settle for silver.

German riders have taken the individual title six times and three of those victories were posted back-to-back by Michael Jung in 2011, 2013 and 2015. The only other three-in-a-row individual champion is Great Britain’s Ginny Elliott who reigned supreme in 1985, 1987 and 1989.

The phenomenal Jung is back on the German side again this year with Fischerchipmunk FRH along with longtime team-mate and 2014 double World Champion Sandra Auffarth (Viamant du Matz), Christoph Wahler (Carjatan S), Jerome Robine (Black Ice) and Nicolai Aldinger (Timmo).

Sweden took bronze in 2021, and, partnering Dynamite Jack, four-time Olympian Sara Algotsson Ostholt heads this year’s Swedish contingent which includes Frida Andersen (Box Leo), Lina Forsberg (Kaizen), Sofia Sjöborg (Bryjamolga vh Marienshof Z) and Amanda Staam (Corpoubet At). 

After six of the eight legs of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2023 series Belgium, Italy and The Netherlands hold the top three placings and Austria lies seventh of the 14 competing countries. The stage is set for a right royal battle between these four nations for the two tickets to Paris next summer as the week progresses.

Never won

The French have never won the team title but have taken team silver eight times. And on the last four occasions when they stood on the second step of the podium - in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2011 - Nicolas Touzaint was a team member each time. 

The 43-year-old five-time Olympian is one of just two French riders to win individual European gold in Eventing. Jean-Lou Bigot and Twist La Beige came out on top in 1993 and Touzaint steered Galan de Sauvagère to victory in both in 2003 and 2007. This year he competes Absolut Gold HDC with which he helped claim team bronze at the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games two years ago.

The quality host nation squad also includes Karim Florent Laghouag (Triton Fontaine), Stephane Landois (Ride for Thais Chaman Dumontceau), Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza), Gireg Le Coz (Aisprit de la Loge) and Heloise Le Guern (Canakine du Sudre Z). They’ll have their eyes firmly focused on the podium, especially ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games on their home soil. 

Haras du Pin

The Haras National du Pin is located in Le Pin-au-Haras district in the Orne department of the southern Normandy region. It is the oldest of the French national studs and, known as the “Versailles for horses”, it was established by King Louis XIV in 1715 and stretches over more than 2,471 acres.

Many major events have been staged at the stud including the Grand Complet which was established 25 years ago by the family of Pierre Le Goupil who is cross-country course designer for the European Championship, and who has also been chosen to fill the same role at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

However it has only played host to the FEI Eventing European Championship on one previous occasion, in 1969 when Great Britain claimed all-gold and individual silver.

Everything they have

The British are throwing everything they have at retaining the European titles and look like tough nuts to crack. 

Ros Canter is listed with her sensational Badminton 2023 winner Lordships Graffalo, while Kitty King will line out again with Vendredi Biats, better known as Froggy, who finished second at CCI5*-L in Luhmühlen (GER) in June. 

In fact the six-strong British selection includes four of the top eleven and six of the top 25 in the current World Athlete Rankings as well as the reigning world championship partnership of Yasmin Ingham and Banzai du Loir. 

Tom McEwen (JL Dublin) holds the world number two slot, Canter is number three, Ingham is number six and Tom Jackson (Capels Hollow Drift) is number 11. Laura Collett (London 52) lies 20th in the rankings and King holds 25th place. They are a formidable bunch.

The action will get underway on 9 August with the Draw, First Horse Inspection and the Opening Ceremony followed by two days of Dressage on 10 and 11, the thrilling Cross-Country on Saturday 12 and the deciding Jumping phase on Sunday 13.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Further information here  

 

The FEI Board has unanimously confirmed the allocation of the Qualifiers and Final of the Longines League of Nations™ for the 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2027 seasons to venues across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.   The Longines League of Nations™ venues for the 2024 - 2027 seasons will be as follows:   Qualifiers: CSIO5* Abu Dhabi (UAE) CSIO5* Ocala, FL (USA) CSIO5* St Gallen (SUI) CSIO5* Rotterdam (NED)   Final: CSIO5* Barcelona (ESP)   The allocations were made further to a bid process, which began on 22 May, with extensive consultation between the FEI, the bidding Organisers and their National Federations in accordance with the Allocation of FEI Named-Events Policy.   The FEI Headquarters and the FEI Jumping Committee reviewed the bids and presented their recommendations to the FEI Board. Longines, the FEI’s Top Partner and Title Sponsor of the new Series, who has committed to a very significant financial contribution, was consulted throughout the entire process.   “We have made a historic decision for the future of equestrian sport,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “This series is about inspiring individuals and nations around the core values of our sport – camaraderie, team spirit, horsemanship and excellence - and for over a century it has played an invaluable role in the development of equestrian globally.   “We were very pleased with the large number of organisers eager to host a Longines League of Nations event in the coming seasons.   “We undertook the task of selecting the events with great responsibility and I believe we have made a difficult but fair choice, striking a good balance between continuity and evolution. This fresh and exciting Series gives us the opportunity to display the very best of team equestrian sport to large audiences in key territories and we are looking forward to working closely with these Organisers to continue the Nations Cup legacy and inspire future generations of equestrians.   “Due to the quantity of bids received, which illustrated the appetite for the new Series, there were difficult decisions to be made. We knew from the start that we would be unable to accommodate all of the organisers, who have made tremendous contributions to the FEI Nations Cup series in the past. We will always be grateful to them and wish them every success for the future.   “Our work is far from finished. It is only just beginning with the next phases focussing on logistics, branding, and promotion to prepare for the inaugural season of the new Series.   “I would like to thank all the organising committees for their dedication and hard work in submitting such impressive applications and to congratulate the winning bidders. Our very special appreciation goes to Longines, the FEI’s top partner, for their trust and their unwavering support to equestrian sport,” President De Vos concluded.   “The Board allocated four Qualifiers for this global series in three regions – two Qualifiers in Europe, one in North America, and one in the Middle East,” FEI Secretary General Sabrina Ibáñez commented. “Although we originally planned to have five Qualifiers, we were mindful that next year will be particularly busy with the Paris 2024 Olympic Games taking place from 26 July to 11 August. Having four Qualifiers keeps the calendar reasonable and allows athletes, horses, and chefs d’équipe to manage horsepower and still have enough time to train, compete, and prepare for the Olympic Games.   “The Final across the upcoming four seasons will go to Barcelona, an iconic Olympic venue, which has hosted International Jumping Competitions for 111 years and which will welcome this year’s final for the 10th consecutive time in October.   “During the inaugural Longines League of Nations season in 2024, we will evaluate the new concept and together with Longines and the FEI Jumping Committee, we will work towards adding a fifth qualifier in the following seasons.”   “The Longines League of Nations is an exciting new Series, the revamped heir to historical team equestrian competitions going back well over a century,” Matthias Breschan, CEO of Longines, said. “Its rich past and dynamic new format fit well with Longines’ values encompassing tradition, modernity and excellence and it is a great honour for our brand to partner with it. We look forward to a thrilling season as the Series travels around the world.”       About the Longines League of Nations™ The Longines League of Nations was created following a six-month consultation phase with a dedicated Task Force, which was set up to review and redefine the iconic Nations Cup series and included all the key equestrian stakeholders. It will give a fresh start for the century-old equestrian team series and will see a full makeover starting in 2024.   The new series will feature a unified and global format, where the top 10 nations compete at four top venues in order to qualify for a Final where the best eight teams go head-to-head to be crowned the Longines League of NationsTM Champion.   The format, which was approved unanimously by the FEI Jumping Committee, will be unique to the Longines League of NationsTM. It consists of two rounds, whereby in the first round, all four athletes from all 10 teams (and potentially the host nation) participate with the three best scores to count, followed by a second round where the best eight teams compete in reverse order - carrying forward their penalties from the first round - however with only three athletes per team and no drop score.   The same format will be applied for the Longines League of NationsTM Final with all eight teams qualified competing across both rounds with only three riders and no drop score in the second round.   The rules for Longines League of NationsTM 2024 were approved by the FEI Board at its in-person meeting on 6 and 7 June and are available here.     About Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) www.fei.org The FEI is the world governing body for horse sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was founded in 1921. Equestrian sport has been part of the Olympic movement since the 1912 Games in Stockholm.   The FEI is the sole controlling authority for all international events in the Olympic sports of Jumping, Dressage and Eventing, as well as Driving, Endurance and Vaulting.   The FEI became one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The FEI now governs all international competitions for Para Dressage and Para Driving.

It was a scintillating end to the FEI Vaulting European Championships and the FEI World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors as five nations picked up the final medals of the competition. These Championships left fans on the edge of their seats as the audience were treated to an abundance of skills, strength and top-level performances.

There was no change at the top of the Senior Pas-de-deux scoreboard despite some very close first round scores. Li Laffer and Illona Hannich won the bronze medal for Switzerland – the third for Hannich, making her the first Vaulter to medal in all three divisions at one Championship. Germans Diana Harwardt and Peter Künne finished in second place (8.406) as nerves showed through and a few slips lost valuable points. The Germans were unable to overtake Austrians Eva Nagiller and Romana Hintner who stayed strong under the pressure of entering the arena last, to take the gold medal (8.696) with their artistic concept moving perfectly with the music.

The Italians were unstoppable in the Junior Pas-de-Deux. Giorgia Varisco and Greta Gemignani performed with precision and character, easily winning the World title for Italy for the first time (8.353). Austria’s Sarah Victoria Köck and Clara Dick held firm in second place with 7.754, while their teammates Anja Huber and Katharina Feldhofer launched themselves to a third place finish after a creative display (7.612).

The final event of the FEI Vaulting European Championships was the Official Team competition.

Team Germany took home the title with Kathrin Meyer and Jannik Heiland combining with the squad to give Team Norka a top performance (8.719). In spite of an immaculate start from Illona Hannich, Switzerland finished in silver medal position (8.238), as a fall from Danielle Bürgi, due to her horse getting a fright, left the team too far behind. Along with individuals Iben Dines Pederson and Nanna Trab Christensen, the Danish squad played to their strengths and won the bronze medal (8.050).

It was a magnificent finish and a memorable end to the first triple Vaulting Championships, with 11 champions crowned over six days of incredible vaulting sport.

Photo caption: Team Germany celebrates their gold medal win at the FEI Vaulting European Championships. 
Copyright ©FEI/Liz Gregg

 

Even if it is difficult for non-Swedish speakers to pronounce correctly, Fylinge has an undeniable positive vibe about it.

The venue for the FEI Vaulting European Championships and World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors, is a classic horse ground which has played a central role in the breeding of Swedish sport horses for many centuries.

Sitting in one of the old stone buildings, which has been transformed into a press centre, Ted Velander, his wife Pernilla and their daughter Ella Filippa are well aware of the significance of holding these Championships in such a historical setting. But Flyinge is also home to the Velander family, who live just a stone’s throw away from the venue.

This is not the first time that Ted has been at the head of an Organising Committee for a Vaulting Event. Since the first Swedish National Championships were held in Flyinge in 2015, he has overseen the organisation of CVI 3-star events every year since 2016, except in 2020 when the event was cancelled on account of the pandemic.

An experienced journalist, Pernilla is the Press Officer for Flyinge 2023 and has played a key role in raising the profile and visibility of Equestrian Vaulting with the local and national press.

Both Ted and Pernilla are experienced equestrians, and Ted still competes in Eventing competitions, national and international, and is also a course designer and trainer. But it was really their daughter Ella Filippa who got them involved in Vaulting.

“Ella Fllipa was nine years old, when we were all in Germany where I was filming videos to educate the public in a series on all the equestrian disciplines,” Pernilla explained.

“She decided to stay in the Vaulting arena for the whole event and when she came out of there, she said to me, ‘Mummy, this is what I want to do!’ So, she started Vaulting and as her parents we became more involved.”

The years of driving Ella Filippa to weekly lessons definitely paid off at the Championships this week. The 24-year-old made her parents proud, when she and her teammates won the team bronze medal at the FEI Vaulting European Championships 2023. The last time the Swedish team won a Vaulting medal was at the FEI World Equestrian Games at Jerez de Frontera (ESP) in 2002.

It is a victory that Ella Filippa has savoured with each of her teammates, some of whom she has known since she was a little girl first starting out in the club.

“Some of the girls on my team have become my best friends,” Ella Filippa said. “A few of the girls who I started out with, now have families of their own and we are still very close even though they are not Vaulting anymore. But we still keep in touch and these are friendships that started when we were kids.

“I was only 11 years old when I first travelled with the team as a reserve to the Vaulting Championships at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Kentucky. My parents followed a few days later, so the older girls looked after me and made sure I had everything I needed. That’s just how the Vaulting community works. We all look after each other.

“The fact that Vaulting is so social is one of the main reasons that I have stayed in the sport so long. It’s this social context that really picks me up and enriches my training.”

And it’s not just Ella Filippa who feels this way.

"When we describe our community as a 'family,' it truly reflects the strong bond among everyone working and competing in Vaulting,” Ted explained.

"Every individual involved in organising the Event is a parent of a Vaulter in our club. Each parent brings a unique set of professional skills honed through their careers, making it easy for me to call upon everyone to contribute their expertise to the successful organisation of these Championships.”

For the Velanders, their hope is that these Championships will give people, who are new to the sport, some insight into the level of skill required and the intensity of the connection with the horse.

“The sport of Vaulting in Sweden is not well known and for this reason can sometimes be misunderstood,” Ted explained. “Many people, even those with experience in other equestrian disciplines, take time to appreciate the level of feeling that is required with the horse when Vaulting. It’s only after they see what the lungers can get the horse to do that they say, ‘Gosh, this is impressive!’

“Vaulters are gymnasts who need to also work their timing with the horse, and this is critical if they are to perform well. And while lungers make the job of getting a horse to move in a circle look easy, there is a tremendous amount of hard work and time that goes into making it look effortless.

“This is why it was important for us to use these Championships as an opportunity to take the sport outside of the venue and to have the Opening Ceremony in the city of Lund. We had a wooden horse set up on a grass field in the center of Lund, inviting everyone to experience Vaulting firsthand. And we were privileged to witness a captivating presentation and performance by 70 para vaulters, spanning half an hour. The event garnered significant attention, making it to the front page of the daily paper and the electric atmosphere surpassed all our expectations." 

The FEI Vaulting European Championships and the FEI World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors will come to a close this evening, with Pas-de-Deux and Nations Team rounding off the six-day event.

Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg

It was an historic day for Vaulting at the FEI World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors. The first ever World Champions were crowned in the Young Vaulter division, Canada was presented their first Vaulting medal and nine nations medalled over the five classes.

The final of the Male Young Vaulter class kept everyone on tenterhooks right to the end, with errors beginning to creep in as the grandeur of the event affected the performers. Philip Goroncy entered the circle for Germany performing the first clean Free test of the day and was rewarded with a bronze medal (7.835).  He was followed by team mate Bela Lehnen whose smooth style fitted the music choice perfectly leading to a high score from the judges and made him a tough act to follow.

Philip Clement began his Free test apprehensively, and his nerves showed slightly with a small slip at the start but he grew with confidence as his freestyle progressed, and displayed incredible skill and harmony. He proved his worth with his new title of World Champion (8.257), while Bela Lehnen taking the silver medal (7.974).

In the Female final the top vaulters were full of confidence. Anna Weidenauer performed a beautiful freestyle, holding the bronze medal for Austria (8.146).  Averill Saunders captivated the audience and put on a thrilling display in her Free test, taking home the silver medal, a first for Canada (8.417). Gold was for Alice Layher from Germany who showed her class throughout the competition and proved too strong for the rest. She has now added the World Champion title to the European one which she won in 2022 along with Andrea Blatz and Lambik Van Strokappeleken (8.606).

There was a big change in the Junior female leaderboard. Clara Ludwiczek, originally in fifth place, produced a massive freestyle earning a top score to bring the World title home to Austria for the third time (8.244). Josephine Vedel Sondergaard Nielson held her place firm and won the silver medal for Denmark (8.239), with Giorgia Varisco finishing in third place for Italy (8.044). France’s Oceane Gehan had a devastating round. Coming into the final in gold medal position, her horse began the test very unsettled and she had to show great horsemanship to settle him while losing as few points as possible. She still pulled off an incredibly difficult Free test, but it wasn’t enough, and she completed the competition in fourth place (7.918).

Dutch Sam dos Santos became a double World Champion, winning the gold medal in the Junior Male class once again (8.424). The incredibly talented 14-year-old Lukas Heitmann took home silver for Germany, and in an unbelievably close finish, Baptiste Terrier won the bronze medal for France scoring 7.958, fractionally ahead of Ben Lechtenberg (GER) on 7.953, and Louis Dumont (FRA) on 7.922.

The final medals of the day were for the Junior squads. Team Germany was untouchable. Their freestyle was full of beautiful shapes and complex sequences, which had them in a class above the rest, and their score of 8.512 led them to a gold medal. The silver medal went to Switzerland (7.802), with the United States of America finishing in third (7.021).

Tomorrow the Championship will draw to a close with the final medals decided in the Junior and Senior Pas-de-Deux and the Official team competition. It will be a glittering end to a great event.

Photo credit: FEI / Liz Gregg

Celebrations began today as the first medals of the FEI Vaulting European Championships were won. France, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden all laid claim to at least one of the podium positions, as the remainder of the championship classes edged closer to the finish line.

The Senior Pas-de-Deux finally got underway in the morning with the pairs enthralling the audience. Executing exceptionally clean lines, Austrians Eva Nagiller and Romana Hintner connected effortlessly and won the round with a score of 8.515. Diana Harwardt and Peter Künne (GER) sit just behind them on 8.468, with some small hesitations in their test making the difference, while in third spot are the Swiss pair, Li Laffer and Illona Hannich (7.976).  Unfortunately, the Italian Pas-de-Deux, Rebecca Greggio and Davide Zanella were unable to perform after their horse was deemed not fit to compete.

The Junior Pas-de-Deux was a different story. Complementing each other in position and movement, Giorgia Varisco and Greta Gemignani wowed the judges taking the top spot for Italy with 7.867. Once again, the talent within the class has left the final placings ambiguous with only 0.1 separating second and fifth. Second place is currently with Austrians Sarah Victoria Köck and Clara Dick (7.416) while the pair from Denmark Esther Beck Rasmussen and Wilma Baden Askbo are in third (7.336).

The Technical test continued to prove challenging in the Young Vaulter Male competition. Germany’s Bela Lehnen lost his balance and was unable to remain upright in the backwards stand, losing him the score for the exercise as well as precious seconds, which led to a penalty for exceeding the time limit. He scored 7.617 in round one, dropping into second place. Philip Clement took the advantage for Austria completing an almost perfect test aside from a landing fault, flying him into the lead on 8.150. Philip Goroncy (GER) holds onto the third spot for now (7.498).

The afternoon saw the first European Champions crowned. A breathtaking Senior Male final captured the attention of the Flyinge kungsgard arena as the level continually elevated. Quentin Jabet was unstoppable aboard Ronaldo 200 with Andrea Boe on the lunge. Full of personality, he glided through his Free test increasing his lead and easily winning the gold medal for France (8.890). Compatriot Theo Gardies presented a near perfect test almost matching Quentin’s Free test score and driving him up the scoreboard, scooping the silver medal (8.641). It was a bronze medal finish for Germany’s Jannik Heiland, the soft fluidity of his Free test allowing him the advantage over his teammates (8.543).

The female final was no less intense. Illona Hannich elegantly performed her freestyle with minimal deductions pushing her up the rankings and into third place for Switzerland (8.265), while Germany’s Alina Ross proved her power and skill with a risk filled programme which delighted the crowd and won her the silver medal (8.327). However, it was with nerves of steel that Kathrin Meyer entered the ring. She executed her robotic inspired routine nearly flawlessly winning the round and the gold medal for Germany, along with her mum Sonja and San Classico S (8.516).

The final medals of the day were for the squad competition. Sweden ended a 21 year wait for a squad medal, taking home the bronze in an incredible finish at their home games (7.651). It all came down to the wire between Switzerland and Germany with both squads filling their Free tests with artistry and flair. After a tense wait in the kiss and cry area, the gold medal went to Germany (8.261) with Switzerland finishing very close behind (8.173).

Now that the first medals have been presented the competition ramps up even more with the winners of the Junior squads and Junior and Young Vaulter individual World Championship being decided tomorrow. Once again it will all come down to the final round with the overall score weighted towards the final Free test and the pressure firmly on. It promises to be another day full of high emotions and captivating performances.

Photo caption: Kathrin Meyer (GER) competing in the Female Senior Free Test at the FEI Vaulting European Championship, Flyinge (SWE). Copyright ©FEI/Liz Gregg

 

Israel and Poland set themselves apart from a large field of Olympic hopefuls Friday in Prague (CZE), topping the Group C Designated Olympic Qualifier at the CSIO4* CET Prague Cup.

Led by Chef d'Equipe Hans Horn, the four-rider squad of Ashlee Bond (Donatello 141), Isabella Russekoff (C Vier 2), Robin Muhr (Galaxy HM) and Daniel Bluman (Ladriano Z) finished on a total score of 9 faults, punching their tickets to next year's Paris Games (FRA).

In a repeat of the last Group C qualifier held ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games (JPN) in 2019, Poland finished second (18 faults) to secure the second of two available quota places at the event. Hungary just missed out on Olympic qualification in the 10-strong field, finishing third with 27 faults.

"It's a team that really cares for each other and pushes each other to perform their best. I think that's the most important part about us...We don't have many riders, so when we do get together, we are all pushing the same direction. Everyone counted today. Everyone had a score that was important for the team result."

-Daniel Bluman (ISR)

The year 2019 marked the first time Israel had ever qualified a jumping team for an Olympic Games. Four years later, the team has firmly established itself as a contender. Friday in Prague, veteran team members Bond and Bluman bookended the squad, and each athlete produced a clear round over Uliano Vezzani's (ITA) 1.60m course.

The conclusion of the first round brought with it heightened tensions, as Israel, Hungary and Poland were separated by just two faults. But Israel pulled ahead in Round 2, adding just five faults to its scorecard. Bond jumped double-clear with her veteran partner, the spectacular 12-year-old Donatello. Then Russekoff—the youngest team member at just 23 years old—was clear over the jumps, adding just a single penalty to her team's scorecard.

"I have only been riding my horse for a couple of months, but he's so experienced, and he tries his hardest for me. It's nice to go into the ring and know that he's really experienced and he can take care of me."

Isabella Russekoff (ISR)

Poland found consistency in the second round to move up to second, but they couldn’t quite keep pace with the winners. Each of the group of Adam Grzegorzewski (Issem), Maksymilian Wechta (Chepettano), Przemyslaw Konopacki (Home-Run) and Wojciech Wojcianiec (Chintablue) had a rail in the second round, adding 12 faults to their score. It was enough, though to keep Hungary at bay. After producing clear rounds in the first round, Hungary's Gábor Szabó Jr. (Mezohegyes Chabala) and András Jun. Kövy (E-UP) lowered three fences in Round 2; the team added 22 faults in the round.

"[There were] really good rounds [in the second round], but there was still [one mistake for each rider]. At the end, we had 12 faults, and that's getting a little bit too close to the other team, and that made it really exciting," said Poland Chef d'Equipe Jan Vinckier. "But at the end, we could say all the horses were super, and the riders did a great job.

"This was the target for the last year and a half, and we made it," he added. "Amazing."

Olympic qualification continues at the FEI Jumping European Championship in Milano (ITA), 29 Aug - 03 Sept 2023.

Full results

It’s been 13 years since the home side triumphed at Hickstead, but today at last the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Great Britain was won by Di Lampard’s British team of Ben Maher (Exit Remo), Tim Gredley (Medoc de Toxandria), John Whitaker (Equine America Unick du Francport) and Harry Charles (Casquo Blue), and it was a victory to be savoured.

It was the living legend himself, Whitaker who will celebrate his 68th birthday in a weeks time, who clinched it with a foot-perfect performance when third to go for his country in the second round. Arguably the most popular athlete on the world circuit, the six-time Olympian summed it all up when he said, “today, after all these years competing, was probably the best day!” 

There’s nothing quite like success in front of home supporters. And for the rest of the winning side, posting this win alongside Whitaker meant as much as the win itself because he is held in such high esteem.

“It’s a surreal experience to be here and to jump in the team with John, because I started jumping because of him when I was 13 or 14 and saw him compete here at Hickstead”, said Gredley this evening.

Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard was filled with emotion in the aftermath. “I have to confess I shed a tear, it hit me because I wanted it so badly!”, she said.

Dramatic

At the halfway point it was a three-way tie on four faults between the hosts, Ireland and France.

But the competition took a dramatic turn when the Irish challenge was seriously hampered by elimination for Mark McAuley (GRS Lady Amaro) for a blood rule violation after completing his second clear round of the day. 

That left them having to count the eight faults picked up by pathfinder Shane Breen (Cuick Star Kervec), and there was no going back despite a superb double-clear from 24-year-old Jack Ryan and the home-bred BBS McGregor which was followed by a foot-perfect run by Daniel Coyle (Legacy). Finishing on 12 faults however the Irish still lined up in second place.

The French also posted one of the the three double-clears on the day from the anchor partnership of Olivier Robert and Iglesias DV. But Kelvin Bywater’s 12-fence track continued to take it’s toll in the second round, pathfinder Gregory Cottard (Cocaine du Val) lowering the vertical at fence seven and the iconic Hickstead planks at fence 10. Julien Anquetin (Z Ice Cube Z) faulted at the open water before a mistake at the first element of the triple combination at fence eight left him with a total of 19 with a lot of time added, and Olivier Perreau (GL Events Dorai D’Aiguilly) clipped the oxer after the triple combination. 

Their final tally of 16 left France in third and well clear of Sweden in fourth on 24 faults, USA in fifth with 31, the much-fancied German side in sixth with 36 faults, Brazil in seventh with 38 and Italy eighth and last with a big score of 54 faults.

Testament

Harry Charles produced the third double-clear run of the day with Casquo Blue, and the fact that his side had already won before he returned to the world-famous Hickstead ring for a second time was testament to the strength of the British effort. 

Making it all-the-more historic was the fact that, riding Murkas Pom d’Ami, his father, Peter Charles, was on the last winning British side at Hickstead back in 2010 along with William Funnell (Billy Congo), Tina Fletcher (Hallo Sailor) and John Whitaker’s younger brother Michael (GIG Amai). 

Maher, clear first time out today with Exit Remo, was the only one of his side to fault in round two when lowering the tricky 1.58m water-tray vertical at fence three that proved one of the main bogeys on the track. The man who clinched individual Olympic gold in Tokyo two years ago was thrilled to be part of this winning side. 

“This is my first win in a home Nations Cup and it’s been a long time coming!”, said the 40-year-old who has been competing at Hickstead since he was a child. He was very happy with the 14-year-old Exit Remo who joined his string last October. “His job was to jump when other horses needed a break, and at the beginning of the year he didn’t get many outings because other younger horses were coming along. We went to Riesenbeck (GER) last week to get some ring time to build towards the Nations Cup today, and on the drive home tonight he won’t be feeling like the weaker link!”, he added.

Maher himself has made a remarkable recovery from a nasty injury sustained in February when he was based in Florida (USA), dislocating his shoulder and breaking it in two places.   

“I was very lucky with the surgeons and the team of medical staff who put it together again and got me back to the sport so fast. Initially I was told it would take six months, but I took the hard road with rehab - it was one of hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It was a freak accident and I’m feeling very lucky to be having the year I’ve been having since I came back!”, he said this evening.

Chances

The British were always feeling upbeat about their chances today.

“There were good vibes about this team during the whole week - we felt quite confident and it worked out”, Whitaker pointed out. 

And Harry Charles said, “when a plan comes together like it did today it’s a real achievement, I’m really proud of my team. This is probably overdue and I’m glad to bring the trophy back home. It’s a real privilege to be trusted to have the anchor role, although in the second round today the boys did all the work so I just had to go in and smile!”

Today’s result sees Britain move up from sixth to third in the Europe Division 1 rankings ahead of the final leg of the series in Dublin (IRL) where they will line out again in two weeks time. 

Going into that last leg, Germany head the league table ahead of Switzerland in second while Ireland lie fourth, The Netherlands and Belgium share fifth place, Italy lies seventh and France lies eighth and last. Only the top seven of the eight competing nations will qualify from this series for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2023, and while France will join Belgium, Britain, the Irish hosts, The Netherlands and Switzerland at the Dublin fixture the Italians have used up all of their four qualifying opportunities and look set to be overtaken for a qualifying spot.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Result 

Standings 

Polina Shovkova and Kateryna (Katya) Panasenko fulfilled a dream they have been working towards for some time now: to represent Ukraine at the FEI Vaulting World Championship for Juniors currently taking place in Flyinge (SWE). But the journey to Flyinge has not been without its challenges for the 15-year-old Ukrainian Vaulters.

Along with three other members of their Vaulting team, the girls first left their hometown of Poltova in March 2022 to escape the war that has upturned the lives of millions of Ukrainians. They lived and trained in Bernolákovo, a suburb of Bratislava (SVK) for many months, where they were welcomed by members of the local Vaulting community and supported financially by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) Solidarity Relief Fund.

By May 2022, this team of five young women was setting a new record, becoming the first team to ever represent Ukraine in international Vaulting when they participated in a one-star competition in Kaposvár (HUN). Since then, it has been Polina and Katya who have been flying the yellow and blue flag high, progressing from one and two-star national events to victories at the international level.

At the CVIJ1* in Samorin (SVK) in June 2023, Polina and Katya both finished on the podium, their first key milestone on their road to the World Championships in Flyinge (SWE). It was also the first time that the Ukrainian anthem was played at an international Vaulting prize giving ceremony.

In the lead up to the World Championships, the Vaulters trained near Milan (ITA) with former World Champion from France Anthony Bro-Petit. Polina, who has made incredible progress in her English language skills over the past year, spoke for herself and Katya.

“We have been doing a lot of training on our horse in Poltava as we do not have a gym to train in back home,” Polina explained. “We had some intense training clinics with our coach Anthony in Slovakia and then near Milan. It was very hot in Italy and it was hard work. But the good thing is that we are now comfortable competing on any horse.

“Our first days here in Flyinge were stressful for us. There were so many people and we were speechless as we got to see some of our heroes like Manon Moutinho, Quentin Jabet and Lambert Leclezio from France in real life instead of just on Instagram!

“We only started to become calm when we started training and it helped us to focus. This whole experience has been good for us because we are also now less afraid to talk to other people.”

In their first major international outing, the Vaulters have come away with a 23^rd place finish for Polina and the 53^rd spot going to Katya in the Junior Vaulters category. But it is the personal experiences that have been the most valuable to the girls according to their coach.

“At 15, Polina and Kateryna have been required to show tremendous resilience and mental power to push everything that is happening back in Ukraine and concentrate on their training, which has been anything but consistent,” Anthony Bro-Petit explained.

“In essence they have been training themselves when they are back in their hometown of Poltova. Internet connection is irregular so having online training sessions just hasn’t worked.

“However, Polina’s and Katya’s training sessions in Bratislava and Milan have been intense and focused, and they have definitely raised their Vaulting level. Being here in Fylinge to watch the Senior level championship has given them a taste of what the next level looks like and what they need to work towards.

“But this whole project of training for the World Championships has also been a personal growth experience for them, as they have had to deal with homesickness and culture shock. While this has added an extra layer of difficulty, they have pushed through and come away stronger from the experience.”

Accompanying the girls on this journey is Polina’s mother Ekaterina Shabelnikova.   

“When the war first started it shook our confidence, and we were all afraid and stressed out with the whole situation,” Ekaterina said. “But having the girls train for the World Championships has been important because it has given us all a goal to work towards. I cannot control the war, but I can do something now to help Polina and Katya progress in this sport.

“We have been touched by the support we have received from FEI Director of Solidarity Jean-Philippe Camboulives and the Secretary General of the Slovak Federation Zuzana Baciak Masarykova. They have helped us focus on something else besides the war and we are very grateful to them for this.”

And the girls could not have asked for a more iconic venue to make their Junior World Championship debut.

“Flyinge is steeped in equestrian history and tradition and we are so pleased that Polina and Katya were able to make their World Championship debut for Ukraine here,” President of the Organising Committee Ted Velander said. “We have been impressed with their performance at the Championship especially knowing how hard they have had to work to get here. We hope that the experience they have gained here will take them far in their sporting careers.”

FEI President and Chair of the FEI Solidarity Committee Ingmar De Vos said, "I am immensely proud to witness the dedication and unwavering perseverance displayed by Polina and Katya during the FEI Vaulting World Championship for Juniors. They have made their country proud and we are honoured to accompany them on this journey and provide them with the necessary support to help them achieve their dreams. We hope that they continue to believe in their immense potential and that they dig deep within themselves to excel as Vaulters."

Photo 1: Kateryna (Katya) Panasenko and Polina Shovkova enjoying some downtime during the FEI Vaulting World Championships in Flyinge (SWE). Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg
Photo 2: Katyy and Polina with their coach Anthony Bro-Petit, former French Vaulting World Champion. Photo credit: FEI/Liz Gregg
More photos of the Ukrainian Vaulters can be found here

 

No amount of rain could dampen the spirits as the third day of FEI Vaulting competition began at the Flyinge kungsgard.

As expected, there were huge changes in the Junior Female standings after the Free test.  Josephine Vedel Sondergaard Nielson was one of the only competitors to hold her position, and she remains in second place for Denmark (7.999). Italian Giorgia Varisco climbed up the rankings to third with a strong performance, but it was Oceane Gehan from France who took command of the arena, executing exceptionally difficult moves with ease earning the lead on 8.074.

An increase in the atmosphere within the hall in the male Free test was noticeable as some of the horses were more tense than during the compulsory round, causing a few of the competitors to have to think on their feet and make smart decisions within their freestyle.  Germany’s Ben Lechtenberg proved that this strategy pays, after he slightly altered the difficulty of his routine to focus on the performance. While it didn’t earn him the top freestyle score, it kept him in medal contention in third place after round one (7.796). His young teammate Lukas Heitmann thrilled the audience with his personality and the difficulty of his performance, which launched him into silver medal position going into the final (7.869). Dutchman Sam dos Santos won the Free test which put him even further into the lead (8.260), even though he found his horse struggling and coming in on the circle.

In the Junior squad competition the Austrian team performed a high level, detail-oriented freestyle clawing back some of the points they missed out on in the compulsory test.  They scored the second-best free test of the day and have risen into third place in the overall standings (7.242).  Switzerland only just held onto their second place as they struggled to stay in harmony with their horse Lagrima (7.366). For team Germany a gold medal is almost guaranteed. Their fluent and artistic test, with quality vaulting from the young squad members resulting in a score of 8.903, has given them a 0.7 lead over the rest of the class (8.075). The team from Sweden sit in fourth place overall, however they are unlikely to be able to catch any of the top three squads.

The day climaxed with the Young Vaulter Female Technical test.  All eyes were glued to the circle as Alice Layher (GER) effortlessly performed her exercises overshadowing the previous performers and scoring 8.481 with a class topping 8.364 final round one score. Not to be outdone, Averill Saunders had the audience on the edge of their seats as she neared perfection in her exercises and won the Technical round (8.747). She moves into silver medal position on 8.190 with Austrian Anna Weidenauer dropping to third place overall (7.948).

There are as yet few clear winners. However, tomorrow will see the first of the medals presented to the Senior athletes following what will be a nail-biting final Free test for both the individuals and squads.

Photo caption: The FEI Vaulting World Championships for Young Vaulters and Juniors delivered thrillingly close competition on Thursday. Copyright: ©FEI/Liz Gregg