FEI reopens Bid Process for FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 following cancelation of Verona

On 8 September 2022, the FEI Board confirmed the termination of the Host Agreement for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 that had been set to take place in Verona (ITA) from 19 to 23 October. The decision, taken during the Board’s monthly teleconference, also includes the provision to reopen the bid process in order to find a new host for the Championship.

The resolution puts an end to a lengthy preparation process, which began after the event’s allocation by the FEI Board in December 2020. It also confirms a formal notice of termination of the Host Agreement sent to the Verona Organising Committee on 26 August 2022, reflecting the FEI’s concerns including but not limited to track readiness, athlete safety, and the lack of detailed planning schedules in the lead up to the Championship. Following the notice of termination, the Organising Committee was given 10 days to remedy the situation and address the issues raised.

During the teleconference, the Board reviewed the documents and responses received from the Organising Committee as well as the feedback from the Technical Delegates on the latest information provided. The FEI Board also took note of the tight deadlines for the completion of the track due to the delays in planning and necessary upgrades, as well as the constraints on carrying out the necessary work during the month of September until early October due to the Fiera del Riso taking place at the same venue. The FEI Board could only conclude that, regretfully, the information and details provided by the Organising Committee were insufficient to justify maintaining the Championship.

“This was not a decision we took lightly, as we fully understand the ramifications it will have, but we had to take our responsibilities and respect the assessment of our technical experts,” FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “We waited until now, because we had genuinely hoped that the issues that had been previously raised with the Organising Committee would have been resolved following several site visits and meetings, but unfortunately, this was not the case. To cancel earlier would have been premature, and to cancel any later, would have been even more disruptive.

“There is no doubt a lot of hard work and commitment, both from the Organising Committee and the FEI, as well as numerous experts have gone into the planning of this event.

“This is really unfortunate for everyone involved but if the experts are of the opinion that the safety of the athletes - both human and equine – cannot be guaranteed, the Board has no other option but to follow their recommendations.

“Athletes around the world, as well as National Federations have been preparing for this Championship, and we are extremely conscious of the impact the cancellation will have on their plans. However, previous experiences have taught us that there is no room for compromise when it comes to athlete and horse welfare. We will now focus all our attention on finding a new host for the FEI Endurance World Championship.”

The Board decided that the rescheduled Championship should take place no later than 30 April 2023 to allow organisers from all regions of the world to bid and given that other FEI Endurance Championships are scheduled to take place later in 2023. The bid process for the Championship will be reopened on Monday, 12 September when the application criteria and allocation deadlines will be announced.

The qualification obtained for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 will remain valid and the nominated entries will be reopened with an extended qualification window.

With definite entries now confirmed, all eyes are turning to Pratoni del Vivaro in Italy where the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 will kick off with the draw for order-of-go next Tuesday, 13 September. This will be the 15th edition of the battle for the world titles in this exciting equestrian sport, and the buzz in the lead-up is electrifying.

Great Britain has by far the best record during the 56 years since the inaugural Championships were staged on home ground at Burghley (GBR) in 1966, with five Team and five Individual titles to their credit including double-gold at the last Championships in Tryon, USA four years ago. 

And they arrive at this year’s fixture with the three horse/rider combinations that helped clinched Olympic team gold for their country for the first time in 49 years at the Tokyo 2020 Games last summer - Laura Collett riding London 52, world number one Oliver Townend with Ballaghmor Class and Tom McEwen who also claimed individual silver with Toledo de Kerser. Add in 2018 Individual World Champion and current world number five Ros Canter who will defend her title this time around with Lordships Graffalo, and Yasmin Ingham with Banzai du Loir, and they look a truly formidable force. 

They were untouchable at the FEI Eventing European Championship 2021 in Avenches, Switzerland where they swept all before them when taking the team title and all the individual medals, but a total of 90 riders from 27 different countries will descend on the beautiful venue in Pratoni over the next few days, each carrying their own hopes and dreams. 

And with 16 nations chasing one of the seven team qualifying spots on offer for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games along with the coveted world titles, the competition is guaranteed to be gripping from start to finish.

Victorious

Australia took team silver in Japan last summer where their headline-grabbers were Andrew Hoy and Vassily de Lassos who also claimed individual bronze. Hoy has carefully campaigned his 13-year-old gelding over the last 12 months with Pratoni in mind. 

At 63 years of age he’s a veteran of eight Olympic Games during which he won three team gold medals, and at the last World Championships he finished just off the podium, in fourth place individually, with this same horse. He is joined in his country’s  strong side by Tokyo team-mates Kevin McNab with Scuderia 1918 Don Quidam and Shane Rose partnering Virgil, while Shanae Lowings (Bold Venture) and Hazel Shannon (Willingapark Clifford) complete the line-up.

Team bronze in Tokyo went to the French who field just one of their partnerships from that side this time around - Nicolas Touzaint and Absolut Gold HDC who finished individually sixth. Thomas Carlile (Darmagnac de Beliard), Cyrielle Lefevre (Armanjo Serosah), Gaspard Maksud (Zaragoza) and Astier Nicolas (Alertamalib’Or) complete their selection, and they can fully focus on their world title aspirations because, as host country, France is automatically qualified for Paris 2024. The French have never won the World team title, but Jean Teulere was Individual champion with Espoir de la Mare in 2002.

Meanwhile they’ll all have to watch out for Team Germany. They finished fourth in Tokyo and send out three of the same horses and riders including reigning Olympic Individual champions Julia Krajewski and Amande de B’Neville, 2014 World Champion Sandra Auffarth with Viamant du Matz and gold-medal-magnet Michael Jung who claimed the individual World title in 2010 and who will partner Fischerchipmunk FRH. Christoph Wahler (Carjatan S) and Alina Dibowski (Barbados 28) round up the German selection.

And of course Team New Zealand will also be on the prowl. Their impressive World Championship record includes two team golds along with three individual titles, two of the latter secured by the brilliant Blyth Tait who did the double in 1998. They can never be taken for granted and just over a week after clinching third and fourth places respectively at the CCI5* Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials the extraordinary husband-and-wife team of Tim and Jonelle Price - third and fourth in the latest world rankings - will saddle up two new horses, Falco and McClaren, to fly the flag alongside Clarke Johnstone (Menlo Park), Monica Spencer (Artist) and Amanda Pottinger (Just Kidding). 

Pratoni

Pratoni de Vivaro, or the Impianto Sportivo Equestre di Rocca di Papa which is located in the Castelli Romani Park in the hills to the south east of Rome, has hosted many world-class fixtures down the years and is recognised for its hilly terrain. Horses, and their riders, need to be at maximum fitness to cope with the rolling contours of the track which is complemented by a superb surface on volcanic soil. 

It has been a particularly memorable venue in the history of Eventing for Australia and New Zealand for very different reasons.

At the Rome Olympic Games in 1960 the Australian side of Larry Morgan, Neale Lavis, Brian Crago and Bill Roycroft went way ahead of the rest of the field on cross-country day despite a fall for Roycroft that put him in hospital with a broken collarbone. The rules were very different in those times and elimination was only inevitable after a fourth fall on course. 

Roll on the final day of jumping and Crago’s potential silver medal winning ride, Sabre,   didn’t pass the final horse inspection so suddenly Australia now had no team. There was only one solution, so Roycroft was scooped out of his hospital bed and the 45-year-old rider steered Our Solo to a clear round and Olympic team gold!

It was 38 years later when the Italian Equestrian Federation, FISE, performed something little short of a miracle when stepping in to rescue the 1998 FEI World Equestrian Games™ after Ireland pulled out very late in the day. The Italians did themselves proud with a brilliant edition that brought widespread praise for sheer determination to make it happen. 

Eventing again took place in Pratoni but the weather-gods were not kind on cross-country day when torrential rain led to slippery conditions on the normally ideal footing. 

However the remarkable jumping consistency of New Zealand’s Blyth Tait and Ready Teddy, Mark Todd on Broadcast News and Vaughn Jefferis on Bounce took them into the lead with three clears of the course within the time, their single disappointment beings five refusals from Sally Clark’s Squirrel Hill. For the second time in his career Tait went on to take team and individual gold.

The sport of Eventing is always thrilling, so from 14 to 18 September follow every moment of the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022 and don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Facts and Figures:

27 nations represented - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Thailand and USA.

Teams from 16 nations - Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden and USA.

7 team qualifying spots on offer for Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The host nation (France) is automatically qualified.

Great Britain’s Ros Canter will defend the Individual title she won in Tryon USA in 2018 where she was also a member of the gold-medal-winning British team.

Teams consist of three or four horse/rider combinations with the best three scores counting towards the final result.

The lowest age limit for horses is 8 years.

In the cross-country phase, the penalty for exceeding the optimum time set by course designer Giuseppe della Chiesa is 0.4 per second. The time limit is twice the optimum time.

Course designer for the final Jumping phase is Italy’s Uliano Vezzani.

The winning individual and team will be those completing all three phases - Dressage, Cross-Country and Jumping - with the lowest total of penalties.

Check out the definite entries here….

Website here 

The FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in an equine anti-doping case involving a Banned Substance.

In this case, the horse Full Option du Borget (FEI ID 106UY09/NED), ridden by Agustin Covarrubias (FEI ID 10032966/CHI), tested positive for the Banned Substance O-Desmethylvenlafaxine, a metabolite of Venlafaxine, following the analysis of the samples taken at the CSIYH1* incl. 8yo - Opglabbeek (BEL), 15-18.06.2022.

The athlete was able to trace the probable source of the Banned Substance in the horse’s system back to human cross-contamination caused by himself. He had been prescribed Venlafaxine by his doctor in May 2022 and had urinated in the box of the horse several times at the event, which was very likely to account for the positive sample.

In its Final Decision, the FEI Tribunal accepted the agreement reached between the FEI and the athlete, according to which the athlete had clearly established on a balance of probabilities, how the Banned Substance 0- Desmethylvenlafaxine entered the Horse’s system. Therefore, the period of ineligibility imposed on the athlete shall be eliminated. The athlete will also not incur any fines, however the results obtained at the event remain disqualified.

The full Decision is available here. 

Notes to Editors:

FEI Equine Prohibited Substances

The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are medications that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.

In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.

Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.

 

 

The FEI and Top Partner Longines have created the #MyDreamJump Challenge, an exciting fan engagement activation giving equestrian fans a once-in-a-lifetime chance to have their original design for an obstacle built by Longines for the Final of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ in Omaha (USA) in 2023.

The activation was created to give fans an insight into the elements that go into designing a challenging obstacle course for the horse and athlete, while giving them the opportunity to achieve the best possible result: a clear round within the set time.

“The FEI’s partnership with Longines has evolved and grown tremendously over the past decade, and this Challenge is just one example of the many creative initiatives that has kept our collaboration fresh and exciting,” FEI Commercial Director Ralph Straus said.

“Athletes count on designers to create a course that tests the limits of their sporting relationship with their horse. And the #MyDreamJump challenge is a nod to the talent and mastery that takes place on the field-of-play when horse, athlete and course design come together in competition.

“We hope that our equestrian fans will get to see another side of the competition experience through this Challenge, and will use their artistic abilities to increase their connection to the sport. Given the diversity of equestrian fans around the world, we look forward to receiving a large array of designs and creative input reflecting the sport’s global appeal and reach.”

The #MyDreamJump Challenge follows the successful #HorseOClock initiative which was also created in conjunction with Top Partner Longines. In 2020, #HorseOClock was run on the FEI’s digital channels, giving fans the opportunity to answer equestrian related questions to determine the watch that matched their personality.

“Longines is proud of the strong partnership established with the FEI since 2013, which has made the brand a major player in the equestrian universe,” said Longines Vice President of Marketing Matthieu Baumgartner.

“The #MyDreamJump Challenge is the perfect opportunity to celebrate this major 10-year anniversary with our friends of the equestrian sports around the world and we are looking forward to receiving all the drawings.”

Submissions to the #MyDreamJump Challenge can be made from 1 September until 9 October at https://mydreamjump.fei.org/

A jury composed of Longines and FEI representatives, USA Jumping athletes Lillie Keenan and Brian Moggre, and world renowned Tokyo 2020 Olympic course designer Santiago Varela (ESP) will make a pre-selection of the designs. The shortlist will be announced on the FEI’s Instagram account (@fei_global) on 24 October.

A public voting phase will take place on FEI’s Instagram from 24 October to 13 November, and the winners of the Challenge will be announced on 21 November.

The shortlisted entry with the highest number of Instagram reactions will take first place in the ‘Global’ category. The winner will receive a Longines watch and a chance to be flown to the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Omaha (USA), which will take place from 4 to 8 April 2023, to see their obstacle design in person.

The winning designs for both the ‘Creativity’ and ‘Elegance’ categories will be selected by the jury, and the winners will receive a giveaway kit from Longines.

All participants will be entered in a draw to win one of five FEI.tv annual subscriptions.

Longines has been the FEI’s Top Partner since January 2013, following the agreement of a historic very long-term sponsorship deal that saw the Swiss watchmaker become the Official Top Partner, Official Timekeeper and Official Watch of the FEI.

Since that time Longines has taken on a number of key FEI properties including title partnership of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ - North American League and the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Series. The FEI Awards Gala is also presented annually by Longines in different countries around the world.  

Germany’s Jessica Wächter dominated from start to finish at the FEI Driving World Championships for Young Horses held from 24-28 August 2022. Competing with five horses across the three age categories – 5, 6 & 7 year olds – Jessica’s 2021 5 year old champion, the Hanoverian gelding Dream Catcher 19, showed the same quality and consistency to take the 6 year old title a year on. She was also second in the 5 year old and third in the 7 year old categories.

Only Mario Gandolfo (SUI) stopped the ladies taking all top places when he and Lisby Bastin’s Swiss Freiberger gelding Lemmy-K won the 5 year old class. Scoring 14.95, he was only 0.5 ahead of Jessica and another Hanoverian gelding, Best Buddy 8, who finished on 14.90. Austria’s Lara Krejcerik took third on 14.46 with the mare Rexona W. It was a tight class with 13 horses in the final, finishing with less than a point between the top six places and less than three points between them all.

After the qualifying rounds during the week and Saturday’s Dressage, it looked like the German ladies were going to have it all their way as Jessica went into Sunday’s combined Obstacles and Cones final in first place in both the 5 & 6 year old classes, and Bettina Winkler (GER) led in the 7 year old. But after a more polished round, Mario’s tally pushed him just in front.

Jessica’s consistency shone through the event as she qualified all her five horses for the final. She and Dream Catcher 19 led after Thursday’s first round ‘Aptitude Test’, in which Dressage movements are followed by a Cones course in the same arena. Ending the weekend on 18.49, she was some way ahead of Bettina and the German Sport Horse gelding DSP Balisto on 15.99, while Agnes Paulovics (HUN) and the KWPN stallion L-Grappa-WK won the only medal for the host nation, finishing third on a score of 14.66. The 6 and 7 year old categories each had eight horses in the final.

“Dream Catcher 19 showed outstanding movement, balance and obedience alongside metronomic movement and desire to go forwards, and did so in a calm and relaxed way, gaining several 10s over the week especially for the walk.”

– Andrew Counsell (GBR), Member of the Ground Jury

Keeping the dreams alive, the climatic 7 year old class saw Bettina take the world title with DSP Noble Lady on 17.41, the mare with which she won the 6 year old 2021 World Championship. She was comfortably in front of silver medallist Leslie Berndl (USA) and the KWPN stallion Kareltje who finished on 14.77. Leslie had been down the order after the first qualification round on Wednesday to finish 8^th so had to run again in the second qualification, but a well-marked test meant she gained her place in the final and the judges noted that Kareltje improved as the event progressed. Entering the arena in third position, she pipped Jessica by just 0.13, who took third with the black stallion Ecksternon on 14.64.

Now in its seventh year, Hungary has hosted the Championship since 2015, for the second time at the State Stud in Szilvásvárad. Nine nations, including Norway and Italy, attended with 51 horses. The criteria states that National Federations can have up to ten entries per age category, and an athlete can also drive two horses per category. The event is open to all star rated levels of athlete. 

After the first Aptitude Test, the top 50% competitors qualify for the final and the remaining 50% can run again, with only the top one or two progressing. After the first and second rounds, the final consists of a Dressage test which is marked in the same way, then a combination of Cones and two mobile marathon style Obstacles, which is timed, and marks are also awarded by the judges. 

However, unlike most Driving events where competitors aim for the lowest cumulative penalties, here the judges award their scores out of ten which are averaged to end on one mark, so a higher score is desirable. Marks are given for the different paces, education and potential, with the walk and education having a co-efficient of two. Knocking a ball off will incur a 0.3 penalty which is deducted from the total. The four judges, who work together in the box, consult each other before awarding their marks, doing so in terms of the scales of training. Before the next athlete starts, the PGJ announces the marks with comments.

On the final day, the course did not vary much between the three classes, but another Cones slalom was added for the 6 & 7 year old and the challenges for the horses increased as the Obstacles went from gates A-D for 5 year old, A-E for the 6 year old to A-F for the 7 year old. The older two classes did an opening circuit of the arena to add distance to their round.

The event showcased some rising equine stars who exhibited what can be expected at their age. A wide range of breeds was present demonstrating the versatility of what types can be used as the driven horse. 

“The competition showed a great variety of horses and many different breeds. The important point being what the horse is doing, not its type.” – Andrew Counsell  

The 2023 Young Horse Driving World Championships will be held in France.

Germany dominated the FEI Dressage European Championships for Children and U25.

It’s all about team work!

In the U25 team competition at the FEI Dressage European Championships near Budapest (HUN), the German team consisting of Raphael Netz on Ferdinand BB, Helen Erbe on Carlos, Alexa Westendarp on Four Seasons and Alina Schrader on Paola took home the gold while the Danish girls, Thea Bech on Dionisos, Josefine Hoffmann on Hønnerups Driver, Karoline Rohmann on Jakas Don Louvre and Laura Kristine Thorup on Blue Hors Veneziano took the team silver. Finally, the Dutch took the bronze with Febe van Zwambagt on Fernandell MS, Thalia Rockx on Verdi de la Fazenda, Jessica Poelman on Chocolate Cookie R.D.P. and Julia Bouthoorn on Choice Finch on the team.

Hat trick for Netz…

The Under 25 Grand Prix riders showed off their skills in the FEI U25 Grand Prix Freestyle.

It was the third gold medal that Raphael Netz (GER) could put around his neck after he confidently showed the well-schooled gelding Ferdinand BB in a beautiful freestyle that was rewarded with remarkable 79.435%. The silver medallist Alejandro Oliva Lazaro (ESP) had a lovely freestyle on the expressive chestnut gelding Decor and showed a high degree of difficulty but unfortunately a few mistakes placed the partnership behind Netz with 78.345%. Bronze medal was won by Thea Bech (DEN) on the KWPN gelding Dionisos with 76.670%.

Thereby, the podium spots had not changed from the U25 Grand Prix the day before where gold, silver and bronze also went to Raphael Netz and Ferdinand BB with 73.462%, Alejandro Oliva Lazaro and Decor with 72.615% and Thea Bech on Dionisos with 72.333%, respectively.

On his Instagram Raphael Netz wrote: “Triple European Champion! Ferdl and I were also able to win the freestyle! Ferdl that was absolutely amazing!! You gave me such a nice last ride!”, then Netz continues with a special thanks to Olympic champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl for letting him ride her second horse Ferdinand BB while she was pregnant, “Dear Jessica, I don't know how to thank you for entrusting me with Ferdinand during your pregnancy! Our trip was short but all the more beautiful! Thank you thank you thank you!!!!”.

Inspiring Children…

Accurate and beautiful riding was seen in the Children Category at the FEI Dressage European Championships this week where the young athletes featured good position and posture on well-ridden horses inspiring great hope for the future of Dressage.

Germany wins gold and Belgium takes historic bronze

It was another team Gold for Germany as three of the four Children riders on the team delivered impressive scores over 80%: Lotta Plaas on Balsamico with 81.150%, Marie Maass Alessa on Floricella 5 with 81.684%, Martha Raupach on Jack Sparrow with 83.509% and Catherine Bartels Eve on Freispiel. The team silver medal was secured by the Dutch team with Sophie van Norel on Itrina, Britt Kikkert-van Der Linde on Dark Knight Texel, Robin Dicker on Lindenburgs Helena and Isabella Karajkovic on Wert's Snowflake. It was a historic day as Max Van Durme riding Imke Niki V.s, Anna Van Den Eynde riding Olympic Aroma Krack, Chloë Cleymans riding Jondonderry and Amber Hennes riding Allegro V/H Trichelhof secured the first team bronze medal for Belgium since the start of the FEI Dressage European Championships for Children in 2015.

Individual final

Martha Raupach (GER) and the lovely chestnut gelding Jack Sparrow danced their way to the top with 83.596% putting them ahead of fellow countrywoman and silver-medallist Lotta Plaas (GER) and Balsamico on 78.707%, who was then closely followed by Sophie Van Norel (NED) riding the elegant and uphill mare Itrina to 78.551% for the bronze medal.     

On her Instagram Martha Raupach wrote: “Dreams came true! Double European champion 2022 (…) Thank you to everyone who made this possible”

The FEI Dressage European Championship for U25 returns to Pilisjászfalu next year from 11-16 July and will be held alongside Young Riders, while the Children category pairs up with the Juniors in Kronberg (GER) from 20-23 July 2023. .

Full results available here.

FEI Driving European Youth Championship, Kisbér-Ászár (HUN): U25, Juniors & Children - P1, P2, H1

Host nation Hungary clinched two individual titles and team bronze at the FEI Driving European Youth Championship in Kisbér-Ászár, with brilliant brothers Bertold & Péter Juhász taking the Children P1 (12-14 years) and Junior P2 classes (14-18 years). 

Leading from the front after securing first place in the dressage, Péter became European Junior P2 (pony pair) Champion while Bertold held his nerve in a closely fought Children P1 (single pony) class to win by a mere one point ahead of Spain’s Daniel Pineda Andic. Both brothers kept their cool to produce double clear cones rounds on the final day, over designer Alexander Flocke’s (GER) course.

Their versatile ponies – Beniamin, Zsoldos, Holló & Black – multi-prize winners in various combinations, from singles to four-in-hands, rose to the occasion to help their young drivers win these coveted titles.

With a European Youth Championship only last year in Sélestat (FRA), a Covid-postponed event rolled over from 2020, many of the same athletes returned to this on-schedule fixture a year later. Retaining her title from 2021, Lisa Maria Tischer (GER) won the Under 25 P1 category with the consistent Great Dancer, sealing first places in the dressage and marathon, plus a clear in the cones, to take their top-of-the podium place by nearly 5 points. 

Improving on her silver medal from 2021, in the Junior P1 section Renate Provoost (NED) won gold with her New Forest pony Quibus. Stepping into the next age category to take silver was Ireland’s Kris Rohrssen, last year’s Children P1 winner, maintaining his great form with Checkmate, only 1.99 points behind.   

Another athlete accustomed to the podium, Jorn Van Olst (NED), only just secured the gold in the U25 P2 by a slither, 0.24 ahead of Maria Buchwald (DEN). Maria’s dressage test set her up well but she fell behind on the marathon, then both drivers produced faultless cones rounds. Yet it was Jorn’s quicker times through the obstacles which boosted his overall performance.

One of the clearest winning margins came from Ciara Schubert (GER) and the experienced campaigner Energy 19 to take the U25 H1 (single horse) win. Ahead of Sweden’s Linnea Kristiansen by nearly 7 points, Ciara didn’t lead in any phases but produced enough consistency to gain the gold.

With national team results swapping around from last summer, it was The Netherlands who took gold, ahead of last year’s winners Germany. Hungary nudged beyond Sweden by a mere 1.3 points to take bronze. With six athletes per team, selected from across the categories, and the three best scores per phase going into the mix, it was a hotly contested competition.

A warm Hungarian welcome was appreciated by the athletes, their families and supporters, many of them having travelled for some days over long distances to get to the popular event venue west of Budapest. The customary Nation’s Night kick-started the social side, ahead of the veterinary inspections then two days of dressage on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s marathon ran to the newer FEI format of initial warm-up then Section B with six obstacles, the Children’s’ class having to negotiate fewer gates; they were also set a slightly shorter cones route on the final day. 

The organisers made everyone attending aware of the geo-political challenges facing the region and items such as fuel and electricity had to be rationed. But even the rain didn’t dampen spirits, despite making the going on the marathon slippery, and with such an array of talent amongst these youth drivers – 98 athletes from 17 countries – many of them from established driving families whose parents and grandparents also compete, the future of the sport is indeed a rosy one.

Full Results here

Caption:
Lisa Marie Tischer (GER) winner of the Under 25 P1 at the FEI Driving European Youth Championship 2022, Kisbér-Ászár (HUN)
Copyright ©FEI/Amy Mundell

It was tough to predict who the final winner would be throughout the sixth leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ in Arville (BEL). There was a leaderboard shake-up in each phase but eventually the home side saved the day with some masterful cross-country riding, to finish on a score of 131.2 ahead of Germany on 148.5. Italy finished in third place on 193.00 and Team GB, who had been in first place after the jumping phase but had a number of cross-country faults, had to settle for fourth. This was the second time in a row that Belgium claimed this prestigious Nations Cup prize in Arville.

This young Belgian team of Lara De Liedekerke-Meier, Jarno Verwimp, Julien Wergifosse and Maarten Boon, look exciting team prospects for the future - all four putting in strong cross-country performances. They were dressage leaders but after some mixed fortunes in the jumping (which took place on the second day), dropped down to third going into the final test; with Great Britain in front and Sweden in second. Yet the story was not over. The cross-country proved to be a tough track which required bold but accurate riding, as well as endurance to cope with the hilly terrain. There were five eliminations and a further eight retirements on the course.

Lara De Liedekerke-Meier who competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games last year, was best of the Belgians overall. She stormed around the cross-country on her 12 year old Hannoverian gelding Ducati d’Arville, to finish 4^th individually in this CCIO4*-S competition. Her final score helping the overall team score significantly. “It’s fantastic. Last year was a historical win for Belgium but to win the cup again and keep it here, was just fantastic. My horse was amazing. My teammates were a younger squad than before, so I had to be the anchor a little bit.”

Speaking on the cross-country track which caused the demise of the British and Swedish teams and many other individual riders, she said: “I had a wonderful round, the cross-country was really tough and hilly. My horse kept running until the end. This was a fantastic day for Belgium and a fantastic day for eventing and I am so proud of my team. Arville was a fantastic edition.”

Belgium's Jarno Verwimp was another rider to make his mark and finished 5^th individually in the CCIO4*-S on Kyba van de Jomaheide. The 22 year old rider was delighted with his selection and team win: “To be in the team for a Nations Cup is already a big honour but to take gold with the Belgian team makes it complete.”

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ action now moves to Ballindenisk (21-25 September). This will be the eighth and penultimate leg of the Series. Germany continue to lead with 380 points overall.

Final scores from Arville can be found here

FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2022 Calendar & Team standings can be found here

Provisional Report from Kisbér-Ászár

Host nation Hungary have clinched two of the individual titles on offer at the European Youth Championships while The Netherlands took the Junior class. 

Leading from the front after sealing first place in the dressage, 17 year old Péter Juhász (Hun) took the P2 (pony pair) title, ending on 122.87, ahead of Germany’s Max Andrew on 131.55 and Lea Schröder on 135.44. Team GB’s Harvey Clegram-Brown, winner of Saturday’s marathon in slippery conditions, had left himself too much to do after the dressage and remained 4th.

Places flipped between the phases and margins were paper thin in the Children (12-14 years) and Junior (14-18 years) classes. Bertold Juhász (HUN) kept his cool to finish the cones on a double clear to become the FEI Driving European Children’s Champion on 97.63, which put him one point ahead of Spain’s Daniel Pineda Andic, who ended a blink behind on 98.63, pushing Bice Castelli (ITA) into third on 101.19, just ahead of Phoebe Matthews (GBR) on 101.73.

Renate Provoost (NED), who had finished second in the dressage, was consistent throughout and won the Youth category on 123.37, pushing Ireland’s Kris Rohrssen into second (125.36). Italy’s Francesca Consolini sealed her bronze medal place only a fraction behind on 125.46 and Larissa Jansma (NED) was within breathing distance of the podium with a final tally of 125.61.

A full sports report to follow…

American riders showed formidable jumping performances to win the seventh leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™, held in Bromont (CAN). With an experienced team of athletes most of whom had ridden at 5* level, three of the four riders jumped clear in both the jumping and cross-country tests. The American quartet was made up of Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp, Lillian Heard, Colleen Routledge and Andrew McCannon. They finished on a score of 138.6 ahead of the host nation, Canada on 158.3. Australia were the only other nation competing but had only one rider completing the competition. 

Bromont Horse Trials is one of the most important equestrian events in Canada and the only FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ leg in the Americas. Whilst riders faced a tough cross-country challenge, which saw a number of retirements, they were full of praise for the ground conditions. 

Elisabeth Halliday-Sharp, a stalwart of the US Team, was the overall winner of the CCI 4*-S on Miks Master C, after jumping a double clear and one of the fastest cross-country rounds of the day: "It was a proper course here but my horse was world class. Hopefully we will go to Boekelo for the final (Nations Cup)."

Teammate Lillian Heard who was recently married to Australian event rider Ryan Wood, has been to Bromont many times and cites it as her favourite event. Despite riding at 5* level, this was her first Nations Cup experience. 

“This is my first time being on a team since Young Riders 15 years ago, it was really cool and elevates the stakes by which you're playing. I am usually only competing for myself so it was cool to go out and think I’ve got to be good for me but I have to be good for other people which adds a different element and is good practice.

“The course was awesome, this event is never easy and you don’t come here thinking anything is a given. The footing is great but the courses are tough. This is my horse’s first run back and he’s quite experienced - this feels more like a championship competition which is good because when we go to the other events, it feels easy. I was the first out so I didn’t have any intel which worked out fine, because my horse doesn't always do what the others do. The waters were tough and almost 5* questions and my horse was really good. The jumps were big and technically hard and the terrain makes a difference here too, but it’s supposed to be getting us ready for the 5* level so it’s good.

Andrew McConnon was another rider on the USA team having his first Nations Cup experience and was happy with his double clear. “This was my first team challenge and it was great to work with these three experienced ladies (Halliday-Sharp, Heard and Routledge) who were very kind and giving with information. I love it (being part of teams) and would love to be a part of more.”

Germany now lead the overall standings on 290 points and the FEI Nations Cup™ competition moves to Arville (BEL) which concludes today (21 August).

Full results here

FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ 2022 Calendar & Team standings can be found here