FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping: Brilliant Brazilians post historic victory at Hickstead

by Louise Parkes

Brazil’s Marlon Zanotelli, Pedro Veniss, Yuri Mansur and Pedro Junqueira Muylaert made sporting history today when winning the seventh leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Europe Division 1 series at Hickstead (GBR).

According to Veniss this was the first Brazilian team ever to compete at the world-famous British showground, and the first time for each of their four horses and riders to tackle the notoriously difficult Hickstead fences. And on a truly tough afternoon when wet and windy weather led to Kelvin Bywater’s 12-fence  track being relocated for the second round in order to ensure better ground, they didn’t just come out on top but they did it emphatically.

Adding nothing to their first-round score of just four faults they overtook the Germans who fell apart in the closing stages to finish a full 10 faults ahead of the eventual runners-up from The Netherlands, while Switzerland and Ireland filled the next two places when posting 16 and 17 faults apiece.

“We are definitely going to celebrate tonight because it’s not often that you can win a competition as big as this so we have to be happy when it happens, and tomorrow is a whole new day!”

Marlon Zanotelli BRA

There were six Division 1 teams in action along with the Brazilians who compete in the South America League and the hosts from Great Britain who have been fighting hard since relegated to Europe Division 2 last season. 

It was anchorman Pedro Junqueira Muylaert’s (31) single error with Prince Royal Z at the very last fence that Brazil carried into the second round after Zanotelli’s mare Sirene de la Motte and Veniss’ mare For Felicila both jumped brilliantly clear. Yuri Mansur’s (38) Babylotte had three fences down, but this pair turned that all around at their second attempt so Junqueira Muylaert didn’t have to jump again because double-clears from Zanotelli (29) and Veniss (34) ensured Brazil already had the victory in the bag.  

Dutch chances seemed dim after collecting 14 first-round faults for sixth place at the end of the first round, but when they added no more that would prove good enough for second spot at end of a day of mixed fortunes for many. Harrie Smolders' second clear with Don VHP Z was followed by fault-free runs from both Ruben Romp and Audi’s Teavanta ll who posted just a single time fault first time out, and Jur Vrieling whose stallion VDL Glasgow vh Merelsnet threw in an objection to the open water in round one but then popped it like a puddle at his second attempt.

Result:

1. Brazil 4 faults: Sirene de la Motte (Marlon Zanotelli) 0/0, For Felicila (Pedro Veniss) 0/0, Babylotte (Yuri Mansur) 12/0, Prince Royal Z (Pedro Junqueira Muylaert) 4/DNS.

2. Netherlands 14 faults: Don VHP Z (Harrie Smolders) 0/0, Glock’s Cognac Champblanc (Gerco Schroder) 13/12, Audi’s Teavanta ll CZ (Ruben Romp) 1/0, VDL Glasgow Vh Merelsnet (Jur Vrieling) 13/0.

3. Switzerland 16 faults: Saura de Fondcombe (Nadja Peter Steiner) 0/4, Sherazade du Gevaudan (Romain Duguet) 8/0, Casanova FZ (Philipp Zuger) 8/13, Dsarie (Beat Mandli) 0/4.

Full result here 

Facts and Figures:

4 double-clears - from Brazil’s Marlon Zanotelli (Sirene de la Motte) and Pedro Veniss (For Felicila), The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders (Don VHP Z) and Kevin Staut (For Joy Van’t Zorgvliet HDC). 

Course designer was Great Britain’s Kelvin Bywater. 

The time-allowed was extended from 81 seconds in the first round to 84 seconds in round 2 after the fences were moved to better ground due to heavy rain.

3 doubles and no triple combination on the 12-fence course.

The open water at Hickstead is 4 metres wide.

The eighth and last leg of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 1 series will take place in Dublin (IRL) on Friday 11 August.

Quotes:

Marlon Zanotelli BRA - “This was my first Nations Cup since we started our own business and it’s great to be back on the team. I have my mare (Sirena de la Motte) since the end of last year and it was a huge thing to go in the team as first rider today but I know her very well and she was so confident on the track, she jumped amazing! I worked for Enda Carroll for six years and had a fantastic time so it was a difficult decision to go out on my own. Enda gave me everything, but my wife and I started on our own and we didn’t expect that this year we would be back so quickly so I have to thank my fantastic horse-owners!” 

Pedro Veniss BRA - “the weather was not the best today so the course designer made a good decision to move the jumps in the second round. This was the first Nations Cup for my horse (For Felicila). Cabri (Cabri des Isles, his Rio Olympic horse) was in Aachen so we changed the plan and it has worked out really great, especially for our Chef d’Equipe (Pedro Luz Lacerda) who came all the way from Brazil on Monday!” 

Standings in FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Europe Division 1 after round 7 at Hickstead (GBR):

1. Italy - 345

2. Netherlands - 335

3. Switzerland - 330

4. Germany - 325

5. Sweden - 307.5

6. Ireland - 305

7. France - 302.5

8. Spain - 250

Full Standings here