An almost completely unknown German team swept to victory at the sixth leg of the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI series in Hickstead this afternoon while for Great Britain it was also a special day. To the delight of the home crowd a new star was born in the shape of super-talented 22 year old Charlotte Platt who completed the only double-clear of the competition to help her side to secure joint-runner-up spot with Sweden.
The Swedes at last got the break they deserved, challenging strongly throughout, but for the 2007 Hickstead winners from the USA it was a bad day, Michael Morrissey's sensational elimination in both rounds and a crippling total score of 61 putting paid to any chance of a repeat.
The Netherlands was hampered by the enforced withdrawal of anchorman Wout Jan Van der Schans when his stallion Sir Corland left the arena looking lame at the end of round one and they had to settle for seventh place from the eight starting nations. Belgium finished sixth ahead of Ireland in fifth while Switzerland slotted into fourth place.
THE TRACK....
This was the third year for Kelvin Bywater to create the Hickstead track and the designer presented a clever course that utilised all the undulations of this world-famous arena. There was plenty of drama, and, as German team member Philipp Weishaupt pointed out - "this is a very difficult arena to ride in - it is so big and there is a big difference when the poles are six metres wide. You go and go and still the fences never seem to get any closer!" he pointed out.
Starting out over a vertical there was a right-hand turn to a triple bar followed quickly by a 1.58m white gate which proved the bogey in the opening round. The run to the following double at four was downhill all the way and the front bar fell repeatedly while the following vertical also claimed a number of victims. Then it was left-handed on an uphill slope to another double followed by the formidable Hickstead planks before kicking on to the open water at fence eight which, in keeping with Hickstead's tradition, produced a few heart-stopping moments.
The vertical at nine was followed by a loop to a cream-coloured oxer and then the final question came with a second triple-bar at fence 11 and the final double. There was a five-stride distance here but with the ground falling away on the landing side it was essential to avoid over-jumping the former in order to leave the latter intact.
BRITAIN TAKES THE LEAD...
The home side had the whip hand at the end of round one when collecting just eight faults but they were closely followed by Sweden and Germany sharing 12. The British advantage was achieved through clear rounds from newcomer Platt, who rode the course like an old-stager, and the considerably more experienced Michael Whitaker whose nine year old mare Wonami van Den Aard seemed to be jumping a little green.
The Swedes opened with a four-fault result for Lotta Schultz and Calibra but could have been unnerved when Erika Lickhammer and Magic Dream picked up 16. However Helena Lundback pulled it back for them with a foot-perfect run from Madick and then Royne Zetterman and Isaac returned with eight to seal the 12-fault first round tally. The Germans were much more consistent however, all four riders lowering just one fence each to leave them on level pegging.
The Swiss were lying fourth as round two began carrying a score of 20 while The Netherlands and Ireland shared fifth place with 21 faults each but the Americans were in deep trouble with 48 faults already on their scoresheet. Nicole Shahinian-Simpson was US pathfinder and returned with a disastrous total of 28 while Hillary Dobbs lowered four fences when next to fly the flag. Michael Morrissey's first round came to an end when his gelding, Crelido, refused to have anything to do with the open water but Lauren Hough and Quick Study picked up just four when last to go.
GOOD RECOVERY....
The US made a good recovery second time out - Shahinian-Simpson suddenly getting it all absolutely right and Dobbs clipping only the second element of the double at six while also picking up a time fault in a very much more composed round. For Morrissey however the day was to end on a horrible note when, having just had a big cheer from the crowd after clearing the water in fine style this time, it all fell apart for him on the very last line. He was carrying eight faults and must have expected to finish with little more butm following an aggressive ride to the penultimate triple bar, Crelido suddenly slammed to a halt in front of the final double and was not prepared to take it on at a second attempt either.
The Dutch meanwhile added 20 to their tally - Mathijs Van Asten and VDL Groep Castella adding four to their eight first-round faults, Jur Vrieling and VDL Emmerton adding five to their first-round nine and Gerald Geesink adding 11 to the single mistake at the opening attempt. Geesink was very unlucky in round two however - his white-grey stallion Casco, who was popping the track with consummate ease, suddenly losing his stride inside the final double and crumpling in a heap. Clearly frightened by the experienced the nine year old horse still bravely took it on a second time.
The Irish day was a little odd too. Eddie Macken, on his much-publicised return to the team after 10 years, was looking good until getting an awkward jump at the water and then the 59 year old rider was very nearly unseated when First Tedechine Sept put in a huge effort over the penultimate triple bar. Macken had to ride a circle to recover his stirrup before approaching the last again, and that same line was to catch him out again in round two. This time his mare took off a stride too early at the final double after a strong ride to the triple bar but the partnership added just four in total to their first-round score of 10. Cian O'Connor's new ride, the scopey Rancorrado, breezed around with the greatest of ease in both rounds collecting just four faults each time and looking like a very promising prospect, while Capt David O'Brien and Mo Chroi had a double-error each time out and Denis Lynch picked up nine in round one and just four in round two with Nabab's Son.
A consistent four faults from each of the Swiss secured a second-round total of 12 for them too - Theo Muff and Con Spirito R and Celine Stauffer and Narcossa Z collecting a total of 12 each, Jane Richard and Jalia de Gaverie rounding their score at 16 and Pius Schwizer retiring with Unique in round two after dropping one fence - their continuing participation now unable to alter their final tally of 32 faults.
ALMOST A JUMP-OFF....
The Swedes deteriorated with eight faults from Schultz, Lickhammer and Lundback but Zetterman's clear steadied the scoreline at a total of 28 while it very nearly came down to a third-round jump-off between the Germans and British.
German pathfinder, 26 year old Anna-Maria Jakobs, added 12 to her scoresheet with Georgenhof's Lausejunge while Philipp Weishaupt and Leoville added eight and Andreas Knippling and Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof added just four and when Holger Wulschner and Clausen stayed clear they recorded a final score of 24.
Geoff Luckett seemed to have put paid to British chances when leaving four on the floor with the electric Monline as round two got underway but Platt was cool as cucumber when recording her second perfect run with Paulien and although third man in, Duncan Inglis, had to retire with Sunkist who broke a blood vessel it was still possible to secure a head-to-head with Germany if Whitaker could leave all the fences up. The Hickstead planks at seven hit the floor however and they had to settle for joint-second in the final analysis.
FANTASTIC FEELING....
The German win, the third in a row in this year's Samsung Super League with FEI series, was particularly impressive as so many of Sonke Sonkssen's team are new to this level of the sport.
"It's a fantastic feeling, this has been a fantastic day" the German team manager said, delighted with his side's performance. "I'm very proud of my team" he added. "For three of these riders, two days ago it was their first time to see the Hickstead fences. All over the world we know how difficult it is to jump here so this makes me very happy".
For 26 year old Jakobs, 23 year old Weishaupt and for Andreas Knippling this was their Super League debut and they were also more than pleased.
Weishaupt works with Ludger Beerbaum and rang him for advice after having a shaky start yesterday when he and his horse were a little overwhelmed by the Hickstead ring. "Ludger said just keep riding in there and it will get better!" he said, and of course his mentor was right. "My horse is just eight years old so he did a super job today" Weishaupt added.
There were big smiles all round, but the biggest of all was on the face of Charlotte Platt who came from nowhere - well actually from just down the road two miles away from Hickstead - to put in the performance of a life-time and jump to the attention of British selectors and fans. An accomplished Young Rider, she only moved into senior level in 2006 when she jumped double-clear in the nations cup at Poznan and she looks, like the winning German side, full of promise.
"Today" said Platt, "makes up for all the hard days and bad days - today was a great day!". And for the Germans, who have now established an even larger lead at the head of the 2008 Samsung Super League with FEI leaderboard, it as even better.....
RESULT:
1. GERMANY 24 faults: Georgenhof's Lausenjunge (Anna-Maria Jakobs) 4/12, Leoville (Philipp Weishaupt) 4/8, Neolisto Van Het Mierenhof (Andreas Knippling) 4/4, Clausen (Holger Wulschner) 4/0.
Equal 2. SWEDEN 28 faults: Calibra 11 (Lotta Schultz) 4/8, Magic Dream (Erika Lickhammer) 16/8, Madick (Helena Lundback) 0/8, Isaac (Royne Zetterman) 8/0.
Equal 2. GREAT BRITAIN 28 faults: Monline (Geoff Luckett) 8/16, Paulien 11 (Charlotte Platt) 0/0, Sunkist (Duncan Inglis) 8/Ret, Wonami van den Aard (Michael Whitaker) 0/4.
4. SWITZERLAND 32 faults: Con Spirito R (Theo Muff) 8/4, Jalia de Gaverie (Jane Richard) 12/4, Narcossa Z (Celine Stauffer) 8/4, Unique X CH (Pius Schwizer) 4/Ret.
5. IRELAND 33 faults: First Tedechine Sept (Eddie Macken) 10/4, Rancorrado (Cian O'Connor) 4/4, Mo Chroi (Capt David O'Brien) 8/8, Nabab's Son (Denis Lynch) 9/4.
6. BELGIUM 35 faults: Withney Van De Dwerse Hagen (Patrik Spits) 4/4, Equiphrma Tekila D (Peter Devos)20/12, Top Gun (Peter Postelmans) 18/5, Item de Quintin (Niels Bruynseels) 4/0.
7. NETHERLANDS 41 faults: VDL Groep Castella (Mathijs Van Asten) 8/4, VDL Emmerton (Jur Vrieling) 9/5, Casco (Gerald Geesink) 4/11, Sir Corland (Wout Jan Van der Schans) 10/DNS.
8. USA 61 faults: SRF Dragonfly (Nicole Shahinian-Simpson) 28/0, Quincy B (Hillary Dobbs) 16/5, Crelido (Michael Morrissey) Elim/Elim, Quick Study (Lauren Hough) 4/8.
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI 2008 - LEADERBOARD AFTER SIXTH LEG IN AACHEN:
1. Germany - 42.00
2. Netherlands - 31.50
3. Great Britain - 29.50
4. USA - 21.83
5. Belgium - 21.50
6. Switzerland - 20.08
7. Ireland - 16.83
8. Sweden - 11.75
For further information on the Samsung Super League with FEI in Aachen check out WEBSITE www.chioaachen.de. Show President at the German fixture is Klaus Peter Pavel, Show Director is Frank Kemperman and Press Officer is Niels Knippertz - Email niels.knippertz@chioaachen.de.
The sixth leg of the series takes place in Hickstead, Great Britain on Friday 25 July. Show President is Douglas Bunn, Show Director is Edward Bunn, Show Secretary is Elizabeth Bunn and Press Officer is Peter Jeffery - contact email jeffery.communications@btopenworld.com
FEI TELEVISION - BROADCAST INFORMATION - ROUND 5 IN AACHEN:
Live/Delayed Live
SKY (UK) - Friday 25 July 14.15
Equidia (France) - Sunday 27 July 21.45
RAI (Italy) - Check local listings
Dubai Sports Channel - Check local listings
Highlights
CNBC Asia - Saturday 9 August 15.00
CNBC Europe - Saturday 10 August 17.00
ESPN Brazil - Check local listings
ESPN Star (Pan Asia) - Tuesday 12 August 18.00, Wednesday 13 August 18.00, Thursday 14 August 01.30, 23.00, Friday 15 August 14.00, 15.00, Saturday 16 August 01.30, 05.30; Tuesday 19 August 18.00, Wednesday 20 August 15.00
EUROSPORT - Wednesday 30 July 19.25, Thursday 31. July 08.30
EUROSPORT ASIA - Thursday 31 July 10.00
FINNISH SPORT TV - Saturday 9 August 18.25
FOX MIDDLE EAST - Thursday 14 August 16.00
SETANTA SPORTS (Ireland) - Check local listings
SUPERSPORT (Pan Africa) - thursday 14 August 21.30, Friday 15 August 02.00, 06,00, Sunday 17 August 09.00, Monday 18 August 15.00, tuesday 19 August 17.00, Wednesday 20 August 23.00
SPORT PLUS (France) - Monday 04 August 22.00
SPORT TV (Portugal) - Check local listings
TG4 (Ireland) - Check local listings
TVE (Spain) - Check local listings
WCSN (USA) - Check local listings
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE - NATIONAL PRIDE, INTERNATIONAL PASSION!
SAMSUNG SUPER LEAGUE WITH FEI - 2008 CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
ROUND 1 - La Baule (FRA) 5-11 May; ROUND 2 - Rome (ITA) 22-25 May; ROUND 3 - St Gallen (SUI) 29 May - 1 June: ROUND 4 - Rotterdam (NED) 18-22 June; ROUND 5 - Aachen (GER) 1-6 July; ROUND 6 - Hickstead (GBR) 24-27 July; ROUND 7 - Dublin (IRL) 8-10 August; ROUND 8 and FINAL - Barcelona (ESP) 18-21 September.
You can access all the latest Samsung Super League with FEI news and information on website www.samsungsuperleague.com
Want to know more? Check out the comprehensive MEDIA GUIDE for the series, available in print (contact: olivia.robinson@fei.org)and for download at www.samsungsuperleague.com under "Media Guide" heading.
PHOTOGRAPHS - A Photo Gallery of pictures is available on the Samsung Super League with FEI website for use by professional media only. The gallery will be regularly updated with low and high-resolution photographs and is password protected. To obtain a password follow the simple instructions when clicking on the link.
The Samsung Super League with FEI consists of the eight most prestigious horse shows at which the world's eight best national teams compare their merit. The Samsung Super League with FEI is connected to the FEI Nations Cup series through a promotion/relegation system at the end of each season.
Samsung Electronics, one of the world's largest electronics companies, is committed to supporting international sporting events, thereby returning corporate profits to the public and working towards a more harmonious and equitable society.
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