Great Britain claim Team Bronze in the Junior Nations Cup at the FEI European Championships for Young Riders, Juniors and Children
Saturday 15 July 2023
Great Britain’s Junior team were not to be outdone by their Young Rider and Children on Horses compatriots, also claiming a Team Bronze medal at the FEI European Championships for Young Riders, Juniors and Children in Gorla Minore, Italy. The result gives Britain a total of three Team Bronze Medals at these championships.
They didn’t have the most of auspicious starts and, as the faults were turned into penalty points, the team were lying in ninth place of 19 teams. But the four riders came out fighting to steadily move up the order.
Lauren Caroline was first out for the team on the 12-year-old Gait L to come home on four faults. Maisy Williams aboard Devil VD To Jo Pe Hoeve made just one mistake and added a time fault with Noora von Bulow producing similar results riding Interstar B, returning a total of six faults.
The onus lay on Tabitha Kyle’s shoulders to keep Britain in the running and the 16-year-old – a veteran of pony European teams – dismissed any pressure on her young shoulders to rise to the challenge and supply a clear round on TJ Hall’s Desterly.
Lauren and Maisy stepped up superbly in the final round of the team competition, providing vital clear rounds to keep moving up the order. It didn’t go according to plan for Noora with an unfortunate rail and a stop in the combination upsetting the equilibrium, they hit two more rails and added time faults to their score.
Again, the pressure was on Tabitha. A clear put Team GBR into a medal position. But the top rail of the midway stile hit the floor. Tabitha kept calm as it was vital to leave every fence intact. Accuracy had a price, and the added time fault put Britain on equal points with Monaco – a jump-off would decide third place.
Conscious a medal was at stake, pressure hit the heights for Britain and Monaco. Lauren and Maisy provided fabulous clear rounds to steal an early lead when Monaco’s second rider hit the penultimate oxer. Noora excelled to go even faster and stormed home clear on Interstar B, piling the pressure on the final Monaco rider.
Anastasia Nielsen gamely tried for her team and supplied the fastest time of the jump-off on Tailormade Contou. It wasn’t enough. Britain had pulled it out of the bag, Tabitha wasn’t required to jump off.
“They were a little behind after the first round but all fought really hard to finish equal third with Monaco – forcing a jump-off,” said Team Manager Clare Whitaker. “We won with three fast clear rounds and didn’t need to jump our fourth rider – an excellent result.”
The strong team of Ireland commanded the Gold medal with only a 7.16 point total ahead of The Netherlands on 9.12 points for Silver.
“Whatever happens in the Individual Finals, we have had a very successful championships with each and every one – owners, parents, riders, grooms and helpers have played their part; as Team Manager, I am very proud of them all,” added Clare.
Darcy Breen came oh so close to taking an Individual medal after jumping clear every day and double clear in the Children Individual Final. She was one of five from an original 105 starters in the jump-off for the medals but drew the short straw as first to go on Lea Popely’s 10-year-old Kunis (Luidam x Le Tot De Semilly).
She had no choice but to try and set the pace and admirably cut corners, picking up the pace as she progressed. But taking out a stride to the last was a risk that didn’t come off as Kunis clipped the top pole on the final vertical. Darcy had to sit and wait it out as the four others battled it out. She held on to the bronze position until the final rider’s turn but it wasn’t to be and she had to settle for fourth.
FEI European Championships for Young Riders, Juniors and Children – 15 July, 2023
Gorla Minore, Italy
1st Ireland 7.16 penalty points
2nd The Netherlands 9.12 penalty points
3rd Great Britain 24.02 penalty points jump-off 0 83.17 seconds
Lauren Caroline & Gait L – 5.33/4/0/0 28.66 seconds
Maisy Williams & Devil VD To Jo Pe Hoeve – 2.34/5/0/0 27.48 seconds
Noora von Bulow & Interstar B – 2.90/6/25/0 27.03 seconds
Tabitha Kyle & Desterly – 5.66/0/5/-
4th Monaco 24.02 jump-off 0 84.93 seconds
Image: FEI
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