Great Britain's Team Audevard Dazzle in the Longines League of Nations Claiming Gold in St Tropez
Monday 22 September 2025
.jpg "Great Britain's Team Audevard Dazzle in the Longines League of Nations Claiming Gold in St Tropez")
In an exhilarating battle for the top of the podium, Di Lampard’s relatively inexperienced team of Tim Gredley, 23-year-old Jack Whitaker and Longines FEI League of Nations™ debutants Mark Edwards and Adrian Whiteway took a sensational victory in the season’s final Longines FEI League of Nations™ qualifying leg, held for the first time at the stunning Polo Club St. Tropez - Haras de Gassin
The competition had athletes and spectators alike on the edge of their seats as the second round went down to the wire with the final results decided by the narrowest of margins. Just four faults split the top four teams in the tightest of finishes as Great Britain clinched the top spot on the podium with a team score of 15 faults, just one fault ahead of Italy on 14 faults who were in turn just one fault ahead of Belgium, who took the final podium position.
Grégory Bodo (FRA) produced a masterful piece of course building with his twelve-fence track, which incorporated fifteen jumping efforts and an achievable time allowed. Athletes thought the track technical and strong but didn’t perceive any major difficulties and this proved to be the case as the competition unfolded. Whilst there was no one fence causing undue issues, clear rounds were hard-earned and Bodo perfected the art of course building when every single one of his fifteen jumping efforts fell throughout the duration of the competition and although the time allowed was achieved by most, there was no room for complacency as some foot perfect rounds were marred only by exceeding the time allowed.
The feather-weight bricks that adorned the top of the wall at fence two claimed a surprising number of victims including Laura Kraut and the athletic mare Bisquetta who were otherwise flawless in round one. The open water at fence eight also saw a surprising number of combinations fault as well as being directly responsible for a number of poles falling at the following double, as combinations struggled to contain the forward momentum that they had created to clear the tape within the six strides between the water and the vertical at part ‘a’ and then oxer at part ‘b’ elements.
Perhaps the most surprising of all was the frequency of which fence 11, a relatively innocuous looking St. Tropez vertical, was dislodged from its cups. Proceeded by a triple bar five strides before it and set on a six or seven stride dog-leg to the final fence, the top pole hit the ground with unprecedented regularity.
Nine of the forty combinations that took on Bodo’s challenge produced all the answers to post a perfect zero score for their teams in round one. After a disappointing start from Great Britain’s opening two combinations Mark Edwards with Dillinger NE who incurred a technical elimination and an uncharacteristic eight faults from team stalwart Tim Gredley and Medoc De Toxandria, Great Britain were languishing in the relegation zone at risk of not making the second round. However, an inspired clear round from Jack Whitaker and his name's sake, the 11- year- old Jack JL, raised the nations spirits whilst poles fell around them for even the most fancied of nations.
Germany, one of the favourites to take victory here asserted their dominance in round one as both Daniel Deusser (Otello de Guldenboom) and Sandra Auffarth (Quirici H) delivered foot perfect clear rounds backed up by a solid five fault round from Laura Klaphake and the impressive nine-year-old stallion VDL Quizano van’t Merelsnest. An uncharacteristic 12 faults from the Individual European Champion Richard Vogel and Cloudio saw Germany complete round one on five faults, which was good enough to take the top spot at this stage.
An impressive clear from team trailblazer Jens Fredricson, was followed by a sensational clear jumping round for Amanda Landeblad and Springfield 21, but unfortunately for Sweden the scoreboard flashed up an expensive three time penalties for this exciting new combination. Four and eight faults respectively for Ericka Lickhammer-Van Helmond and Wilma Hellstöm, saw Sweden finish round one on seven faults to lie in second place.
Inspired clear rounds from Riccardo Pisani (Chatolinue PS) and Piergiorgio Bucci (Hantano) in their bid to qualify Italy for the upcoming Longines FEI League of Nations™ Final in Barcelona in less than a fortnight’s time propelled the Italians into third place at this stage and a guaranteed place in round two as both Emanuele Camilli (Chacareno PS) and Giacomo Casadei (Marbella du Chabli) completed on eight faults, which was to be their round one team total.
Belgium qualified for round two in fourth position on a team total of eight faults courtesy of a sensational clear from Annelies Vorsselmans and Trezeguet and solid four fault rounds from Rik Hemeryck (Inoui du Seigneur) and Jeroen Appelen (King CJS), with Jos Verlooy (Paris van den Dael) providing the discard score on this occasion.
Great Britain’s anchorman Adrian Whiteway aboard the exuberant Chacco Volo, held his nerve to pilot the big jumping 11-year-old stallion around the track clearing all the fences, just collecting one time fault to help Britain cling on to some form of contention and make the cut for round two. They completed round one in fifth place on a score of nine faults, less than a fence ahead of Switzerland, France and USA, all finishing on 12 faults and making up the sixth, seventh and eight teams coming forward for round two.
Run in reverse order of standings, with just seven faults splitting the eight teams, round two brought with it unimaginable surprises and twist plots as seasoned combinations faulted and many athletes came back having learnt from disappointing opening rounds to rectify mistakes. Whilst the focus remained on Germany and Sweden and their battle for first place, combinations from fourth and fifth placed Belgium and Great Britain kept their heads down and fought back with tenacity and grit to see themselves slowly creep up the leaderboard.
The experience of Tim Gredley shone through as he put the disappointent from round one behind him and opened Great Britain’s campaign with a morale-boosting clear. This was matched by Annelies Vorsselmans, whose flawless performance saw her achieve one of just three double clears of the competition to pile the pressure on the leaders. Italy followed suit as Riccardo Pissani produced the second double clear of the competition and when Sweden and Germany’s opening athletes both faulted, the competition came alight.
When the second rotation athletes from Great Britain, Belgium and Italy came home on four, five and eight faults respectively their positions switched with Great Britain and Belgium equal on 13 faults ahead of Italy on 16, leaving the door ajar for the leaders. Four faults to add to their first athletes’ score of nine saw Sweden drop to 16 faults and Belgium and Great Britain climb into podium positions for the first time with just Germany’s second line rider to go. Laura Klaphake couldn’t improve on her first round score, returning five faults once more to drop Germany to third place. With just one athlete from each team left to jump Great Britain and Belgium lay in equal first place on thirteen faults, one fault ahead of Germany in third on 14 faults with Italy in fourth on 16 faults.
Whiteway came into the arena knowing that a clear round would pile the pressure on his rivals. Another polished round saw him leave all the fences intact, but the big- jumping Chacco Volo’s nemesis as well as his greatest strength, is the time he spends suspended in the air. This time their accuracy cost them two expensive time faults to give Great Britain a final team score of 15 faults, opening the door for both Belgium and Germany, although demanding that only clear jumping rounds would suffice in order to clinch victory.
Appelen once again lowered just one rail allowing Great Britain to climb once more. Italian team hero Bucci then delivered the third and final double clear round to further intensify the pressure on Germany and climb above Belgium.
As the final combination set off, the Haras de Gassin, Polo Club Saint- Tropez fell silent as the nail-biting second round reached its climax. Sandra Auffarth aboard her faithful partner Quirici H, glided around the track in the same assured and silky smooth manner as they had delivered their first-round clear. A repeat performance looked inevitable, but as they sailed over the penultimate fence, the consistent gelding caught the rail with a hind toe and so tight were the margins that Germany’s chances of a podium finish were shattered in an instant.
In an enthralling second round of competition Great Britain rose five places to gain their first ever Longines FEI League of Nations™ victory with a final score of 15 faults, ahead of Italy, whose sensational performances were rewarded with their first Longines FEI League of Nations™ podium position in second on 16 faults and newly crowned European Champions Belgium, who battled admirably to take third on 17 faults.
Great Britain were elated with their victory and how they pulled together after a few setbacks, to deliver under pressure when it mattered. Their modesty and humility shone through as they explained the roller coaster of fortunes and emotions that they had experienced throughout the competition:
‘I’m a bit disappointed with myself in the second round but the boys pulled it back and I couldn’t be happier’ told Jack Whitaker.
‘The first round I didn’t ride very well. I thought it was a really clever course today and I had a really good think about it at the halfway stage and he (Medoc de Toxandria) came out and jumped even better in the second round so I’m very lucky to have him’ Tim Gredley explained honestly.
When congratulated on his two clear jumping rounds, where he only incurred time faults, Adrian Whiteway joked:
‘I’m absolutely over the moon. Time faults are our “forte” if you like- we’re pretty good at getting them! But going last today I kept seeing our country going up and up the leader board and I was thinking, the pressure’s on now and I just wanted to keep all the jumps up which we managed to do and luckily it all came together at the end!’ he concluded graciously.
Athletes, grooms and spectators alike were unanimous in their praise for the new venue, its facilities, surfaces and overall organisation in what was the inaugural staging of a Longines League of Nations™ event. The facilities were top-notch and Di Lampard (GBR) expressed her and the team’s appreciation to the organisers for their wonderful hosting at the press conference afterwards.
The culmination of the fourth and final qualifying leg of the 2025 Longines FEI League of Nations™ series, sees all eyes turn to the season's finale in less than two weeks’ time when Barcelona will host the second running of the Longines FEI League of Nations™ Final.
The eight qualified teams have been decided following the conclusion of the fourth and final qualifying leg of the Longines FEI League of Nations™ in St. Tropez- Gassin this afternoon. France head to the final having secured their place at the top of the league standings with 300 points just ahead of Great Britain in second on 295, Germany in third on 290 and Belgium in fourth on 280.
Ireland take the fifth qualifying spot in fifth position on 260 points just ahead of Italy and USA who lie in joint sixth position on 255 points apiece. The eighth and final qualification spot is taken by The Netherlands who finished the season on 225 points. Jumping super powers, Sweden and Switzerland are surprise omissions from this year’s Longines FEI League of Nations™ Final having failed to qualify in finishing in ninth and tenth positions respectively with 170 and 135 points.
The Longines FEI League of Nations™ Final takes centre stage at The Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (ESP) from 02 – 05 October 2025 where the Longines FEI League of Nations™ Champions of 2025 will be decided and crowned on the Sunday 05 October 2025.
Results here
Image: © FEI/Martin Dokoupil
