Great Britain’s Team Audevard claim third in a hard-fought Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at Aachen
Friday 05 July 2024
Great Britain’s Team Audevard finished in third place on the podium in a relentlessly tight, closely contested Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup at the iconic CHIO Aachen arena in Germany.
Ten teams ran in this high-octane competition and, with the Olympics just one month away, many nations – including Britain – fielded their Paris 2024 riders. Competitors faced German course-designer Frank Rothenberger’s testing 12-fence 1.60m track of technical distances, a two-stride oxer to vertical double at three followed by a breath-taking line of open water with a curving distance to a treble combination of vertical, vertical, oxer quickly followed by a set of planks built like a solid wall. The penultimate curving line of huge triple bar, oxer and the Rolex vertical before turning towards the final Mercedes-Benz oxer completed the track.
However, the standard was so high, 24 posted first round clears and five teams were sitting on a zero score at the halfway stage – Great Britain joined by Ireland, Mexico, Sweden and The Netherlands. The surprise of the night was Switzerland and The USA both finishing round one on eight faults apiece and not making the cut into round two.
Although the course stayed the same for the second round, the floodlights affected the state of play as the shadows deepened. Nevertheless, 11 double clears were recorded.
Britain’s pathfinder Ben Maher posted an immaculate clear in round one and again produced the goods second time out on Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s 11-year-old mare Dallas Vegas Batilly, keeping the team in contention.
Harry Charles returned with just one error in round one as Stall Zet’s Chacco-Blue 14-year-old Casquo Blue clipped the front rail into the early double at fence three, but Harry kept his cool to make no further mistakes. However, it didn’t go his way in round two. The first element of the double again caught them out as the back rail fell and appeared to unsettle Casquo Blue and a further two fences fell.
This put the pressure on the final two riders while Ireland excelled, piling on their clear round score to remain on a clean sheet and stay at the top. When Shane Sweetnam supplied a clear round on James Kann Cruz, Ireland sealed victory without the need of their anchor rider Cian O’Connor on Fancy De Kergane.
Clean rounds were required by both Robert Whitaker and Scott Brash to keep Britain on a zero score. The pressure was immense. But the double claimed another victim in Robert and Caroline and Stephen Blatchford’s Argento 11-year-old King George V Gold Cup winner Vermento as the back bar dropped. Nonetheless, they remained calm and cleared every other obstacle to finish on four faults.
The battle was on for second and third. It was down to Scott Brash to keep Britain in a podium place as three teams on a potential four-fault score were pitted against each other. Known for his super-cool demeanour under pressure, Scott did it with spades. Keeping Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s excitable but super-scopey Hello Jefferson contained, Scott skilfully guided the 15-year-old into a vital clear round.
Deciding the second, third and fourth places went to the wire. Mexico – jumping in Aachen for the first time in 24 years – were in the reckoning and their final rider Eugenio Garza Perez produced a magnificent double clear in the penultimate draw to also put his team on a two-round total of four faults. And they leap-frogged into second place on time, only two seconds separating Mexico and Great Britain.
Drawn last, Sweden could potentially knock Britain off the podium, but their final team rider Peder Fredricson had to jump clear on Alcapone Des Carmille. However, a foot in the water diminished their chances and the Rolex vertical also fell to drop Sweden down the order to fifth.
“I’m delighted how the team is coming together, it was a great team result and we came very close to a jump-off [to decide the top three],” said Performance Manager and Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard. “I feel as though the partnership plans are coming together and hopefully, we will be peaking in August.
“Great performances from Scott and Ben gave us double clears and it was good to see Vermento come into the Aachen arena for the first time and jump fantastic.”
Mercedes Benz Nations Cup – Aachen, Germany – 4 July 2024
1st Ireland 0/0
2nd Mexico 0/4
3rd Great Britain 0/4
Ben Maher & Dallas Vegas Batilly – 0/0
Harry Charles & Casquo Blue – 4/12
Robert Whitaker & Vermento – 4/0
Scott Brash & Hello Jefferson – 0/0
Image credit: Helen Cruden
lkkscpqwvdeg.JPG "Holly West wins STX-UK Pony British Novice Second Round at Kelsall Hill Equestrian")
