Great Britain’s Team Audevard finish in seventh place with unlucky four fault rounds at the CSIO3* Longines EEF Series Nations Cup of Budapest
Sunday 28 June 2026
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Unlucky four fault rounds dropped Great Britain’s Team Audevard into seventh place at the CSIO3* Longines EEF Series Nations Cup in Budapest, Hungary.
“The heat was bearable today but still very, very hot, although it’s the same for everyone, and the team just hit a run of unlucky four faults. We practically had four faults in each round, but they were good rounds and so unlucky they weren’t clears,” said Chef d’Equipe Matt Lanni.
Twelve teams came forward to face a 12-fence, 15-effort 1.50m track designed by Elio Travagliati with the final line of combination and a curving turn to the final two fences proving the most problematic.
First out for Britain Rebecca Marsh had just rubbed the front rail of the penultimate bright yellow oxer for four faults in round one, and the hit planks following the water in round two with the British-bred 14-year-old Stevie G (Billy Mexico x Nimrod B).
Emily Routledge also finished on four faults in each round aboard the nine-year-old Mister Jones (Comme Il Faut x Quinta Real), the front rail of the penultimate oxer also catching them out in round one, and a foot on the tape of the open water in round two.
“Rebecca and Emily were both so unlucky,” said Matt.
Mia Grey made her senior team debut in a last-minute substitution with the 16-year-old Galtur (Cornet’s Stern x Balou Du Rouet), and found stepping up to this technical level difficult, but gallantly came back fighting in round two. Dismissing the pressure instead of buckling under it, Mia, 20, made the experience a learning one and grew in confidence after each fence, only tapping out the middle vertical of the ‘bogey’ combination to finish on four faults.
“Mia made an amazing comeback for an unlucky four and the learning she will take away from here will stay with her for the rest of her life,” said Matt. “She literally only knew she was riding in the competition two hours before, but she rose to the occasion in round two – she was definitely the story of the team.”
Chad Fellows also tapped out the middle element of the troublesome combination with new ride Pesgo Adelheid Z (Gestion Priamus Z x Chardonnay Z) in round one, and was going well in round two, until inexplicably, the 12-year-old gelding refused to come out of the corner and go down the final combination.
“It was so surprising and unexpected, they have been going well recently, but they are still getting to know each other and Chad calmly patted the horse and came out,” said Matt. “The week has been hot here but ice, water and mist has been available, and the horses want for nothing here.”
Germany won on a total of eight faults with a fence in hand over three teams on 12 and divided only by time. The Czech Republic finished second, The Netherlands stood third and Ireland were fourth.
CSIO3* Longines EEF Series Nations Cup, Budapest – 26 June 2026
1st Germany – 8
2nd Czech Republic – 12
3rd The Netherlands – 12
4th Ireland – 12
5th Austria – 20
6th Hungary 20
7th Great Britain – 24
Rebecca Marsh & Stevie G – 4/4
Emily Routledge & Mister Jones – 4/4
Mia Grey & Galtur – (27)/4
Chad Fellows & Pesgo Adelheid Z – 4/(E)
