Children on Horses and Pony Teams Get Off To A Flying Start At The Zuidwolde Youth Nations Cup
Friday 31 May 2024
Great Britain take second place in the Zuidwolde Children-on-Horses Nations Cup
Team Great Britain claimed second in the Children-on-Horses Nations Cup at the Zuidwolde Youth Meeting at De Wolden, The Netherlands, in a tight, hard-fought competition.
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Four teams shared to the top of the leaderboard at the halfway stage, Britain standing alongside Italy, Belgium and The Netherlands. Poland was only one fence away with three other teams on a total of eight. It was close.
Britain was drawn sixth of the eight teams in round two over the 1.30m track. Pathfinder Emily Gulliver, on a zero score with the eight-year-old Mylord Carthago daughter Glamor, Honey Bowes, also touting a round one clear on the Luidam x Cruising eight-year-old Javas El Cid, Tabby Morgan-Evans, clear on the Cevin Z 11-year-old Bermudez BDA and anchor Lottie Adams made only one error in the first round with the Diamant De Semilly eight-year-old mare Khaleesi OL.
The team returned determinedly in the second half to again produce a zero score and the result put them on level pegging with Belgium and Italy, forcing a tense, three-way jump-off. Italy faded away on four faults but both Britain and Belgium remained consistently clear. However, Belgium claimed the edge and the top spot with a quicker time, leaving Britain in second place.
“They were very good over a technical, up-to-height course – I’m really pleased with them,” said Chef d’Equipe Clare Whitaker.
Children-on-Horses Nations Cup – Zuidwolde, The Netherlands – 30 May 2024
1st Belgium – 0/0/0
2nd Great Britain – 0/0/0
Emily Gulliver & Glamor
Honey Bowes & Javas El Cid
Tabby Morgan-Evans & Bermudez BDA
Lottie Adams & Khaleesi OL
3rd Italy 0/0/4
Great Britain’s Pony team jump into second in the Pony Nations Cup of Zuidwolde
Great Britain seized second place in the Pony Nations Cup at the Zuidwolde Youth Meeting at De Wolden, The Netherlands.
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Hollie Gerken, who gained experience on the Compiegne, France, team earlier in the year, set out as pathfinder over the 1.30m course and boosted the chances of the young British team, giving them a head start with a clear round on the 12-year-old Argento mare Galaxy V.
Ella Spencer came home on eight faults with the eight-year-old stallion Gilton Des Islots while Maisie Allsop returned an uncharacteristic 12 faults for the discount score with the 15-year-old Vaughann De Vuzit. It was down to the anchor ride and Katie Bradburne rode a confident round on the Fruselli eight-year-old Westpoint Foreign Affair to storm home clear. The vital clear put Britain in equal third place with France, The Netherlands and Belgium but Team Ireland stood only one fault behind.
The team rallied in round two, fighting together as a team to produce a zero score second time out. Ireland proved the only other team to return on zero, but they paid dear with the time fault incurred in the first round to stand third. It was down to the wire as all other teams faulted to drop down the line, but Sweden made only one mistake to add another four to their round one score and finish on a total of eight, forcing a jump-off.
On this occasion, Sweeden won out as their team posted consistent clear rounds to command victory, Britain faulting to drop into second place.
“It was still a very good result as three of our team were jumping in their first Nations Cup competition,” said Chef d’Equipe Clare Whitaker.
Pony Nations Cup – Zuidwolde, The Netherlands – 30 May 2024
1st Sweden – 4/4/0
2nd Great Britain – 8/0/13
Hollie Gerken & Galaxy V
Ella Spencer & Gilton Des Islots
Maisie Allsop & Vaughann De Vuzit
Katie Bradburne & Westpoint Foreign Affair
3rd Ireland 9/0
Images: Jeroen Spoolder
