Furusiyya Nations Cup of Sopot, Poland
Friday 05 June 2015
Despite it not being the best day in the office in terms of results with a 6th place finish for Team GBR in Sopot, it was most certainly a good one in respect of the performances put in by the team of horses whom are still very much at the start of their international team careers.
Guy Williams with Di and Pennie Cornish’s 9 year-old bay gelding Basic, making their first appearance on a 5* Nations Cup team, were the first to go. A disappointing touch at the first fence saw 4 penalties gathered with a further 4 penalties being added when they touched the front pole of an oxer mid course. Finishing just outside the time allowed saw a time fault awarded to give them a total finish score of 9 penalties. Their second round saw them finish on a mirror score of 9 penalties with two fences just outside the time.
Laura Renwick, from Maldon Essex with her own and husband John’s 9 year-old bay gelding Bintang II were in great form and delivered a foot perfect clear to return on a zero penalty score. Bintang, whom Laura has produced diligently since a youngster, looked set to deliver the same performance in the second round but am extremely light tough at the final element of the combination saw it lower and 4 penalties given.
Young Yazmin Pinchen, from Ilfield in West Sussex with her mother Nancy’s 12 year-old liver chestnut stallion Van de Vivalidi gathered 4 penalties at the water when a hind foot touched the tape. There appeared to be a dispute initially in terms of whether the tape had been touched or not as it wasn’t until further on in the course that the commentators confirmed penalties were being awarded. This certainly didn’t faze either of them as their second round saw them jump an extremely solid round to return home clear with no penalties being added.
Michael Whitaker from Whatton, Nottinghamshire rode last with Calcourt Falklund, a 10 year-old chestnut gelding owned by Beverley Widdowson, whom he has been riding for the past few months. Calcourt Falklund who was also making a debut team appearance put in an extremely promising first round which left all fences unscathed, however breaking the finish line just outside the time allowed saw a time penalty accrued. Their second round saw fortunes change with a finish score of 10 penalties being awarded as a result of two fences being lowered alongside two time penalties being added.
It was Germany that took the honours finishing on an impressive zero penalty score with France finishing just one fence behind them in 2nd place. 3rd place went to Belgium on 12 penalties with home nation Poland and Russia finishing in joint 4th place on 17 penalties.
Full results can be found on the following link : http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/nc/nc.php?AktEvent=1031&PrfNr=06&lang=ENG
