Great Britain qualify for the FEI Jumping European Championship Team Final
Thursday 31 August 2023
Britain secured their place in the FEI Jumping European Championship team final with 10th place after the first round of the competition, making the cut of 10 teams from an initial start list of 15.
The day started well with pathfinder Ben Maher jumping a perfect clear round over course-designer Uliano Vezzani’s 14-fence 1.60m track on Charlotte Rossetter and Pamela Wright’s Baltic VDL 13-year-old Faltic HB.
“It’s a great start for the team, we’re coming from behind but sometimes that is easier than keeping your lead from the front. The Chefs [Performance Manager Di Lampard and Technical Expert Stanny Van Paesschen] wanted me to go first today – my normal position – and I tried to give some confidence and push for the team. He jumped well. Yesterday, he felt he was struggling, today he felt more comfortable and in a rhythm,” said Ben.
“The last line when horses are getting tired towards the end right by in the in gate, it just destroys you a little bit. I have an advantage with Faltic; he’s a small horse in a normal snaffle, very adjustable with a huge stride but comes back easily. It was a big course, a bit twisty and it was important to be disciplined as a rider but I was very happy with the round.”
A problem for several riders on day one, the ground improved with the sunshine.
“Today I went 40 horses earlier, it’s hot and the ground is drying out and that helped, I didn’t feel a compromise at all. He felt relaxed in the warm-up and as soon as I jumped the first three fences, I had a good feeling, and it was down to me to execute the plan. The ground does feel firmer and Faltic had a good push off the floor; he felt a lot more comfortable,” added Ben.
“Today is all about proper jumping, the speed round is always tough. I had an advantage in the past as Cella and Explosion were unbelievably fast horses, so I didn’t have to push to get a good position; not all horses are like that. Now, it comes down to leaving the jumps up.
“Last year, Faltic was my front and only runner, he had a lot of work and came forward very, very quick. I had four months off with [shoulder] injury myself [at the beginning of the year] so he’s had fewer rounds but he’s a fully rounded horse now and with the support from my other team horses, I’ve been able to pinpoint him at the right things. I know him so well and he jumped this championship course exactly how I wanted him to.”
The difference 24 hours made to second rider Tim Gredley and Unex Competition Yard Ltd’s Der Senaat 11-year-old Medoc De Toxandria was immense. The pair proved foot-perfect all the way until the front rail of the final rustic oxer – a bogey for many – claimed them for four faults in an otherwise immaculate round.
“He was a different horse today. Yesterday, maybe he was a bit low and the ground [conditions affected him], he wasn’t in my hand or going off my leg as normal. This morning, I worked him differently and instead of in the sand [arena], I spent an hour riding him on the grass and he had more about him. As I rode to the first fence, I knew I was on a different animal. He hadn’t been on grass for a while and [that hour] got him more comfortable,” said Tim.
“It was frustrating, he deserved a clear. A lot had the last fence and it should have made me ride it better. I let him down at the last, I wasn’t quick enough. It was a big, technical track as it should be and I know I have a championship horse that can jump these big tracks.”
Britain moved up from 10th to sixth after the first two riders and things were looking up.
It wasn’t Sam Hutton’s day as he and the Caramello Company’s 12-year-old London-sired stallion Oak Grove’s Laith came home on 12 faults, caught by a brick out of the wall and the front rail of both the oxer after the open water and the last.
“I’m gutted, I felt he was jumping well. He was so unlucky with a brick out of the wall, it was such a light touch. He jumped big and out over the water and got to the oxer a bit flat and the last bogey fence caught us out like a lot of others, but he felt good. I need to trust him more,” he said.
On Laith’s fitness, Sam added: “He’s used to jumping a few days at big shows but it is really warm here, so he’ll have some vitamins and plenty of apples.”
It all rested on anchor rider Harry’s young but experienced shoulders with Stall Zet’s Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z 13-year-old Casquo Blue. However, an early rail fell, dropping Britain to 11th place and out of the top 10 cut. Harry had to try and hold it together, but another pole hit the floor.
However, Nicola Philippaerts also came home on eight faults with Katanga V/H Dingeshof to drop Belgium down the order. Britain got a reprieve and moved back up to 10th.
“I’m disappointed; it’s not the result I wanted but he felt good, it was an annoying two rails but he’s in good shape,” said Harry. “I can watch the video back as many times as I like but the fences will still fall. I’ll watch it a few times tonight [to analyse] and then I’ll forget about it, tomorrow is another day. He felt good on every level, but he just didn’t get high enough at those two rails.”
Sadly, individual rider Donald Whitaker’s chance ended today with retirement on Di Caprio. The pair clipped the front rail at the oxer at four and the stallion ran out at the following parallel. Donald came round and cleared it easily at the second attempt to give the horse confidence before putting his hand up.
“It’s not my day; it’s a big track and he had a little spook and put him offline. Now it’s back to the drawing board but it’s been a great experience,” he said.
Reflecting on the past two days of competition, Chef d’Equipe Di Lampard commented: “We always knew the first day was going to be tough. A Table C class requires you to know your horse and be very disciplined in your riding. Today’s team qualifier was a very different challenge. It was big, with a tight time allowed – you needed ride accurately with a forward rhythm and the course left no margin for error.
“As a team, we’re looking forward to the final tomorrow. We’ll analyse what’s happened over the last two days, make a plan and hopefully turn our fortunes around. It’s another day and there’s still plenty of jumping to do before the medals are awarded.
“With Paris qualification secured last year in Herning, our aim was to come here with some fresh faces on the squad and give them some championship exposure, with the experienced Ben Maher to act as today’s pathfinder and fill them with confidence. I’m excited about what’s to come over the rest of the week and for the next 12 months,” she concluded.
Great Britain stand in 10th on the leaderboard with 24.42 penalty points, 14.11 points behind the leaders, Germany, on 9.31 with Sweden in second only 0.20 points in arrears. It is so close at the top with Switzerland in third on 9.92 and Ireland fourth on 10.00 – only 0.69 points separating the top four.
Ben is Britain’s brightest hope individually in 14th place on 3.13 penalty points. Speed winner, Sweden’s Jens Fredricson on Markan Cosmopolit, sits at the top of the leaderboard on zero after posting a clear today. Just 0.70 points separate the top five with Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt in second on 0.31 points, just ahead of Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat (Dynamix De Belheme) in third on 0.43. Flying Frenchman and world number 2 Julien Epaillard (Dubai De Cedre) is in fourth on 0.61 and Sweden’s world number 1 Henrik von Eckermann stands fifth on 0.70 points with Iliana.
Harry is next best Brit in 37th place on 10.61 points and Tim sits in 44th on 12.49 as the top 50 also contend the individual medals tomorrow. The top 25 after Friday’s competition will go into Sunday’s individual final.
Here’s the running order for Friday:
Ben Maher & Faltic HB – 16th
Tim Gredley & Medoc De Toxandria – 26th
Sam Hutton & Oak Grove’s Laith – 36th
Harry Charles & Casquo Blue – 46th
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Image: Ben Maher & Faltic HB Credit: BEF/Adam Fanthorpe
