The unpredictability of Nations Cup Jumping has rarely been more graphically illustrated than by the swings of fortune in today's competition. There were high expectations for the defending champions from France, but once again things did not go their way and pathfinder, Kevin Staut, was eliminated for the second time in the current series. The German team withdrew when things fell apart for them in the second round and the Irish, heading the leaderboard, struggled to finish in front of the Danes who slotted into eighth place.
The Swiss were the surprise package of the day. Relegated at the end of last season, they came out with all guns blazing to finish equal-second with the resilient British while the Americans started strongly, but faded in the second round to finish fourth.
CHALLENGES
Rolf Ludi's 12-fence course presented plenty of challenges, but Staut's stop at the water-tray vertical at fence four came as an early surprise in the opening round. This fence was followed by a triple bar and then a difficult distance to planks at fence six, while the triple combination two fences later also proved influential. The open water at fence nine and the following dog-leg oxer at ten also claimed a number of victims, but the real bogey was the narrow - and wide - final oxer. Ridden on a long seven or shorter eight strides from the previous double of verticals, it fell eight times in the first round and on 13 occasions in round two. Again and again, horses and riders appeared to misjudge it and the white poles were sent scattering across the arena.
The Dutch already had the bit between their teeth when completing the first round with a zero score. It was up to the rest to catch them from there, and the Swiss very nearly did it.
Carrying just four faults after clears from team-leader Steve Guerdat (Jalisca Solier) and anchorman Pius Schwizer (Carlina), the host nation was joint-second with the Americans at the half-way stage - Christine McCrea (Romantovich Take One) and Rich Fellers (Flexible) foot-perfect for the US. The British and French were on level-pegging with eight faults each, while Germany and Belgium shared a score of 13 but the Irish were already clearly in trouble with 17, while Denmark was lying last with 27.
MARKED IMPROVEMENT
The Danes made a marked improvement in the second round, Emilie Martinsen's lovely clear with Caballero being particularly impressive, but with a total of 45 faults they were never going to feature. And when the Irish added 18 more despite another great effort from anchorman Shane Sweetnam, their fate was also sealed.
The Germans had a bad start to round two when opener, Jorg Oppermannn, got into a muddle with his stallion, Che Guevara, and returned with 28 faults on the board. So when second-line rider Jan Sprehe (Paolini) was eliminated then Chef d'Equipe, Heinrich Hermann Engemann, decided to call it a day. The Belgians meanwhile added nine more to prove no threat to the leading pack, and Staut's elimination with Kraque Boom piled the pressure on the remaining three from France who picked up four faults each. There was a gasp of disbelief from the crowd when Staut's stallion slammed on the brakes at the second fence and again at the third - it was the last thing expected from the combination which took the Alltech FEI European Championship individual title at Windsor (GBR) two years ago.
But there was plenty more drama to come, as the British were put under massive pressure when Tim Stockdale's gelding, Fresh Direct Kalico Bay, drifted left on the approach to the penultimate double and finally completed with 15 faults. Another clear from Brash Scott (Intertoy Z) and foot-perfect runs for both Robert Smith (Talan) and Nick Skelton (Carlo) this time out however bolstered the British position.
LOST THEIR GRIP
Despite a second clear from McCrea, the Americans lost their grip when Charlie Jayne (Athena) picked up 12, Rich Fellers (Flexible) faulted once and Margie Engle (Indigo) left two on the floor, but when Switzerland's Steve Guerdat's second clear round with Jalisca was followed by a similar performance from Werner Muff (Kiamon) the home team piled the pressure on the leading Dutch.
Eric van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Utascha SFN) was double-clear, but when Piet Raymakers Jr (Van Schijndel's Rascin) hit the triple bar then the Dutch were carrying five faults with two riders still left to go, while the Swiss were carrying just four. Going third for Switzerland, Janika Sprunger (Uptown Boy) had two down this time out, but Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten was clear once again so it fell to anchorman, Pius Schwizer (Carlina), to keep the Swiss in the game. A clear would ensure that Dutch anchorman Jur Vrieling could not afford a mistake. But the bogey last fence claimed Schwizer as yet another victim, so Vrieling's nerve would not be tested.
The Swiss however were quite satisfied to line up in equal-second place with the British. "Our main goal for the early part of this season was to do well here in St Gallen" said Guerdat afterwards. "We are not in the Top League this year but we are planning to be back soon and this was great performance here today" he added.
Dutch Chef d'Equipe, Rob Ehrens, had the broadest smile. "Our whole team was excellent today!" he said. His plan for the year is working to perfection. Before the first leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup™ at La Baule last month, he said he wanted the Dutch to be super-competitive in the early part of the series so that they would be under less pressure at the latter-end of the season, because the FEI European Championships in Madrid in September are a big target. That has all fallen into place now as they now take over at the head of the FEI Nations Cup™ leaderboard.
And Eric van der Vleuten was a proud father this evening. "To be on a team like this with my son is very special. It has given me extra motivation - to be honest, I might have quit from the sport a long time ago but for the opportunity to have a great day like this!" he said.
For further information on the third leg of the 2011 FEI Nations Cup™ series in St Gallen (SUI) go to website www.csio.ch or contact Press Officer Peter Wyrsch, Email [email protected], Tel +41 794065207. The next leg takes place in Falsterbo, Sweden on Friday 8 July. For information on the Swedish fixture visit website www.falsterbohorseshow.se.