![Dutch triumph in the Nations‘ Cup at Aachen](https://www.equisport.pt/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/MB.jpg)
Dutch triumph in the Nations‘ Cup at Aachen
Belgian gives away the victory in the Mercedes-Benz Prize, Part of the Furusiyya FEI Nations’ Cup at the last fence.
The team from the Netherlands won the Mercedes-Benz Prize, Part of the Furusiyya FEI Nations‘ Cup and thus the German leg of the Nations’ Cup Series of the European League 1. With a total score of 14 faults, Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens‘ team asserted itself in an exciting competition, ahead of Belgium (17) and Germany (21).
The final round couldn’t have been any more exciting: The floodlit Nations‘ Cup at the Soers in front of a crowd of 40,000 was decided at the very last fence. Belgium’s final rider, Ludo Philippaerts, only had four faults up until the last obstacle, which would have sufficed to take the victory. But then the 50-year-old misjudged the last take-off and gave away the possible victory – the last pole at the Mercedes obstacle fell and the Dutch team cheered. „I gave away the victory today. After the treble combination I put my foot down again, because I wanted to remain in the time. I pushed my horse forward but he came back and the take-off was too big,” analyzed the unluckiest person of the evening. „The Dutch will have to buy my beer for the rest of the year,“ the slightly subdued rider joked.
Gerco Schröder particularly contributed to the victory of the Oranje team. The final rider of the Dutch team was the only rider to jump clear in both rounds with his horse London and thus laid the foundation for the victory. “I really thank my horse. London did a fantastic job today,“ beamed the winner. Marc Houtzager with Sterrehof’s Tamino (9/0), Leon Thijssen with Tyson (5/0) and Harrie Smoulders with Emerald (9/9) completed the team, who after deducting the scratch result of Smolders didn’t pick up any faults at all in the second round and were thus able to catch the Belgian team up. „We got together in-between the rounds and discussed the faults and developed our strategy for the second round. The riders then put this into practice perfectly. Compliments to them for that from me too,” their Chef d’Equipe, Ehrens, said.
In addition to Philippaerts (0/8), the Belgian team also comprised of Gregory Wathelet with Desteny van het Dennehof. After picking up 20 faults in the first round, the 32-year-old decided not to compete in the second round, because his horse had injured itself slightly after falling at the water ditch, which meant that his colleagues Nicola Philippaerts with Cortez and Dirk Demeersman with Bufero van het Panishof hadn’t got a scratch result to fall back on. “After the first rider collected 20 faults, one loses hope a bit at first. But then we put in an excellent performance, we are very satisfied with coming second,” commented Chef d’Equipe, Kurt Gavemeier. Especially Demeersman bucked up the hopes of his fellow team mates after jumping clear. Otto Becker, German national coach, was only moderately satisfied with the performance of this team (third place) – which won a week ago in Rotterdam. Only the first to compete, Christian Ahlmann jumped clear in the first round with Codex One. Thereafter, each of the German riders picked up at least four faults on every ride. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum had a pole down and one time fault in both rounds with Bella Donna. Daniel Deusser with Cornet D’Amour and Ludger Beerbaum with Chiara each collected four faults per round. Nevertheless, Becker still looked optimistically ahead: „We have still got three days left here in Aachen and we will fight hard.“
“The others were simply better today,“ ascertained Ludger Beerbaum and he also praised the course. “It wasn’t a brutally difficult course this time, it was more a question of technical challenges and the time.“ For the 49-year old German jumping legend it is „riding in Aachen is always something very special.“ For the four-time Olympic gold medallist today’s Nations‘ Cup was “one of the most exciting in a long time“.
After five out of a total of eight legs in the European League 1 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations´ Cup, Switzerland is lying in first place (250 points), after the team ranked sixth today with their reserve horses. France is currently second in the overall standings (232.67), followed by the Netherlands (230.5), Ireland (220.67) and Germany (182).
Result:
1. Netherlands 14 faults: Sterrehof's Tamino (Marc Houtzager) 9/0, Tyson (Leon Thijssen) 5/0, Emerald (Harrie Smolders) 9/9, London (Gerco Schroder) 0/0.
2. Belgium 17 faults: Desteny van het Dennehof (Gregory Wathelet) 20/DNS , Cortez (Nicola Philippaerts) 0/8, Bufero van het Panishof (Dirk Demeersman) 1/0 , Challenge v. Begijnakker (Ludo Philippaerts) 0/8.
3. Germany 21 faults: Codex One (Christian Ahlmann) 0/5, Cornet D'Amour (Daniel Deusser) 4/4, Bella Donna (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) 5/5, Chiarra (Ludger Beerbaum) 4/4.
4. France 23 faults: Orient Express HDC (Patrice Delaveau) 1/4, Old Chap Tame (Eugenie Angot) 1/4, Lord de Theize (Olivier Guillon) Elim/18, Quismy des Vaux HDC (Kevin Staut) 5/8.
5. Ireland 35 faults: Loughview Lou-Lou (Dermott Lennon) 5/5, Balloon (Shane Breen) 8/4 , Ballymore Eustace (Shane Carey) 8/27, Tinka's Serenade (Billy Twomey) 9/5.
6. Switzerland 42 faults: Nasa (Steve Guerdat) 9/9, Never Last (Werner Muff) 17/13, Uptown Boy (Janika Sprunger) 5/9, Picsou de Chene (Pius Schwizer) 9/1.
7. Great Britain 48 faults: Titus ll (Guy Williams) 0/12, Voila (Robert Smith) 14/9, Tripple X (Ben Maher) 13/5, Unique (Tina Fletcher) 9/Elim.
8. Saudi Arabia 62 faults: Davos (HRH Prince Abdullah Al Saud) 5/5, Talan (Prince Faisal Al Shalan) 8/9, Al Capone (Ramzy Al Duhami) 21/14.