Another 2nd place for AUS Jumping Team
The Australian Team with Chair of Selectors Peter Cooke at the Lummen CSIO (Prize of Belgium) Photograph:Dirk Caremans |
Congratulations to the AUS Jumping team on another great result at a Nations Cup, this time at Linz (AUT).
The Australian Team of Chugg Chris and Vivant, Matt Williams and Urleven Van De Helle, Paul Athanasoff and Wirragulla Nicklaus and James Patterson-Robinson and Niack De L Abbaye were competing against 15 other Nations and were beaten only by Britain.
Well done Team!
01 May 2010
Australian Jumping delivers a Nations Cup Prize
Australian Showjumping scaled new heights on Friday 30 April at the CSIO Lummen with the team securing a tightly fought second place in the FEI Nations Cup of Belgium, behind an experienced team from Ireland.
The Lummen CSIO four-star team event attracted a high class field of national teams from Germany, France, Canada, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Great Britain, Finland, Sweden, Brazil, Norway, Canada, the host nation Belgium, and Australia.
Australia has seven combinations currently in Europe and the Selection Panel was looking to provide the newer and more inexperienced riders with a chance to compete as a team and allow them to develop. The Nations Cup team consisted of Chris Chugg on the 12 year old Fuego Du Prelet stallion Vivant, Paul Athanasoff and his 12 year old stallion Wirragulla Nicklaus who is by Falkrich and owned jointly with Charlie Hook, Laurie Lever and Colin Gronn’s 12 year old gelding Ashleigh Drossel Dan by Drosselklang and now ridden by Phillip Lever, and James Paterson-Robinson riding a 9 year old stallion Niack de L’Abbaye by Diamant De Semilly and owned by Ger Poels Horses of Holland. The Stand-in Chef d’Equipe and Chair of Selectors was Peter Cooke.
The Lummen arena is a beautiful grass ring of 120m x120m surrounded by VIP and spectator tents. The course was a solid 1.50m track with 12 fences including a double and treble, a 4.2m water and some tough lines from beginning to end.
Australia drew 12th and had a good opportunity to watch the first few riders and check just how the course rode for lines and time. The Italian rider first out had three rails down, followed by a clear round from Sweden, 4 faults from Belgium, 5 rails and time from the Finnish rider and then 2 rails down for Rodrigo Pessoa, followed by an elimination for Jill Henselwood of Canada.
This track was no giveaway but France’s Penelope Leprevost posted a classic clear followed by an eight fault round from Germany’s Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst, a further 12 faults for Norway, one rail down for Ellen Whitaker of Great Britain and 16 for Spain. Chugg stepped out looking as confident as ever and demonstrated this by making the first 7 stride line from one to two in a cool six and delivered a wonderful clear round. Vivant had made the transition from recent indoors competition to the outdoor grass with no problem. Ireland’s Denis Lynch followed with a very authoritative clear round.
The second team riders delivered a clear round for Norway, Great Britain and Spain before Paul Athanasoff stepped into the ring. This combination has improved in confidence considerably following his last European campaign in 2008 but the tough line from the water, 8 strides to an oxer bending a further 7 strides to a vertical Liverpool an eight stride bend to another 1.55m vertical proved just too hard as Nicklaus rolled the vertical for 4 faults and rather unluckily just caught the back rail on the 1.70m wide final fence for a total of 8 faults. Ireland then fared not so well with their first time Nations Cup rider collecting 22 faults.
The third group delivered a clear round for Finland and Great Britain and it was proving tough for the others before Phillip Lever stepped into the ring for his first Nations Cup, but fresh from his Grand Prix win in Arezzo earlier in the month. You would think he had been doing this for ever as he just rolled around the ring at a solid 400m/min and we could just picture the pride on his father Laurie’s face as he delivered Australia’s second clear round. Ireland followed and matched Dan’s effort with another clear.
At this stage regular Chef Stephen Lamb had sent a few text messages and was looking to confirm that whatever happened, after 3 riders Australia was already qualified for the second round.
The anchor rounds for each country took until Canada’s Olympic Gold medallist Eric Lamaze to deliver the next clear, followed by Kevin Staut from France and one more from Norway. James Paterson-Robinson had won the main class the day before on his Grand Prix horse Lanosso, but decided to start his up and coming 9 year old Niack de L’Abbaye. None of the Australians had seen this elegant black horse before but his picture perfect clear round had us all standing with mouths open: Australia had finished the first round with a team score of zero. This result was emulated by Ireland, followed closely by France and Great Britain on four faults, Norway on eight, Sweden and Germany on twelve and the rest at sixteen or more.
The top eight teams were invited back for the second round and were now restricted to three riders with all scores to count. Australia elected to take the clear round riders and now, jumping in reverse order, we remained just in front of the Irish.
The second round over the same track proved just as tough with only a handful of clear rounds with the exception of Australia and Ireland. Chugg and Vivant delivered a carbon copy of his first round, and the 24 year old Phillip Lever showed the maturity of a true veteran by again just eating up the course and jumping clear. By the time James Paterson-Robinson stepped out we had received a further half a dozen text messages from Stephen Lamb, watching the event streaming on the web and like the rest of us, was absolutely beside ourselves with anticipation. James and the Irish rider Billy Twomey both jumped clear rounds to set up a jump off for the Nations Cup.
The format is for one rider from each team to jump off and Australia chose Chris Chugg and Ireland had the ‘sit’ with Twomey. With someone of Twomey’s calibre following, Chris had no choice but to go hard, and go hard he did. Unfortunately, chopping out a stride from the 7 stride oxer to Liverpool vertical didn’t come off but he did post a very fast 32 seconds 4 fault round. The experience of the Irish rider showed as he rode a great clear round, some four seconds slower but in time to place Ireland first, Australia second with Norway third on a team score of 8 faults.
The Australian contingent was just so pleased for all the riders as they had now lifted the National team to a competitive level not seen before. We achieved the first goal of providing some serious experience for this group of riders and more importantly provided a benchmark for how our stocks are progressing.
Personally, I have been involved as a National Selector and Chef d’Equipe for Australia since 1995 and we have experienced some very low points in our international development, however the opportunity to walk out with the team for the presentation was an experience I hope we have many more times.
At the International level, the Australian flag in Europe has been carried so well for the past five years by Edwina Alexander. With the recent excellent performance by Chris Chugg at the World Cup Final in Geneva, and the team delivering a stunning Nations Cup finish, a new look Australian team has announced to the world that an all out assault on the World Equestrian Games is well underway. Australia has for many years assembled a team of riders for WEG and so often a lack of experience and time at the table of International competition has precluded us from being at the business end of the competition.
Since the Athens Olympics, the Equestrian Australia High Performance Program has outlined a clear goal for each Games and provided all aspiring Owners and Riders with a fair and clear process for selection to build on the foundation established by Alexander. This program has been proven with improved team results reaching seventh place at the Beijing Olympics.
The Kentucky WEG Selection events to be held in Germany in August and September this year will see up to eight combinations vying for the team positions. All Riders know the task in hand and have been preparing their horses in Australia, Europe and the US to make sure they have the best opportunity for selection. An important part in this development is to provide Nations Cup classes for our riders to understand the pressures and differences competing as a team rather the usual individual classes.
We do need to go back to the FEI to see just how nations outside of Europe who cannot be at the highest level all year, can get the opportunity to participate in the mainstream Nations Cup classes.
Meanwhile, we have the opportunity to head to the next Nations Cup event in Linz, Austria in the middle of May. The team will remain the same with the exception of substituting Phillip Lever with Matt Williams. Our jumping team preparation for the Kentucky WEG is well and truly on track as we will continue to provide opportunities for the riders at a range of events before the Selection events in Germany at Hachenberg on 22 August and Paderborn on 11 September.
|
Rank
|
Country
Team Leader |
Round 1
|
Round 2
|
Jump Off
|
TOTAL
|
||||
|
Rider's Name
|
Horse
|
Points
|
Time 1
|
Points
|
Time 2
|
Points
|
Time
|
Points
|
|
|
1
|
IRELAND - Robert Splaine
|
0
|
213.19
|
0
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
Denis Lynch
|
ABBERUAIL VAN HET DINGESHOF
|
0
|
70.69
|
0
|
70.33
|
|
|
||
|
Alex Duffy
|
TAMPA
|
(22)
|
80.52
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Shane Breen
|
CARMENA Z
|
0
|
70.89
|
0
|
72.67
|
|
|
||
|
Billy Twomey
|
TINKA'S SERENADE
|
0
|
71.61
|
0
|
71.96
|
0
|
36.70
|
||
|
2
|
AUSTRALIA - Peter Cooke
|
0
|
208.86
|
0
|
|
|
|
4
|
|
|
Chris Chugg
|
Vivant
|
0
|
67.83
|
0
|
68.31
|
4
|
32.12
|
||
|
Paul Athanasoff
|
WIRRAGULLA NICKLAUS
|
(8)
|
71.33
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Phillip Lever
|
ASHLEIGH DROSSEL DAN
|
0
|
69.98
|
0
|
69.47
|
|
|
||
|
James Paterson-Robinson
|
NIACK DE L'ABBAYE
|
0
|
71.05
|
0
|
70.66
|
|
|
||
|
3
|
NORWAY - Sylve Söderstrand
|
8
|
212.74
|
0
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
|
Stein Endresen
|
HOYO DE MONTEREY
|
(12)
|
67.31
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Geir Gulliksen
|
, ,,
L'ESPOIR
|
0
|
70.18
|
0
|
72.56
|
|
|
||
|
Connie Bull
|
CEZANNE 30
|
8
|
69.60
|
0
|
72.54
|
|
|
||
|
Morten Djupvik
|
BESSEMEIND'S CASINO
|
0
|
72.96
|
0
|
72.27
|
|
|
||
|
4
|
FRANCE - Laurent Elias
|
4
|
210.14
|
8
|
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
Pénélope Leprevost
|
TOPINAMBOUR
|
0
|
70.56
|
4
|
71.41
|
|
|
||
|
Simon Delestre
|
MELODIE ARDENTE
|
4
|
69.09
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Olivier Guillon
|
LORD DE THEIZE
|
(4)
|
71.89
|
0
|
71.86
|
|
|
||
|
Kevin Staut
|
KRAQUE BOOM
|
0
|
70.49
|
4
|
71.89
|
|
|
||
|
5
|
GERMANY - Heinrich-Hermann Engemann
|
12
|
216.72
|
4
|
|
|
|
16
|
|
|
Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst
|
CHACCO-BLUE
|
(8)
|
73.18
|
0
|
72.45
|
|
|
||
|
Mario Stevens
|
D'AVIGNON 3
|
4
|
73.63
|
4
|
73.84
|
|
|
||
|
Philipp Weishaupt
|
SOUVENIR 29
|
4
|
71.85
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Marcus Ehning
|
LECONTE 6
|
4
|
71.24
|
0
|
71.06
|
|
|
||
|
6
|
SWEDEN - Asker Gösta
|
12
|
211.98
|
20
|
|
|
|
32
|
|
|
Jens Fredricson
|
LUNATIC
|
0
|
68.38
|
8
|
73.81
|
|
|
||
|
Daniel Zetterman
|
GLORY DAYS
|
8
|
70.41
|
8
|
68.8
|
|
|
||
|
Alexander Zetterman
|
ISAAC
|
4
|
73.19
|
4
|
73.16
|
|
|
||
|
Niklas Arvidsson
|
MISS JACSON
|
(ELI)
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
7
|
GREAT BRITAIN - Rob Hoekstra
|
4
|
209.18
|
31
|
|
|
|
35
|
|
|
Ellen Whitaker
|
OCOLADO
|
4
|
67.82
|
4
|
68.76
|
|
|
||
|
Mark Armstrong
|
THESAURA
|
0
|
72.59
|
1
|
74.18
|
|
|
||
|
Phillip Spivey
|
ROMANOV
|
0
|
68.77
|
26
|
94.47
|
|
|
||
|
Ben Maher
|
WONDERBOY III
|
(12)
|
73.33
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
8
|
BELGIUM - Philippe Guerdat
|
16
|
209.92
|
ELI
|
|
|
|
ELI
|
|
|
Ludo Philippaerts
|
NOBEL DE VIRTON
|
4
|
69.48
|
4
|
70.97
|
|
|
||
|
Pieter Devos
|
EQUIPHARMA UTOPIA VD DONKHOEVE
|
8
|
69.99
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Rik Hemeryck
|
QUARCO DE KERAMBARS
|
4
|
70.45
|
ELI
|
|
|
|
||
|
Jos Lansink
|
SPENDER S
|
(13)
|
75.37
|
DNS
|
|
|
|
||
|
9
|
ITALY - Fabrizio Ambrosetti
|
20
|
211.32
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andre Sakakini
|
HOLLERITH
|
12
|
72.20
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Emanuele Fiorelli
|
WESTERN UNION MON FLIPPER
|
(22)
|
94.74
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Gabriele Grassi
|
SNAI AMERICAN BLU VAN EEKLELCHEM
|
4
|
68.88
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Giuseppe D'Onofrio
|
LANDZEU 2
|
4
|
70.24
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
9
|
SPAIN - Marco Fuste
|
20
|
210.82
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alfredo Fernandez Duran
|
MUSICAM GOLD DIGGER
|
(16)
|
69.24
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Julio Arias
|
JARNAC
|
0
|
70.83
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Eduardo Alvarez Aznar
|
RICO REVEL
|
12
|
72.15
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Fernando Fourcade Lopez
|
NEW REMAKE DE SERVERY
|
8
|
67.84
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
11
|
CANADA - Terrance Millar
|
21
|
215.15
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jill Henselwood
|
BOTTOM LINE
|
(ELI)
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Karen Cudmore
|
SOUTHERN PRIDE
|
4
|
69.54
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Kean White
|
CELENA
|
17
|
74.17
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Eric Lamaze
|
RONALDO
|
0
|
71.44
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
12
|
FINLAND - Lars Parmler
|
24
|
212.13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sebastian Numminen
|
CALANDRO 2
|
(22)
|
78.75
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Anna-Julia Kontio
|
EAGONS ESCAPE
|
16
|
69.50
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Nina Fagerstrom
|
WIVINA
|
0
|
69.86
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Mikael Forsten
|
ST. GERMAIN
|
8
|
72.77
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
13
|
BRAZIL - Rodrigo Pessoa
|
37
|
218.34
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rodrigo Pessoa
|
CHAMP 163
|
8
|
69.96
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Pedro Veniss
|
LESTER VADOR
|
8
|
72.19
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Alvaro Affonso De Miranda Neto
|
NORSON
|
21
|
76.19
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
Bernardo Alves
|
WIZZY
|
(RET)
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
The Aussie team of Paul Athanasoff and Wirragulla Nicklaus, Chris Chugg and Vivant, James Paterson-Robinson and Niack De L'Abbaye and Matt Williams on Urleven Van De Helle finished 2nd in the Nations Cup at Linz last weekend. There were 16 Nations represented. This follows the second place that the team (where Phil Lever rode instead of Matt Williams) achieved recently at Lummen (GER).
Full report coming soon.
Well done team!
|
England
|
Lampard Di
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Osiris
|
Paternoster Gemma
|
(4)
|
---
|
|
|
Romanov
|
Spivey Philip
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
Unique IX
|
Edwards Anna
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
Hello Sailor
|
Fletcher Tina
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
0
|
12
|
12
|
|
Australien
|
Hunt Andrew
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Vivant
|
Chugg Chris
|
4
|
0
|
|
|
Urleven Van De Helle
|
Williams Matt
|
(4)
|
---
|
|
|
Wirragulla Nicholas
|
Athanasov Paul
|
0
|
8
|
|
|
Niack De L Abbaye
|
Paterson Robinson James
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
12
|
16
|
|
Belgien
|
Guerdat Philippe
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Utopia Vd Donkhoeve
|
Devos Peter
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
Withney Van De Dwerse
|
Spits Patrick
|
0
|
---
|
|
|
Carpalo
|
Bruynseels Niels
|
4
|
4
|
|
|
Bufero
|
Demeersmann Dirk
|
(8)
|
7
|
|
|
|
|
4
|
15
|
19
|
|
Frankreich
|
points
|
points
|
||
|
UPSN Downs Vanden Bandam
|
Laborde Clemence
|
(8)
|
4
|
|
|
Marquis De La Lande
|
Schillewaert Franck
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
L Amour Du Bois HN
|
Blanchard Vincent
|
8
|
---
|
|
|
Nervoso
|
Broucqsault Bruno
|
0
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
12
|
20
|
|
Ungarn
|
points
|
points
|
||
|
Moosbachhofs Goldwing
|
Szas Sandor
|
4
|
16
|
|
|
Santiago
|
Horvath Balazs
|
(4)
|
---
|
|
|
Cash
|
Hugyecz Mariann
|
4
|
8
|
|
|
Agropoint Crosshill
|
Wingrave James
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
24
|
32
|
|
Italien
|
Diego De Riu
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Iouri Du Moulin
|
Zuvadelli Paolo
|
(4)
|
12
|
|
|
Gitana
|
Brotto Fabio
|
4
|
---
|
|
|
Jesus De La Commune
|
Moneta Luca
|
4
|
8
|
|
|
Las Vegas
|
Christofoletti Roberto
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
24
|
32
|
|
Holland
|
Bulthuis Peter
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Intradella
|
Pals Johnny
|
(16)
|
---
|
|
|
Asteria
|
Poels Aniek
|
0
|
4
|
|
|
Broere Palermo
|
Greeve Dominique
|
4
|
14
|
|
|
Cashmir
|
Bulthuis Peter
|
4
|
12
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
30
|
38
|
|
Österreich
|
Istinger Thomas
|
points
|
points
|
|
|
Sandrhea Star
|
Morbitzer Helmut
|
(16)
|
---
|
|
|
Pherna
|
Kayser Julia
|
0
|
13
|
|
|
Coloredo
|
Bauer Anton Martin
|
12
|
16
|
|
|
E&W Armani
|
Englbrecht Roland
|
0
|
12
|
|
|
|
|
12
|
41
|
53
|
|
Deutschland
|
Sönksen Sönke
|
points
|
points
|
|
Escobar
|
Weinberg Thomas
|
4
|
---
|
|
Paolini
|
Sprehe Jan
|
4
|
aus
|
|
Georgenbergs Credo
|
Jakobs Anna Maria
|
0
|
---
|
|
Ledgepoint
|
Rönne Sören
|
0
|
---
|
|
|
|
4
|
---
|
|
Norwegen
|
Soderstrand Sylve
|
points
|
points
|
|
Hoyo De Monterey
|
Endresen Stein
|
4
|
|
|
Cezanne
|
Connie Bull
|
0
|
|
|
Coquette
|
Lindberg Nicolai
|
(10)
|
|
|
Bessemeinds Casino
|
Djupvik Morten
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
8
|
|
Südafrika
|
Esslinger Anne Marie
|
points
|
points
|
|
---
|
---
|
--
|
|
|
Nova Zonnestraal Rendement
|
Lotter Johan
|
4
|
|
|
Leopold Pierreville
|
Frew Cara
|
4
|
|
|
Nabab Forever
|
Taylor Barry
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
16
|
|
Schweiz
|
Grünig Urs
|
points
|
points
|
|
Cheenoks Boy
|
Müller Manfred
|
4
|
|
|
Landquick
|
Rhyner Sabrina
|
8
|
|
|
Cobargo
|
Deillon David
|
(12)
|
|
|
Lady D
|
Crotta Fabio
|
5
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
Dänemark
|
Achaz von Buchwaldt
|
points
|
points
|
|
Pero Z Hillock
|
Ericsson Linnea
|
0
|
|
|
Coronada
|
Schou Christian
|
12
|
|
|
Chicago
|
Schou Andreas
|
aus
|
|
|
Zamiro
|
Lund Tina
|
8
|
|
|
|
|
20
|
|
Polen
|
Szaszkiewicz Huberrt
|
points
|
points
|
|
Imequuel
|
Gloskowsi Andr
|
(16)
|
|
|
Caballus
|
Sawicki Piotr
|
16
|
|
|
Trojka
|
Tomaszewski Antoni
|
5
|
|
|
TMN Coriana
|
Skrzyczynski Jaroslav
|
4
|
|
|
|
|
25
|
| Other Links | |
| Lummen website | |
