The team from France wins the fifth leg of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup at Lotto Strzegom Horse Trials. Sweden takes second place, Poland third.
The French team climbed higher and higher in the team classification after each trial of the equestrian triathlon, starting from last place after dressage and ending on the highest step on the podium.
Verane Nicaud with Baron D'etat, Sebastien At riding Casanova Du Frety, Marie Bouchanville with Cap'taine Charles and the best of the French team and winner of the individual classification, Camille Laisney with Avalone, moved into the runner-up position after the cross-country trial. Camille Laisney moved up 19 places after a clear XC round, one of two results within the optimum time, and a faultless showjumping course secured her victory - 37th - I feel amazing. Dressage didn't go very well for me. I rode as last to go in the cross-country, I knew the time was demanding and my horse is very fast. I felt I had to give my best and managed to get to the finish line in time," commented the athlete on her ride.
Just 1.1 penalty points behind, the team from Sweden - Stina Arosenius and Lorelei-L, Klara Liden Kiraly with Sotomayor and overnight leader Niklas Lindbäck riding Focus Filiocus - finished second. Lidnbäck had two rails down today in the jumping trial. With 8 points to add, he finished third with 41.4. Second in the individual ranking was Lea Siegl on DSP Fighting Line with 38.9 points. The Austrian rider was third after the cross-country, and scored a clear round on today’s course.
Home athletes finished in third position: Pawel Warszawski and Lucinda Ex Ani 4, Malgorzata Korycka and Canvalencia, Jan Kaminski and Jard and the team's best, Robert Powala with Tosca Del Castegno, who scored a tenth individual placing with a score of 53.3.
Among the Polish representatives, the best rider was Wiktoria Knap with Quintus 134, competing as an individual. After the cross-country she moved up to fifth place, in the showjumping course she added points for two knockdowns and 4 seconds overtime, to finish in seventh on an overall score of 49.5.
In the 4*-L competition, the most demanding one at the event, the best one was the Chinese representative Alex Hua Tian riding Poseidons Admiral. Runner-up after dressage, he took the lead after cross country, was just 3 seconds late in the jumping and took first place with a score of 49.4. Second went to Dutchman Raf Kooremans with Crossborder Radar Love - 53.9 and third to Miloslav Prihoda Jr from the Czech Republic riding Ferreolus Lat - 58.6.
The highest step of the podium in the 3*L class, after a faultless jumping test, was taken by the representative of Switzerland, Felix Vogg, on the mare Frieda - 36.1. The leader of the competition after the first two trials, Dutchwoman Merel Blom-Hulsman, riding Diego TH, exceeded the time allowed today and finally took the second place - 38, the third going to Pawel Warszawski with Laidal - 43.4.
In the 2*L, after a double clear on the cross-country and jumping, the winner was Germany’s
Julia Krajewski riding Rockaya - 28.1, ahead of Merel Blom-Hulsman with Checkpoint 46 - 28.5 and compatriot Pia Leuwer riding Cascoblanco - 28.6.
Pia Leuwer and Charming Boy were the best in the 2*-S competition. The German took the lead in the already after dressage and with clear cross-country and jumping rides maintained it until the end - 26.1. Second place went to Niklas Lindbäck with Stich - 28.9 and third to Merel Blom-Hulsman with Davos 77 - 29.8.
The three-star competition for young riders was triumphed by Zuzanna Borkowska on the mare Gracja - 40.4, thus becoming the new Polish champion in this age category.
The junior two-star competition ended with a victory of Italy's Sofia Pini with Corgary Kansas - 32.7. It also saw the emergence of new medallists at the Polish Championships. The gold was taken by Zuzanna Społowicz on Bankier - 34.6
In the 2* class for Ponies, after a double clear, the first place went to Germany's Nell Röming riding Majestro - 30. In the Intro class, the winner was Poland’s Stanislau Yavenka riding the Polish-bred Botox-S AA - 28.8.
During the 21st edition of the event, almost 280 horse-and-rider combinations representing the colours of 25 countries competed in 10 international classes over four days.
Nations Cup – final standings:
- France – 145.5
- Sweden – 146.6
- Poland – 168.3
