France, Britain and Ireland on the podium
A thrilling final day of the 2017 European Championships for Ponies saw the British Charles Owen squad bring home a haul of medals from the FEI European Eventing Championships for Ponies in Kaposvár, Hungary.
Britain’s Georgina Herrling, who led from Thursday’s dressage phase on a score of 40.9, had no room for error in the final day’s show jumping, as just one fence down would see the 14 year old moved off the top of the leader board but a perfect clear round secured her individual gold on the eight year old stallion SF Detroit.
A fabulous cross country round yesterday from Saffie Osborne, on Lord and Lady Blyth’s 12 year old mare Little Indian Feather, moved them up the rankings to go into the arena in individual bronze position. After another faultless show jumping round, and a fence down from second placed Liloi Lourde Rocheblave for France, the duo completed on their dressage score of 42.8 penalties to win the individual silver medal.
The final team rider Saffron Cresswell (16) and her 12 year old gelding Cuffesgrange Little Ric, put yesterday’s cross country faults behind them and today brought home another clear show jumping round for the British Charles Owen team, helping them to a brilliant silver medal.
Britain held the team gold medal winning position after the dressage but the Pierre Le Goupil designed cross country course proved very influential and caused a big shake-up of the leader board as several combinations pick up faults from around the track.
Georgina Herrling and SF Detroit
Georgina Herrling and SF Detroit put in a fantastic performance to come home clear inside the 5.23min optimum time to stay on their dressage score of 40.9 and hold their gold medal position but the French team of Liloi Lourde Rocheblave on Voltaire de Lalande, Lisa Gaultieri on O Ma Doue Kersidal, Alban Moulliere on Olympe des Bois and Gaetan Couzine on Perle du Boisdelanoue moved up to the top spot and stayed there to take gold on 141.6 penalties, GB silver on 152.4 and Ireland took bronze with 170.2.
The Irish team of Zara Nelson, Hannah Adams, Isabelle Comerford and Jennifer Kuehnle, were a bit off the pace after dressage but the demanding cross country suited the team who eventually finished on the podium in third place
