Hungary claim historic FEI Nations Cup home win in Budapest

The host nation secured the win in dramatic fashion after coming out on top of a two-way third-round jump-off against Italy to claim a first success on their hallowed turf in 18 years

Denmark finished a fairly distant third with a final total of 12 faults while Norway, Austria, Poland, Russia, Switzerland and Luxembourg filled the remaining top-eight places.

With a massive field of 14 countries – 12 of which were chasing points towards the Furusiyya Final which will be held in Barcelona, Spain in September, it was a long and tough competition. However the crowds were rewarded with a thrilling finale as Italy’s Luca Marziani left the door open with a fence down in the third-round decider, only for Hungary’s Gabor Szabo to also make a mistake.

German course designer, Werner Deeg, created a track that saw 13 horse-and-rider combinations complete clear rounds first time out. Three of those came from the host nation as the Hungarians led the way at the halfway stage on a zero scoreline.

Italy and Denmark were not far behind them with just four faults apiece, and with only the top eight nations making the cut, they were joined by Norway with eight, Poland and Russia with nine and Austria and Switzerland who had already racked up 12 faults each.

Luxembourg missed out by the narrowest of margins when posting 13 first-round faults and had to watch the remainder of the competition from the sidelines along with the riders from Slovakia, Finland, Slovenia and Bulgaria who finished the day in that order.

The second round saw Denmark’s chances slide despite another clear round from Soren Pedersen on Tailormade Chaloubet. However faults for Rikke Haastrup’s Charleston K and Torben Frandsen with Highrise proved costly.

Italy also looked in trouble when Luca Moneta’s Connery had a second four-fault result, but when Paolo Paini’s double-clear with Ottava Meraviglia di Ca’ San G was followed by a foot-perfect run from Paolo Cannizzaro on Cinnamon, the pressure was back on the Hungarians.

Mariann Hugyecz with Chacco Boy also produced one of the seven double-clears of the competition when first to return to the arena for the host nation, but Gabor Szabor’s Timpex Bolcsesz knocked over a fence. However Balazs Horvath on Zordon atoned for that with the second part of their double-clear performance, so the focus was now back with Italy as the last-line riders took their turn in round two.

Luca Marziani’s on Tokyo du Soleil produced his second clear of the day to ensure that his side would add nothing to their first-round four-fault tally meaning as Hungarian anchorman, Laszlo Toth, entered the arena for the second time a clear round would clinch the win on a zero score, a pole down would leave the host nation on level pegging with Italy, but two mistakes would see them defeated.

Toth were looking good until they clipped the triple combination, but he crossed the line with nothing further to add, and a third-round showdown would be required.

With the jump-off track reduced to eight jumping efforts and with a long run to the last Marziani set the target in a time of 42.79 seconds with four faults.

Hungary’s Szabo also fell foul incurring four faults at the triple combination, but his time was more than three seconds quicker and was good enough to give the hosts victory.

The win has boosted Hungary to sixth place in the European Division 2 rankings ahead of the final leg of this league at Gijon, Spain at the end of August.

Before then the next leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2016 series is the Europe Division 1 leg at Dublin, Ireland, this Friday, 22 July.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2016 Europe Division 2
Result: Budapest, Hungary

1. Hungary 4 faults/39.52 seconds in third-round jump-off
2. Italy 4 faults/42.79 seconds in third-round jump-off:
3. Denmark 12 faults
4. Norway 16
5. Austria 20
6. Poland 21
7. Russia 21
8. Switzerland 24

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2016 Europe Division 2 League
Standings after sixth leg in Budapest, Hungary

1. Ukraine 390
2. Spain 340
3. Austria 285
4. Norway 222.5
5. Denmark 210
6. Poland 192.5
6. Hungary 192.5
8. Luxembourg 160
9. Russia 155
10. Portugal 132.5
11. Turkey 82.5
12. Finland 55
13. Slovenia 35
14. Slovakia 0