Ukraine go one better for FEI Nations Cup success in Celje

Najib Chami’s claimed a useful victory at the new venue on the FEI Nations Cup circuit as by pinning Spain into second while Austria finished third.

Luxembourg’s Christian Weier riding Global were amongst the five impressive horse-and-rider partnerships to produce double-clear performances to help his team slot into fourth place. Maria Madenova did likewise as Russia clinched joint-fifth along with Hungary, while Omer Karaevli’s double clear round performance played a key role in the seventh-place share for the three-member Turkish side who finished on the same score as Portugal.

The event was staged at Equestrian Centre Celje, a centre which is dedicated to the promotion and support of equestrianism in Slovenia and the most modern equestrian facility in the country. It stages National Championships in June and September each year including the Finals of the Slovenia Cup and a CSI2 star World Cup event which attracts over 300 entries.

Ukraine and Austria shared the lead on a zero score at the halfway stage, however Spain were close behind going into the second round with just a single time penalty on the board and proved to be the biggest danger to the eventual winners.

With 12 nations in action it was Croatia, Lithuania and the host nation who joined Team Poland on the sidelines when only the top eight countries progressed into the second round.

Ludiczak Krzysztof was the only remaining member of last week’s winning Polish side, and this time around his country’s first-round scoreline of 21 faults was never going to make the cut.

Russia, Hungary and Luxembourg were all sharing fifth place on 12 faults as round two began with Turkey already trailing with 16 on the board. But the real battle would be played out between the three leading nations.

The third-placed Spanish looked vulnerable when both Manuel Fernandez Saro (on Coreall) and Pilar Cordon (on Goriana van Klapscheut) double-faulted. But Gerardo Menendez and Cassino DC were double-clear while Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Chatman added nothing to their first-round total of one time fault, so just one of the eight-fault results had to be counted to leave them on a final tally of nine.

Austria’s Gerfried Puck made a mistake first time out, and although he returned an eight-fault score with Bionda at his second attempt his team still looked strong when Christian Rhomberg on Saphyr des Lacs produced a double-clear round. But two mistakes from Roland Englbrecht on Mevisto’s Poorboy meant Max Kuhner’s single error with Cielito Lindo had to be taken into account for a final tally of 12 faults which dropped them below the Spanish.

There were few mistakes from the Ukrainian side however, with only team owner Oleksndr Onyshchenko producing the only blot on their first-round copybook with a single time fault in round one with Calcourt Falklund which provided their discount score.

And when pathfinder Rene Tebbel (on Cooper) and third-line rider Ferenc Szentirmai (on Chadino) both remained fault-free second time out, it meant their tally of five faults could not be bettered and a convincing victory was secured with anchorman, Ulrich Kirchhoff on Gabbiano not having to return to the ring.

The next leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping Europe Division 2 league series will take place at Odense, Denmark, this Friday, 20 May.

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2016 Europe Division 2 League
Result: Celje, Slovenia

1. Ukraine 5 faults
2. Spain 9
3. Austria 12
4. Luxembourg 21
5. Hungary 24
5. Russian Federation 24
7. Portugal 32
Turkey 32

Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2016 Europe Division 2 League
Standings after second leg at Celje, Slovenia

1. Ukraine 190
2. Spain 155
3. Poland 140
4. Austria 135
5. Luxembourg 120
6. Russia 102.5
7. Hungary 92.5
8. Norway 80.0
9. Portugal 47.5
Turkey 47.5
11. Slovenia 35.0