Caroline Martin and Pebbly Maximus are one of three combinations that will represent the USA at Boekelo. Photo by Adam Fanthorpe.
Seventeen nations will be represented in the FEI Nations Cup Final at Military Boekelo CCIO3* in Enschede, Netherlands, Oct. 4-8 next week, including three American combinations.
Caroline Martin will ride Pebbly Maximus, her 14-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding she already successfully campaigned overseas earlier in the summer, with a top 15 finish in the Houghton Hall CICO3* Nations Cup and fifth place finish in the Bramham Under 25 CCI3*.
Liz Halliday-Sharp and Deniro Z at Carolina International. Photo by Jenni Autry.
Liz Halliday-Sharp will ride Deniro Z, a 9-year-old KWPN gelding owned by the Deniro Z Syndicate, in his CCI3* debut, coming off a strong fifth place finish in his first three-star in the Blenheim 8/9-year-old CIC3*. This horse has won an eye-popping five internationals over the past calendar year.
Katherine Coleman will ride her own Back to Business II, a 10-year-old Irish Sport Horse mare that already has a strong finish at CCI3* level on her record this season, having finished 12th in her debut at the level at Tattersalls in Ireland over the summer.
Katherine Coleman and Back to Business II at Tattersalls. Photo by Jenni Autry.
In all, 104 horses and 92 riders will compete at Boekelo, including 13 teams in the Nations Cup Final. After eight Nations Cup legs this season, Great Britain (590 points) and Germany (580 points) will battle it out for the series win at Boekelo, with just 10 points separating them on the leaderboard.
France is well back in third place on 335 points, but the host nation of the Netherlands is within striking distance of a podium finish on 280 points if they can deliver a strong performance on home soil. Sweden sits fifth in the current standings on 210 points, with the USA in sixth on 180 points.
Australia brings a strong group to Boekelo, including Chris Burton with Kate Walls’ Cooley Lands, winner of the Blenheim 8/9-year-olds CIC3*. Other nations fielding riders for the competition include Belgium, Brazil, China, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, New Zealand, Norway and Switzerland.
Click here to browse the full entry list for Boekelo, and keep it locked on EN next week for live coverage from the event. The competition will be live streamed with English commentary for the first time this year, so all of you following along from home will be able to watch. Go Eventing.
