The Defender U.S. eventing squad competing at this weekend’s FEI Nations Cup leg in Belgium started the morning in silver position. It wouldn’t take long, though, for the cross country to exert its influence, humbling some experienced horses and riders and shuffling the standings considerably.
Germany began the day in gold medal position, but it came down to the clock. The German team, consisting of individual overnight leader Libussa Lübbeke and Caramia 34 (30.8), Nicolai Aldinger and Timmo, Calvin Böckmann and The Phantom of the Opera, and Arne Bergendahl with Luthien NRW, collectively yielded just a few too many time penalties to open the door for the Americans to jump ahead.
The all-female team of Cosby Green and Clever Louis (31.2), Lauren Nicholson and Larcot Z (31.7), Caroline Pamukcu and She’s the One (32.2), and Cassie Sanger with Redfield Fyre (41.3) all delivered quick clears, with Cosby one of just four riders to make the optimum time and move into second individually. The team will head into tomorrow on a two-phase score of 95.1, currently dropping Cassie’s score. They don’t have a breath over Germany, though, who looms behind them on a 96.9 team score. The Dutch team lies in third ahead of show jumping on a score of 120.2. Full team standings can be found here. Individual scores are here.
Many riders competing here are vying for a coveted spot on their countries’ FEI Eventing European Championships for Seniors, for which Arville is being used as a final selection trial. A solid finish here for these riders could stamp their ticket to Blenheim in about a month’s time.
The show jumping begins for the 4*-S at 11:00 a.m. local time, which is 5 a.m. EST / 2 a.m. PST. You can tune in live to see if the U.S. can bring home their first FEI Nations Cup gold of the season on ClipMyHorse.TV here.
FEI Eventing Nations Cup – Arville CCIO4*-S: [Website] [Schedule] [Entries/Timing/Scoring] [Live Stream] [About the FEI Eventing Nations Cup]
