The Netherlands has won the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Jumping 2014 final in Barcelona.
Big surprise
It was a confident team that tackled the challenging course, having won gold four weeks earlier at the World Equestrian Games.
The first round kicked off on Thursday, where nations had to compete for a place in the final last night (11 October). Great Britain just made it into the top eight, with a total of 12 faults.
The biggest surprise of the competition came fromFrench defending championswho failed to make the grade. They were joined by USA, who have also showngreat formin recent Nations Cup competitions.
Young team
The final saw the Dutch riders show why they are world champions, finishing on a zero score. Canada was second with four faults, Sweden was third (eight faults) and Belgium fourth (nine faults).
Germany and Britain both finished on 12 faults, but with the Germans posting a faster time they finished fifth to put Team GB in sixth place. Italy was seventh and Brazil eighth.
“Our objective was to finish in the top eight and we did exactly that so I’m happy,” said Rob, who fielded a relatively young team.
Stand-out performance
However, it was the youngest rider, who made his Nations Cup debut earlier this year, that produced the stand-out performance. Aged just 21, Spencer Roe rode a faultless round with Wonder Why.
“The horse has jumped amazing all year,” said Spencer. “The first day he was unlucky at the last fence and today he’s pulled it out of bag – I can’t believe it.”
“I’ve had him a long time so I know all his quirks and we get along very well. Going to these big nations cups has really helped me, and the World Equestrian Games was a great experience. Hopefully that’s why I’ve done so well here. It’s the best he’s ever jumped – I couldn’t be happier.”
Years of experience
William Whitaker was unlucky to pick up four faults when Fandango hit the back pole of an oxer, while Joe Clee and Utamaro d’Ecaussine had an uncharacteristic eight faults.
Michael Whitaker used all his years of experience to guide the nine-year-old stallion Cassionato around the technical course, but finished on nine faults after having a foot in the water and a fence down just outside the time allowed.