SCOTT BRASH & URSULA XII - THIRD PLACE FINISH IN WORLD CUP FINAL, LYON
Monday 21 April 2014
The Eurexpo stadium was packed to the gunnels without a spare seat in the house with spectators enthralled to see the third and final leg of the 2014 Longines World Cup Final fought out in the arena.
German course designer Frank Rotherberger had certainly built the 1.50-1.60m course to thrill with a combination leading onto a double of verticals before turning back to skinny planks followed by an enormous pair of oxers towards the end of the course.
It was only twenty seven of the thirty eligible combinations (following Leg 2 on Saturday evening) that came forward with Saturdays winner Kent Farrington withdrawing along with Billy Twomey and Patrice Delaveau. As a result the league table positions changed slightly, especially bearing in mind that two of the withdrawn riders had sat in the Top 10, Scott started todays competition in joint 6th place whilst Michael sat in 14th position.
1st Round
Michael Whitaker from Nottinghamshire and his own 12 year-old chestnut gelding entered the arena at the midway point in the first round with less than a handful of clears having been achieved before him. Keeping hold of Viking who looked like he wanted to run on a bit, Michael settled him down with some brilliant jumping as a result. However, a fence down and a time penalty saw them return home having to add 5 penalties to their existing 15.
With the riders all jumping in reverse order based on their placing on the league table at the end of the 2nd leg, things really started to change when it got down to the final ten. As tension mounted the crowds became more and more audible with their cheers or groans of exasperation depending on which rider they were supporting.
Wearing his white armband to signify him as the current World No.1, Scott Brash from Peebleshire with Lady Kirkham and Lady Harris’s 14 year-old bay mare Ursula XII looked calm and collected as they started towards the first fence. Having jumped so rhythmically during the first two legs of the competition it was a surprise to see Ursula grab at the bridle and break her rhythm just a few strides away from an enormous fence early on in the course. With some brilliant riding, Scott quietly brought her back just in time for her to jump her heart out over the fence before settling back and clearing the rest of the course with just a second to spare within the time allowed.
At the end of round 1 and only the top twenty being invited to contest Round 2, Scott had edged further upwards into 4th place on 5 penalties whilst Michael had moved into joint 13th on 20 penalties. Daniel Deusser for Germany topped the leaderboard with just 2 penalties, with fellow Germany rider Ludger Beerbaum and Chiara in joint 2nd with Swiss rider Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets on 4 penalties.
With all to play for at the end of Round 1 the pressure on the top four must have been immense. Pressure that would have been ever mounting bearing in mind the half hour break that followed prior to Round 2 for an entirely new course to be built.
Round 2
With all the verticals built at a full 1.60m and a spread on one of the vast oxers being 1.90m it gives an idea of exactly how difficult a track the final twenty were being asked to tackle.
Jumping in reverse order once again, the latter end of the league table took the role of pathfinder with very few managing to jump clear and within the time allowed. Two riders withdrew before the start of the 2nd round, namely Kevin Staut and Silvana HDC for France and Jamal Rahimov for Azerbaijan with Warrior.
As if the riders at the sharp end of the league weren’t under enough pressure, they would have soon realised that the time allowed was incredibly tight with a number of the earlier riders notching up time penalties. Any of them thinking that a slow clear may be the safest option would definitely have been left realising that they needed to rethink their strategy!
Michael Whitaker and Viking drew an enormous applause from the crowds as they rode through the entrance gate. There certainly wouldn’t be many riders as calm and experienced as Michael and this was certainly exemplified when the back pole at fence three was unfortunately lowered. As calm as ever, he was totally unfazed and gave Viking, the horse on whom he won Team Gold at last years European Championships, an absolutely incredible ride to come through the finish line without incurring any further additional penalties than the 4 and an overall finish score of 24 penalties.
Knowing that a clear and nothing other than that would do, Scott and Ursula set off looking like they meant business. Total silence within the arena ensued once the start bell had gone with every it clearly visible that almost every person watching was riding the course with him. Putting in an absolutely copy book round, they achieved exactly what they had set out to do achieving a foot perfect clear in a time of 69.21 seconds.
With three riders to follow it was impossible to know if Scott had done enough to perhaps climb further up the league table.
Final three
You could have heard a pin drop as Ludger Beerbaum , who had accepted a last minute invite to compete, and Chiara started his round. A clear round saw them assured of their 4 penalty finish and a place just ahead of Scott by 1 penalty. Next to go was Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets for Switzerland and as they lowered a pole notching up an additional 4 penalties to their existing 4 the disappointment was all too evident on his face knowing that it had meant a finish score of 8 penalties putting them outside of a podium finish.
Last to go Daniel Deusser for Germany with Cornet d’Amour started their final round on an impressive 2 penalties only. Anything more than just one additional time penalty would see them drop a number of places and the fight for the title had the audience on the edge of their seats. Jumping as fresh as they had in the first round they put in a brilliant clear drawing the packed grandstands to their feet in acknowledgement of the tremendous finale they had all just witnessed.
With the final standings now having been decided it was a World Cup title for Daniel Deusser, with 2nd place going to Ludger Beerbaum with their 4 penalties, just 1 penalty ahead of Scott and Ursula who finished in 3rd place overall.
LONGINES FEI WORLD CUP FINAL STANDINGS
1st Daniel Deusser (GER) / Cornet d’Amour (2 penalties)
2nd Ludger Beerbaum (GER) / Chiara (4 penalties)
3rd Scott Brash (GBR) / Ursula XII (5 penalties)
Full results can be found by visiting the following link http://eventcontent.hippoonline.de/890/890online1ENG.htm?style=longines
For further information regarding the World Cup Final in Lyon please visit http://www.feiworldcupfinals-lyon.com/homepage or www.fei.org
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")
