BRITAIN’S SHOW JUMPERS FINISH SIXTH

The British Squad have finished in sixth place in this afternoon’s Team Competition at the 2009 Alltech FEI European Dressage & Jumping Championships.

 

Solid performances from all four riders in the first round saw the British squad sitting in the silver medal position after the first round. Pathfinder Tim Stockdale riding John Bosher’s Fresh Direct Corlato finished with an unfortunate eight faults, followed by Geoff Billington with Patricia Fraser’s Rosinus, who became the first combination to complete a clear jumping round but clocked up just a single time fault. Peter Charles and Olga White’s Murka’s Pom d’Ami lowered a single fence to finish with four faults and he was followed by anchorman Ben Maher riding his own and Quainton Stud’s Robin Hood, who produced a breathtaking clear round, just one of three fault free first rounds.

 

Fortunes however changed for the second round and meant Britain would lose their grip on the medal positions to finish the competition in sixth position. Tim and Fresh Direct Corlato lowered just a single fence second time around to finish with four faults, whilst Geoff and Rosinus crossed the finish line with three poles on the floor and a time fault for a second round score of thirteen. Peter and Murka’s Pom d’Ami finished with nine, lowering two poles and accruing a time fault, whilst Ben and Robin Hood W were extremely unlucky to hit the middle element of the combination to finish with just four jumping faults plus a single time fault.

 

Switzerland took the Gold medal with Italy in Silver and Germany taking Bronze.

 

Gold Switzerland - 27.66 points

Silver Italy - 31 points

Bronze Germany – 31.75 points

4^th The Netherlands – 32.96 points

5^th France – 33.71 points

 

Tim Stockdale/Fresh Direct Corlato – Day 1 points = 5.20, Team 8/4

Geoff Billington/Rosinus – Day 1 points = 4.82, Team 1/13

Peter Charles/Murka’s Pom d’Ami – Day 1 points = 5.14, Team 5/9

Ben Maher/Robin Hood W – Day 1 points = 1.30, Team 0/5

 

7^th Ireland – 35.86 points

8^th Sweden – 45.62 points

9^th Norway – 64.66 points

10^th Austria – 71.25 points

11^th Belgium

12^th Spain

13^th Russia

14^th Finland

15^th Hungary

16^th Poland

17^th Portugal

 

The Individual medals of the 2009 Championships will be decided on Sunday afternoon and line up of the top twenty-five riders following today’s competition will feature two members of the British squad. Ben Maher and Robin Hood W currently lie in the silver medal position on a total score of 6.30, less than a fence behind current leader Italy’s Natale Chiaudani. Tim Stockdale and Fresh Direct Corlato qualify for the final in twenty-fourth position on a score of 17.20.

 

Speaking after today’s competition Ben Maher commented:

 

“I am thrilled with my performance today, Robin Hood was fantastic and I am delighted to be in the silver medal position going into Sunday’s Individual Final. I have everything to ride for and my focus now turns to a medal winning position on Sunday afternoon”.

 

Full results from the Championships can be viewed at www.alltechfeiwindsoreuropeans.com.

 

Tickets for the Alltech FEI European Jumping and Dressage Championships 2009 are priced between £7 and £49 (£7, £10, £16, £22, £25, £28, £35, £45, £49). The box office telephone numbers are 0871 230 1087 (UK) and + 44 115 993 4409 (International). For online ticket bookings and further information of the confirmed programme of events please visit www.alltechwindsoreuropeans.com