GB’s Team NAF win Children’s Nations Cup in Wierden
Sunday 30 May 2021
It was a Children’s Nations Cup victory today for Great Britain when the team of four riders aged 12 – 14 years took prime position on the podium having finished on a zero penalty score.
Competing under the title sponsor banner of Team NAF the Children’s team all played a pivotal part to win the competition at the Dutch Youngster Festival in Wierden, The Netherlands which drew to a close this afternoon after five days of jumping.
At the end of the first round, all four riders had jumped clear to finish on a zero penalty score which left GB in joint 1st position at the halfway mark alongside Italy and Belgium with all to play for as they came forward for round 2. Both Spain and Germany sat just one fence behind on 4 penalties resulting in it being a very open competition with all to play for prior to all the combinations coming forward again for the second time.
Eve McCoy, aged 13 years from Hungerford in Berkshire with the 13 year-old bay gelding Non-Stop owned by Tony McCoy took the role of pathfinder for the team. Setting the standard by producing yet another faultless performance she returned home clear. Next to go Ruby Ward, aged 14 years from Neston, Cheshire with the 10 year-old mare Giddy Up Tango owned by Michael Whitaker looked set to match their first round clear, however a touch at the latter end of the course saw 8 penalties accrued.
With the top three scores counting in each round it was therefore imperative that the final two riders posted a clear if they were to keep at the top of the leaderboard. And this is exactly what they did when Madison Seedhouse, aged 14 years from Burton-on-Trent in Staffordshire with the 9 year-old mare Emara Giguellerie Z owned by ESM Equestrian posted a faultless round to equal her first. It was then all down to anchor rider Noora von Bülow, aged 12 years from London with the 12 year-old grey Dabelle owned by Sharifa Al-Homaizi and with whom she finished 2nd in the Grand Prix on Friday with.
As Noora entered the arena it was clear that Italy had already fallen out of contention as had Belgium however Spain and Germany had managed to retain their score of just the 4 penalties meaning it was imperative that Noora jumped clear if we weren’t to slip down the placings at worst or be forced into a jump off at best. You could of heard a pin drop as she wound her way round the course and it was eruption of cheers that followed when she broke the line clear to secure the win.
Chef d’Equipe for the Children’s team was Youth Team Manager Clare Whitaker and it was clear for everyone to see how proud she was of the team when she led them out to take the prime spot in the presentation ceremony. Spain and Germany had to satisfy themselves by sharing 2nd place with their 4 penalty finish whilst Italy and the Netherlands joint 4th on 8 penalties.
For further information on the show and full results visit www.dutchyoungsterfestival.com
Image credit: Digishots
British Showjumping would like to thank NAF, title sponsors of the Senior Nations Cup Teams along with the Pony, Children, Junior, Young Rider and Veteran teams.
NAF’s premium range of Five Star brands include Superflex, Superflex Senior, PROFEET, Optimum, Magic, Oestress and Respirator Boost with quality at the heart of everything they do. They are a UFAS (Universal Feed Assurance Scheme), GMP+ (International Feed Assurance Scheme) and BETA NOPS (Naturally Occuring Prohibited Substances) accredited company and this enables them to guarantee full traceability on all the natural ingredients they utilise in their formulations, which are also selected in compliance with the FEI guidelines for Clean Sport. For further information, visit www.naf-equine.eu/uk/index.jsp.
The GBR showjumping teams are supported by the British Equestrian Federation’s World Class Programme, funded by UK Sport through the National Lottery. The Programme focuses on identifying talent, developing potential and maximising medal-winning performances on the world stage.
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