JOE CLEE TAKES 2ND PLACE IN COPENHAGEN GRAND PRIX FOR TEAM CHAMPION
Sunday 20 May 2012
This evening saw Belgium based Joe Clee with his own 9-year-old chestnut mare Diablesse de Muze take 2nd place in the CSIO4* Grand Prix.
In a class that saw forty five starters come forward, Joe was the fastest of the fourteen that went clear in the first round giving him a chance to watch others go before him in the jump off. With 125,000DKK at stake for first prize it meant that more than just a steady clear was the order of the day with times being set and subsequently beaten as the jump off progressed.
With only six competitors managing to produce a double clear whilst also putting their foot on the accelerator, it was Hendrik-Jan Schuttert (NL) with Cerona HS who held the fastest clear in a time of 46.49seconds as Jo entered the arena.
Jumping clear with zero penalties Joe’s time couldn’t have been closer to Hendrik’s as he cleared the last fence however coming through the finish clock at 46.56seconds he was relegated to 2nd place. With less a second separating the top three places the competition couldn’t have been harder fought and it was a fantastic result for Joe who was attending his first 4* Promotional League show. Third place went to Irelands Trevor Coyle with Jubilee D’Ouilly with the clear in a time of 46.73seconds.
The Nations Cup which took place on Friday saw Great Britain finish on a total of 16 penalties and not make it through to the second cut. With only eight teams eligible for the second round Great Britain finished less than a jump behind those going through. Sitting just outside the midway mark in 10th place the promotional league Nations Cup saw a total of eighteen nations participating.
Joe Clee was the trailblazer for the team with Diablesse de Muze but their score of 12faults resulted in them being the drop score. Nottinghamshire based Joe Clayton with Jess Nielsen’s 11-year-old British bred chestnut gelding Mr Darcy V incurred 4faults. A score that was mirrored by Paris based Alexandra Thornton and her own 10-year-old bay gelding Cabellero 84. Simon Crippen from Chesham incurred 8faults with Judy Ross’ 10-year-old Chesnut mare Ondine du Logis.
Rob Hoekstra, World Class Performance Showjumping Manager commented “I am pleased with our performance here this weekend. There were eighteen nations taking part with some horse and rider combinations that were particularly strong. We have come out here with an inexperienced team some of whom were competing for the first time at Nations Cup level. Our focus is very much on giving an opportunity for up and coming talent, it’s something we have to do and will continue to do. Going on the performance we have seen out here I feel confident we have both horses and riders coming up through the ranks and Joe’s performance in the Grand Prix was superb”
Champion’s sponsorship of the British Nations Cup Team is the result of the brand’s deep-seated belief in the importance of continual development, dedication and professionalism, together with a desire to offer British equestrian talent every possible opportunity to reach the very top of competitive showjumping.
The British Showjumping Teams are supported by Exchequer and National Lottery funding via UK Sport.