By Duane Fonseca -
Germany made show jumping history by becoming the first country to win a leg of the brand new Longines League of Nations (LLN) which made its much-awaited debut at Abu Dhabi on Sunday, capitalising on an error made by Irish on the last ride of the day. The German team comprising Christian Kukuk partnering Mumbai, Jörne Sprehe (Sprehe Hot Easy), David Will (My Prins van Dorperheide) and Christian Ahlmann (Blueberry) posted a final score of eight faults, while Ireland were seemingly in top form all day and went into the second round without fault.
The Germans carried the four faults accrued by Kukuk aboard Mumbai from the first into the second round, and amassed four more after David Will erred aboard his mount. Ireland needed to beat the score, but after Michael Pender and HHS Calais erred and accumulated eight points forcing a tie, Mark McAuley and GRS Lady Amaro, the last Irish pair to ride, complicated matters when adding a further four faults to the Irish score, which took their tally to 12, leaving Germany to win the opening leg. Richard Howley (Equine America Consulent de Prelet Z) was the only Irish pair to jump the 1.60m fences without fault. Sweden finished third after accumulating a total of 20 faults, while hosts UAE finished the last of the eight nations that qualified for the second round, behind Brazil (4th), Switzerland (5th), USA (6th) and Great Britain (7th).
The LNN was the main attraction on the final day of The President of the UAE Showjumping Cup and brought the event to a close at Al Forsan International Sports Resort in the UAE capital. The Netherlands, France and Belgium failed to make the second round cut. Germany’s Sprehe said: “It’s a really good feeling, Easy was jumping amazing and I’m very proud of her. For me she is the best horse ever!” Will echoed sentiments similar to his teammates when he commented: “I’m thrilled for the whole team, especially Jorne with her double-clear. She was exceptionally good today.”
Ahlmann did not ride in the second round, but was thrilled to have won. “Everything worked like it should and I’m really happy,” he said.
GRAND FINAL IN OCTOBER
The four-leg Longines League of Nations is open to the ten best teams and its second round will be held at Ocala (USA) in March, with the third and fourth legs slated for St Gallen (SUI) and Rotterdam (NED) in June. The series concludes with the showpiece final in Barcelona in October and will feature the best eight teams.
Also held on the final day was the CSIO5* Al Shira’aa Challenge (1.50m), which saw riders from France claim the top two spots on the podium. Partnering Visconti du Telman, Kevin Staut was quickest over the course with a time of 40.76 seconds, which was over two seconds lesser than the 42.89s posted by Roger Yves Bost aboard Ever de Turan. Brazilian rider Luciana Diniz placed third aboard Clair de Lune 11 with a time of 43.34s.
The trio were the only riders to traverse the course without fault from among a group of 10 that qualified for the second round. The main event of the second day was the CSIO 5* President of the UAE Showjumping Cup presented by Longines (1.60m) which was won by Germany’s David Will, who clocked the winning time of 44.68s aboard Zinedream.
The pair won comfortably as Swedish pair of Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward were timed at 46.10s, with another Swede pair, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Zuccero HV third with 50.79s on the clock. The CSIO5* UAE Equestrian Federation Speed Stakes (1.45m) contest was claimed by Frenchman Olivier Perreau and his mount Bresil de Carnaval Santa Rosa who recorded the quickest time of 63.67s.
Joseph Stockdale of Great Britain claimed silver with Equine America Cacharel (65.12s), while the bronze spot was filled by the Swiss pairing of Janika Sprunger and Kinmar Scarlett (66.11s). The CSIO5* Al Shira’aa Welcome Stakes (1.45m) was won by Portuguese pair of Duarte Seabra and HHS Washington in 65.11s. A close second were the USA’s Aaron Vale and I.Adermie R4 (65.31s), with France’s Perreau and Bresil de Carnval Santa Rosa third (65.38s).
The third day’s top prize, the CSI2* Longines Grand Prix (1.45m) was won by Brazil’s Mariana Frauches Chaves aboard Verdict de Kezeg, the pair needing 37.30s to complete the circuit in a keenly-contested event, while the CSI2* Abu Dhabi Sports Council Classic (1.35m) witnessed Syria’s Sham Al Assad clinch victory aboard Chapeau TN with a time of 37.83s during the jump-off. The CSIJ Al Forsan International Sports Resort Cup (1.25m) two-phases contest was won by Mabkhout Owaida Al Kirbi and Pogba who sealed victory with a secondphase time of 23.76s. Elsewhere, the CSICh-Cavalor Children’s Cup (1.10m) two-phases event saw the UAE’s Saleh Mufrrej Al Karbi seal victory aboard Espresso with 23.52s on the clock.
