Britain’s pony teams pick up five gold medals

Great Britain experienced an extraordinary run of success at the FEI European Pony Championships, winning five out of seven gold medals.The dressage, jumping and eventing teams all won gold medals, with a further two individual golds in the individual dressage.

Dressage

The team dressage competition originally looked like it was going to be another win for Germany. The first three British riders – Isobel Berrington (DHI Langar), Clare Hole (Rembrandt) and Rebecca Bell (Valido’s Sunshine) – had all scored in the low 70s to put the team in third place.

But then Britain’s Phoebe Peters, 16, produced an amazing 80.077% with her 12-year-old pony SL Lucci to lift her team from bronze to gold medal position – Britain’s first ever pony team gold. The Germans had to settle for team silver while Denmark won bronze.

In the individual tests, Phoebe set a world record score of 81.390% – only to beat her own record with a massive 85.825% in the Freestyle, to claim double individual gold.

“Lucci was absolutely foot perfect all week; any mistakes we had in our three tests were completely mine – he was with me every step of the way,” said Phoebe. “The team atmosphere was the best ever which made such a difference to our confidence.It was simply the best week I’ve ever had.”

Jumping

Britain’s showjumpers have a great record in the Pony Europeans, and this year’s team of Jodie Hall McAteer (Tixylix), Jack Whitaker (Zodianne van de Doevenbree), Jessica Hewitt (Ammanvalley Santino) and Charlotte Ash (Aughnashammer) were no exception. Britain won their 15 thpony team gold, Ireland won silver while defending champions France took the bronze.

Young Brit Jodie Hall McAteer, 15, jumped a double clear in the team competition, which put her into contention for the individual medals as well. Going into the individual final she had a completely clear sheet, along with five other combinations.

In the second round of the individual final, five of the six riders had a fence down, leaving France’s Justine Maerte (Shamrock du Gite) as the gold medallist. The remaining five all jumped off, with Brit Jodie jumping clear once again in an unbeatale time of 37.36sec – giving her a clear lead over her rivals to take silver. Bronze went to Belgium’s Thibault Philippaerts.

“Jodie has ridden with determination and a calm head all week,” said Matt Lanni, Chef d’Equipe for the British Pony team. “She has jumped six rounds throughout the championships, and to only have one fence down across them allis quite a feat.Her performance in the final jump off, under tremendous pressure, only serves to show the talent that she is and the great partnership she has built with Tixylix.”

Eventing

In the eventing, Britain’s team of Phoebe Locke (Quay), Harriet Wright (Foxtown Cufflynx), Saffron Cresswell (Cuffesgrange Little Ric) and Thomas Tulloch (Spirit Vl) won gold by some margin, leading France in the silver medal position by almost 16pen. Sweden won the bronze.

Thomas Tulloch, 16, finished the best if the Brits individually as well, just missing out on a medal in fourth place with Spirit VI. Germany’sCalvin Bockmann won gold.

“As the Chef d’equipe I couldn’t have asked for more,” said Gary Parsonage, the Chairman of the Charles Owen British Pony Team selectors. “The tables really turned for us when a good French score was disqualified during the horse inspection, meaning a less strong score had to be taken, but our guys still had to hold their nerve. Thomas was so close to [individual] bronze but he couldn’t have done any more for us yesterday or today.”

Results

FEI European Pony Team Dressage Championship

GOLD- Great Britain 222.872: SL Lucci (Phoebe Peters) 80.077, Valido’s Sunshine 9Rebecca Bell) 71.077, Rembrandt (Clare Hole) 71.718, DHI Langar (Isobel Berrington) 70.615;SILVER-Germany 222.231: Cyrill WE (Nadine Krause) 75.769, Den Ostriks Dailan (Lana Raumanns) 73.462, Dujardin B (Linda Erbe) 73.000, SFs Charly Brown (Helen Erbe) 72.487;BRONZE- Denmark 221.359: Farbenfroh (Sara Van Deurs Petersen) 74.128, Adriano B (Karoline Rohmann) 73.744, Vegelins Goya (Louise Christensen) 73.487, Der Harlekin B (Sara Aagaard Hyrm) 72.897.

FEI European Pony Individual Dressage Championship

GOLD- SL Lucci (Phoebe Peters) 81.390;SILVER- Cyrill WE (Nadine Krause) GER 76.732;BRONZE- SFs Charly Brown (Helen Erbe) GER 73.756.

FEI European Pony Freestyle Championship

GOLD- SL Lucci (Phoebe Peters) 85.825;SILVER- Cyrill WE (Nadine Krause) GER 80.550;BRONZE- Farbenfroh (Sara van Deurs Petersen) DEN 77.825.

FEI European Pony Team Jumping Championship

GOLD- Great Britain 1 fault: Tixylix (Jodie Hall McAteer) 0/0/0, Zodianne van de Doevenbree (Jack Whitaker) 18/0/4, Ammanvalley Santino (Jessica Hewitt) 1/0/0, Aughnashammer (Charlotte Ash) 0/4/0;SILVER- Ireland 4 faults: Ballygawley’s Little Ferro (Olivia Roulston) 0/5/0, Spartacus Reape (Abbie Sweetnam) 0/08, Dr Spot (Luke Garrigan) 0/0/4, Imagine If One (Michael Pender) 0/0/0;BRONZE- France 5 faults: Rexter d’Or (Victoria Tachet) 0/0/8, Shamrock du Gite (Justin Maerte) 0/0/0, Quabar des Monceaux (Charlotte Lebas) 0/0/5, Sligo de Normal (Thomas Scalabre) 0/4/0.

FEI European Pony Individual Jumping Championship

GOLD- Shamrock du Gite (Justin Maerte) FRA 0;SILVER- Tixylix (Jodie Hall McAteer) GBR 4/0 37.36;BRONZE- Okehurst Little Bow Wow (Thiebault Philippaerts) BEL 4/0 42.24.

FEI European Pony Eventing Team Championship

GOLD- Great Britain 138.7: Quay (Phoebe Locke) 49.1, Foxtown Cufflynx (Harriet Wright) 52.8, Cuffesgrange Little Ric (Saffron Cresswell) 46.2, Spirit lV (Thomas Tulloch) 43.4;SILVER- France 154.6: Mustang de Buges (Vanille Bourgeois) DNS, Podeenagh Aluinn (Melissa Prevost) 40.9, Perle de Boisdelanoue (Quentin Gonzalez) 50.0, Risketou Maneti (Camille Lucas) 63.7;BRONZE- Sweden 160.1: Creemully Melody (Klara Hammerstrom) Elim, Dimmans Eros (Moa Nordfjall) 54.6, Sligo Fortunus (Selma Hammarstrom) 47.4, Midnight of Lergraven (Michelle Ettwein) 58.1.

FEI European Pony Eventing Individual Championship

GOLD- Askaban (Calvin Bockmann) GER 33.4;SILVER- Podeenagh Aluinn (Melissa Prevost) FRA 40.9;BRONZE- Millridge Buachaill Bui (Zoe Nelson) IRL 42.5.

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