Germany freewheeled to team gold at the 2016 European Pony Championships in Vilhelmsborg, Denmark, on Thursday 18 August 2016. The German pony girls covered the first, second, fifth and ninth place in the team championship and secured a more than 5% lead to the silver medal winning home team of Denmark. The Netherlands still grabbed bronze with only three riders and no scratch score for their team.
With 61 riders from 15 different nations competing at the 2016 European Pony Championships, this year's edition is the best attended with most countries represented ever. The Team Championship test took place over two days and started on Wednesday 17 August with the first group of riders. Today the second group with 32 combinations rode the team test which decided the team medals.
The overnight leader from Wednesday kept her number one position on the board. The youngest member of the German team, 12-year old Lucie-Anouk Baumgurtel and her 11-year old buckskin Massimiliano (by Monsun N x Cap Cennedy N) posted a score of 75.051% and won the class. Her compatriot Tabea Schroer, who has dominated the 2016 pony show season in Germany, was second aboard her 13-year old team routinier Danilo (by Dornik B x Power Boy). Schroer scored 74.538% for second place. The third best German score was achieved by Inga Katharina Schuster, who scored 73.077% on Cyrill. Germany's scratch score came from Eileen Henglein on the 13-year old Cinderella M (by Constantin x Donnerhall) who still crossed the 70% marker and finished 9th with 71.205%.
Germany recaptured gold after having lost it last year to Great Britain at the 2015 European Pony Championships in Malmo, Sweden. In Vilhelmsborg it was Germany's 30th team gold medal since the inception of these Championships. Since 1978 Germany lost gold only nine times.
The silver medal went to home team Denmark with Louise Christensen leading the campaign. Aboard her routinier Vegelin's Goya, a Dutch bred chestnut stallion by Verona's Bo Gi x Leuns Veld's Darling Boy), she scored 73.615%. Christensen was supported in her silver effort by Sara Aagaard Hyrm on seasoned pony Der Harlekin B, a 14-year old Golden Dancer x Dornik B offspring, who was previously shown for Denmark by elder sister Sandra. Sara scored 72.436% to rank 7th. Team mate Kristian Wurtz Green and Lilo L added 71.462% to that. Danish Victoria Bonefeld Dahl and the young pony Gambys Hanneken, a 7-year old Don't Worry x Brillant offspring, were the scratch score with 70.231%
The Dutch team got weakened at the start when Kim Noordijk's Brasil did not pass the vet check. The orange team was reduced to three with no scratch score available but still pulled off a very strong effort and landed the team bronze medal. The Dutch campaign was spearheaded by Daphne van Peperstraten on the 9-year old Wonderful Girl (by Wibledon x Dancer Boy- with a 4th place and 73.128% score. Team member Zoe Kuintjes and her 14-year old grey stallion Elin's Noncisdador (by Nostradamus x LP Nixen) were closely following htem in 6th place with 72.462%, while Jitske Prosman and Charina du Bois were 11th with 70.487%.
"I'm very happy with this podium place," said Dutch team trainer Tineke Bartels. "Especially considering the fact that we only had three combinations at the starting line after Brasil did not pass the vet check. It puts extra pressure on the other team members, but they coped well and I'm proud of their performance. Silver was even within the possibilities, so it's a pity we didn't get that."
Great Britain just landed off the podium in fourth team place. Their strongest rider of the day was Lara Kuropatwa aboard the 9-year old Le Chiffre (by Caesar x Donnerwetter). They posted a score of 70.744% on the board to finish 10th.
On Friday the first group of riders will contest the individual test for the individual medal. The second group rides on Saturday after which the medal ceremony follows.
by Astrid Appels - Photos © Digishots
Related Links
Scores - 2016 European Pony Championships
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2016 European Pony Championships