(L to R) Ales Opatrny, Emma Augier de Moussac, Chef d’Equipe Martin Ohnheiser, Zuzana Zelinkova and Ondrej Zvara. (FEI/Herve Bonnaud)

Linz (AUT), 8 May 2015 – On a day of ever-changing fortunes for many of the other sides, a crack foursome from the Czech Republic took the lead at the halfway stage and held on to secure a convincing victory in the opening leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League at Linz in Austria. Zuzana Zelinkova, Emma Augier de Moussac, Ondrej Zvara and Ales Opatrny finished on a final tally of just two faults to leave them well ahead of the runners-up from Ukraine who completed with eight. Team Germany lined up third ahead of Poland in fourth, while the exciting young side from Luxembourg slotted into fifth ahead of Finland in sixth place.

There was great joy in the Czech camp in the aftermath, and a sense that they have really arrived. Success in Europe Division 2 of the Furusiyya series is not entirely new to them as they also came out on top in Budapest, Hungary last season. But today’s result, which earned them the maximum 100 points towards qualification for the Furusiyya 2015 Final, suggests a significant strengthening of their position, backed up by a brilliant performance from their second-line partnership of 23-year-old Augier de Moussac and her 10-year-old gelding, Charly Brown, who produced the only double-clear of the competition.

The right level

Franz Madl’s 12-fence track was pitched at just the right level, with less-experienced riders gaining valuable experience while the more seasoned campaigners were still well-tested. A double – vertical to oxer – preceded the big 4-metre-wide open water which claimed a large number of victims in both rounds and that was followed off a wide right-handed sweeping turn to a 1.60m wall that represented the Austrian national flag and crest. The early drama of the day included a spectacular display of naughtiness from Finland’s path-finding 11-year-old grey, Lennox Luis, who threw a temper tantrum when asked to turn away from the out-gate and go down to the wall, and who wasn’t satisfied until he threw himself on the ground and unseated his rider, Henri Kovacs.

Meanwhile, the end of the course presented plenty of questions, with the penultimate triple combination taking a heavy toll. Augier de Moussac commented afterwards, “It was partly difficult because it was at the end of the track and the time was short. If you over-rode to the triple bar going in, then it was easy to have the vertical down or meet the last oxer on a bad stride,” she explained. And talking about the open water, she added, “I’m lucky I have such a good jumper because I hate water; I always add a stride going in and Charly was brilliant in both rounds!”

Reduced to eight

The maximum permitted quota of 13 teams was reduced to eight for the second round which began with another spectacular display from Kovacs’ Lennox Luis, but this time of the very best kind as the horse jumped brilliantly from start to finish, collecting just a single time-fault when over the 77 seconds time-allowed. This boosted Finnish morale, but despite a much-improved second effort they would only succeed in moving up two places, from eighth to sixth. The Turkish team carried 14 faults into the second round and didn’t improve from seventh spot when hampered by elimination for their opening rider Derin Demirsoy who parted company with his 12-year-old Holsteiner, Colino, after a mistake at fence five.

Luxembourg carried 12 faults after impressive four-fault efforts from Christian Weier (Global) Victor Bettendorf (Sorbier Blanc) and Noemie Goergen (Smint 2), and, adding only nine more they moved up one place to finish fifth. But the real battle was played out between the Ukrainians who carried eight into round two, the Germans, Poles and Hungarians carrying just four faults each and the Czechs out in front on a zero score.

Chances were dashed

Hungarian chances were dashed by the addition of 28 to see them plummet down the order, and Poland moved on to a 16-fault scoreline despite a last-to-go clear from Marek Lewicki and Abigej. Jorne Sprehe’s clear with Luna, that included a breath-taking leap over the water, ensured Germany only had to add nine to their tally, but three clears from the Ukraine pinned the Germans back to third spot, Katharina Offel (Quebracho Semilly), Cassio Rivetti (Forlap) and Rene Tebbel (Cooper 75) never putting a foot wrong.

The Czechs, however, had it in the bag after third-line rider, Zvara, returned with five faults when his grey stallion, Cento Lano, hit the oxer at fence six and was a little late through the timers. Zusana Zelinkova and her fabulous and flashy stallion Caleri ll, whose only mistake first time out was at the wall, returned with just a single time penalty and when Augier de Moussac posted a second clear then Zvara’s error only moved their running total onto an unbeatable six faults. So when Ales Opatrny and Acovardo set off it was cosmetic, his single time fault in another brilliant tour of the track negating Zvara’s five and increasing the winning margin by a full six faults.

Great team spirit

“We have great team spirit; we support each other a lot,” said Augier de Moussac who competed on last year’s winning Czech team at Budapest and at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy with her other top ride, Danthe. “Charly Brown is a new horse for me; my sister broke her wrist last year and he was only jumping up to 1.35m until last summer with her. He’s come a long way in a very short time!” explained the talented French-born rider who has been based with her trainer, Vincent Voorn, in Eindhoven, Holland for the last 18 months.

“I believed we could hold on!” she said, when asked about her team being in the lead at the halfway stage. “Our horses all jumped grand, but it’s only my second time in a Nations Cup and I didn’t know what to expect exactly. My horse stayed very calm in both rounds though.”

And Martin Ohnheiser, who made his debut as Czech Chef d’Equipe today, could hardly believe how things worked out. “I’m absolutely over the moon; what a great feeling!” he said.

For further information on the fifth leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series at Linz, Austria, go to www.linzerpferdefestival.com or contact Press Officer Nora Kronheim, Email presse@linzerpferdefestival.com, Tel +43 660 6531825.

Next Friday, 15 May, two legs of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series will take place. La Baule, France hosts the second round of Europe Division 1, and for all details on the French fixture, go to www.labaule-cheval.com or contact Press Officer Veronique Gauthier, Email veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr.

The second leg of Europe Division 2 will be held on the same afternoon at Odense in Denmark, and for further information on the Danish fixture, check out website www.firsthorsegrandprix.dk or contact Press Officer Christel Krøyer, Email ck@jbkhorseshows.dk, Tel +45 29268626

Full result here.

Facts and Figures:

Linz in Austria presented the first leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping European Division 2 League today, with the team from the Czech Republic coming out on top.

A total of 13 nations started in the first round, with nine chasing points towards the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Final which will take place in Barcelona, Spain in September.

8 teams went through to the second round.

Course designer was Austria’s Franz Madl.

10 horse-and-rider combinations jumped clear in the first round including 3 from the Czech Republic who led the way at the halfway stage.

Only four jumped clear in the second round.

Just one double-clear performance on the day, from Czech Republic’s second-line horse-and-rider partnership Charly Brown ridden by Emma Augier de Moussac.

Quotes:

Emma Augier de Moussac: “I was born in France, but I’ve been meeting all of the other team riders through the years and we are always there for each other.”

Zuzana Zelinkova: “Today was an absolutely super day of sport, and getting first place is just amazing. This is our second Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ win following our triumph last year in Budapest. I really want to thank my teammates for their unbelievable performance!”

Emma Augier de Moussac: “I am ever so proud to be part of this team. You can never get tired of winning and I want to experience more moments like this.”

Ondrej Zvara: “The course today was great, and it went very well. My horse doesn’t usually make many faults to start with, and the challenging part – the triple – he dealt with well so a great day overall.”

Franz Madl (Course Designer): I would firstly like to congratulate the Czech team for their magnificent win today. I am, however, disappointed that Austria couldn’t make it further!”

For further information on the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series, check out this link.

By Louise Parkes

Media Contacts:

At Linz:

Nora Kronheim
Press Officer
presse@linzerpferdefestival.com
+43 660 6531825

At FEI:

Grania Willis
Director Media Relations
Grania.willis@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 42

Malina Gueorguiev
Manager Press Relations
malina.gueorguiev@fei.org
+41 78 750 61 33