FEI President Ingmar de Vos (front) with Team Germany (left to right) – Mario Stevens, Holger Wulschner, Otto Becker (Team Germany Chef d’Equipe), Andre Thieme and Maurice Tebbel. (FEI/Christophe Taniere)
Andre Thieme (42) snatched victory for Team Germany in a thrilling three-way jump-off at the opening qualifier of the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Europe Division 1 at Lummen (BEL).
The 2016 FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping champions were level with both France and host nation Belgium on just four faults after the first two rounds, and one rider from each side went into a third-round race against the clock.
“My Conthendrix has done so many Nations Cups for Germany and he is so consistent, such a fighter – I think he likes me and I really love him. We are just a great team together.”
Belgium’s Pieter de Vos (31) was first to take on the jump-off track, but left the door wide open when a misunderstanding saw his Olympic ride, Dream of India Greenfield, stop at the first element of the double.
Thieme made no mistake when next to go, scorching home in 39.75 seconds to really put it up to Rio Olympic French team gold medallist Penelope Leprevost (36) who was last into the arena.
Despite a tremendous clear round from her feisty 12-year-old mare Ratina d’La Rousserie, she was just over a second slower when breaking the beam putting Team France into the runner-up spot.
There were five teams chasing qualifying points for the FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2017 Final and Germany took the maximum 100 points ahead of France (90) and fourth-placed Italy (70). German Chef d’Equipe, Otto Becker, was delighted with his four-man crew that also included Maurice Tebbel (23) riding Chacco’s Son, Holger Wulschner (53) with BSC Skipper and Mario Stevens (34) partnering with Baloubet. “They were brilliant!” he said.
FEI President Ingmar de Vos, who attended the event, said: “This was a great first qualifier for Division 1, and it shows again how wonderful the concept of Nations Cup Jumping is! Having a jump-off between three nations was so exciting – it shows how passionate the riders are to defend their country, and their nation’s pride!”
Andre Thieme – Team Germany (winners), talking about the jump-off with his horse Conthendrix: “I wasn’t surprised by my horse’s performance – he did a few of the million dollar Grand Prix classes in the US and he was second, third and fourth. He finished in the top five in his last five Grand Prix classes! He’s a very, very special Nations Cup horse; I think he has done the most Nations Cups of any horse for Germany.”
Otto Becker – Chef d’Equipe for Team Germany: “I chose Andre because Conthendrix jumped the first two rounds really well. He also had enough time to prepare, and the horse is very experienced. I knew the team would fight and give their best, but it’s unbelievable how it happened.”
By Louise Parkes
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