Hazel Shannon and Willingapark Clifford, pictured here competing in Australia.

© Michelle Terlato Photography

Aussie eventing team fifth at Hara du Pin Nations Cup

By Equestrian Life

The Australian team has finished in fifth place at the Nations Cup eventing competition at Haras du Pin in France.

All four of the Australian team riders jumped well on the final day, boosting Australia's position following the cross-country phase, after which they had been sixth.

Hazel Shannon and WillingaPark Clifford were the highest placed team riders in 17th on a score of 33.4. The pair produced a double clear in the jumping phases, adding just 2.4 cross country time penalties to their dressage score.

Sam Lyle and BF Valour were 31st on 39.9, adding 3.2 time penalties and one jumping rail to their dressage score; Jessica Rae and Fifth Avenue were 66th on 61.9, adding 20 cross country jumping penalties and time penalties in both phases to their dressage score; and Lissa Green was 86th with Billy Bandit on 102.8 after also having a few problems on cross country day.

All four combinations were competing on a Nations Cup Team for the very first time, and it was a great effort all round!

Andrew Hoy, who rode an as individual at this event with Vassily de Lassos, was seventh on his dressage score of 29.6. Kevin McNab and Willunga, who also rode as individuals, were 16th on 27.2 after adding 2 cross country time penalties and a jumping rail to their dressage score.

Well done to the Aussies!


Read the full report from the FEI below…

Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH for team Germany.

© FEI/Massimo Argenziano

Germany’s rising stars take FEI Nations Cup honours

By Eleanore Kelly

A German team made up of fresh talent, dominated the French edition of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™. This was the fifth leg of this popular series which took place at Le Pin au Haras, in Normandy from 11-14 August. Their overall score of 94.4 put them ahead of home nation France who completed on 98.5. Third place went to Great Britain who finished on 100.5.

Impressive dressage and cross-country performances from the German team put them in a strong position going into the final jumping phase. It was Alina Dibowski’s fabulous clear on Barbados 26, finishing on her dressage score, that secured the victory and also helped her achieve individual third place. The 22 year old rider was competing in her very first Nations Cup and is the daughter of Andreas Dibowski, who won a gold medal in team eventing for Germany at the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Speaking after her clear jumping round, Alina said:

“My horse gives me the most confident feeling because I have had him since he was five (years old) and we grew up together and now at this level together. Also my parents who have supported me at every moment of my career. The Europeans is a goal for me now, especially after this event but every year it is getting tougher (to make the team) so we will just hope for the best.”

Malin Hansen-Hotopp describes herself as a ‘semi-professional rider. “I was on the Young rider teams and was champion in 1996 and 1997 and afterwards we became farmers and I got three kids so we build up a farm and I rode young horses. Now the kids have grown up and I have trained young horses and now I have two 4 star horses. The Germans have a second team and we are that today. We are really pleased that the second team could do a good job as three of us were on the long-list for the World Championships. In Germany it is really hard to get on the team, we have really strong riders.”

Discussing the cross-country track, riders were full of praise. Hansen-Hotopp summed it up:

“This is a really great place- I loved the cross-country, it is up and down hill and with the castle in the background, it was a great view. The cross-country was tough but good and the ground was fabulous.”

France, the home nation finished a close second. Gaspard Maksud, who finished best of the French quartet summed up the cross-country and his performance:

The cross-country was a proper 4* track. It was big enough and technical enough and the time was tight enough but not impossible. My horse was just super, she tried so hard for me. She is only nine years old and she is already competitive and she just wants to please. All week everything was so good.”

It was one of the most hotly contested legs of the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ so far, with 12 teams coming forwards. There were a number of leading riders, including New Zealand’s team stalwarts Tim and Jonelle Price, as well as Mollie Summerland on her 2021 Luhmuhlen 5* winner, Charley Van Ter Heiden. In addition there were a number of promising young and lesser known riders, looking to gain experience and make their mark on Senior teams, which this 4* Series is perfect for. The event was also a final run for several combinations heading for the FEI Eventing World Championship 2022, which takes place in Pratoni del Vivaro (ITA) from 15-18 September.

Le Pin au Haras is a venue of great significance in French equestrian sport, and hosted the eventing competition for the FEI World Equestrian GamesTM 2014 in Caen. It will also be host to the next FEI Eventing European Championships which take place in 2023.  

The FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ action moves to Belgium and Canada next, with the sixth and seventh legs of the series taking place simultaneously in Arville and Bromont respectively from 18-21 August. That leaves just Ballindenisk (IRL) in September prior to the ninth and final leg of the series in Boekelo (NED) from 6-9 October.

Full results can be found here.

Source: FEI press release

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