New York Empire strike back | ||
Georgina Bloomberg and Daniel Bluman of New York Empire © GCL / Stefano Grasso
Georgina Bloomberg and Daniel Bluman of New York Empire kept cool heads under enormous pressure with a spectacular victory at GCL Valkenswaard. With their horses Quibelle and Ladriano Z, the teammates delivered a flawless performance to storm to the win a full four seconds faster than their closest rivals and denying the Cannes Stars supremacy. High in the overall rankings but with the worst score, the Miami Celtics were looking for some serious damage control in this round of action. The team made a strategic rider change, with Michael Duffy off the bench to replace William Whitaker. First to go was Christophe Vanderhasselt who brought back his 11-year-old bay mare Identity Vitseroel. They bounced around the arena, but the LGCT vertical tumbled taking their score up to 17 faults so far. Michael Duffy brought out Mullaghdrin Touch The Stars, but they too had a fence - the GC Prague Playoffs plank - leaving the team on a total of 21 faults today. Madrid In Motion kept the same father-son line-up of Eric and Maikel van der Vleuten, however Maikel swapped to his 11-year-old mare Dana Blue. Eric was first up, keeping Wunschkind 19 for this round of action, and the pair flew around the track - surviving a lucky rub of the GCL oxer. They came home clear, passing the reins to son Maikel. Maikel and Dana Blue looked on flawless form, and they too brought home a clear for the team - Madrid in Motion would stay on their overnight score of 8. Another team to make a horse change were the Hamburg Giants, with Simon Delestre bringing out his top horse Hermes Ryan. The small, punchy liver chestnut gelding rocketed around the arena, the duo making the tightest of turns and making up time in every corner. But Simon allowed Hermes Ryan to open up a touch too much to the final fence, taking five strides to the oxer but it fell - putting the team on a score of 12. Bart Bles kept Israel v.d.Dennehoeve, but the mare unfolded a touch too quickly at the GCL oxer and it too fell, dropping the team to a score of 16 overall. Chantilly Pegasus followed the same strategy of the Giants, with Carlos Lopez swapping to his top horse G&C Arrayan. But G&C Arrayan fought for his head down the double set alongside the VIP and a pole tumbled, before it all started to unravel and they finished on 12 faults. Francois Mathy Jr stayed with his horse Uno de la Roque, and they produced a clear, but it wasn’t to be for the team, as they finished on a score of 20 today. U25 rider Emil Hallundbaek stepped up for the Berlin Eagles today, riding with legend Ludger Beerbaum for the first time. The young Danish rider brought out his 12-year-old Chalisco but both the green and white oxer, and the following LGCT vertical fell. The second part of the double down the final line also tripped the pair up, with another 12 faults added to their overnight score of 4 faults. Ludger Beerbaum went for a steady approach with Cool Feeling, his tactics clearly to bring home a clear and limit the damage for the team. It paid off, the team finishing on 16 today. Overall ranking leaders the London Knights knew they had to keep all the fences up today to be in with a chance of keeping the coveted leader armbands. Gudrun Patteet brought back her top horse Sea Coast Valdelamadre Clooney and the pair put in a foot-perfect round to bring home the clear. Teammate Olivier Philippaerts swapped to his top mare H&M Legend of Love, the 13-year-old grey mare quick around the course. They looked on song, but there was heartache as the back rail of the final oxer fell, the crowd groaning in disappointment as it hit the deck. The Knights would finish GCL Valkenswaard with 8 faults with an anxious wait to see how many points they can add to their tally here. Valkenswaard United Home city team Valkenswaard United brought back Marcus Ehning for the second round of action at the Tops International Arena. Marcus piloted A La Carte NRW, the 11-year-old stallion jumping his heart out for the German rider, and they produced the clear for the team. Last year’s LGCT Grand Prix of Valkenswaard winner Frank Schuttert came off the bench for the team, bringing forward his top horse Queensland E. But the crowd groaned as the second part of the double set down the grandstand fell, United dropping to a score of 8 and behind the Knights on their combined time. The Swans kept their formidable rider line-up in Daniel Deusser and Peder Fredricson - Number 2 and 3 in the Longines World Ranking - but both chose to make strategic horse changes today, with the team clearly in the hunt to retake the overall ranking lead. Daniel brought out Jasmien v. Bisschop, and they produced the clear, keeping the team on their overnight score of 4 faults. Peder opted to ride H&M All In, his 13-year-old bay gelding and they too looked on phenomenal form - bringing home another clear to keep the team on 4. The Panthers made a strategic rider to change to bring in Gregory Wathelet with Picobello Full House Ter Linden Z in place of Harrie Smolders. The pair kept a steady, tidy round and despite a rub of the last their tactics paid off, the duo delivering a much-needed clear. Nayel Nassar kept Lucifer V, the dark bay gelding fresh and fiesty to the fences. Nayel knew he would have to jump a very fast clear to keep the Panthers ahead of the Swans. And they made up plenty of ground, the Panthers leaping ahead of the Swans on their combined time. They would finish with their overnight score of 4. The Doha Falcons were one of only two teams who made no horse or rider changes. First to go was Jur Vrieling with Davall, and they took on the course with determination. But they too had agony at the last as the final oxer fell, the crowd groaning along with Jur as the pole fell. Bassem Mohammed and Gunder wanted to keep the team score of 5 intact, and gave the big striding bay a careful ride, taking extra care at the last. They produced the goods, finishing clear and keeping the Falcons on their score of 5 in total. First of the teams on an overnight score of zero, Niels Bruynseels kept Ilusionata van't Meulenhof for today’s competition, but it would prove to be a costly round as the poles tumbled all over the course. In a surprising turnaround for the team, the Lions would drop to 12 faults. Marc Houtzager changed horses to Sterrehof's Calimero, but they too came undone at the LGCT vertical - another 4 faults putting the Lions on a total score of 16. The second of only two teams to make no horse or rider changes the Scandinavian Vikings first fielded Evelina Tovek with Winnetou de la Hamente Z. But they brought down the oxer in the double coming into the line along the VIP hospitality, the team dropping to a score of 4. Christian Ahlmann brought back Take A Chance On Me Z, and went for a steady clear rather than risk bettering the time of the Paris Panthers. They kept the team on 4, but the Vikings had to settle behind the Swans due to their slower combined time. Both Pirates opted to make a horse change, and Edwina Tops-Alexander brought out her 10-year-old chestnut gelding Casquell today. They gave a masterful performance, bringing home the clear for the team to keep them on their score of zero. Pieter Devos brought out his experienced bay gelding Espoir, the 15-year-old horse flying over the fences. Pieter kept a steady pace, giving the horse as much time as possible to the fences. The duo had a scary moment over the green and white oxer but recovered well to deliver a clear - the first team to produce a double clear this weekend. The Aces brought out their U25 rider Jos Verlooy with his top stallion Caracas for the second round of action at GCL Valkenswaard. But their hearts sank as the GCL oxer came down, the Aces falling to a score of 4 and out of contention for the win today. Jérôme Guery and Quel Homme de Hus returned to the ring, knowing only a clear could keep them in with a shot of the podium. But their pace was slow, and despite delivering the clear they would finish behind the rest of those with 4 faults. Georgina Bloomberg stepped up in place of Spencer Smith today, the New York Empire rider and team owner opting to ride her 10-year-old bay mare Quibelle for this round of action. They kept a steady and flowing rhythm throughout, producing a foot-perfect clear for the team. The pressure was firmly on the shoulders of Daniel Bluman with Ladriano Z, another big-striding horse, and they left all the fences up as they powered around the arena. They bettered the time of the Pirates, taking an impressive four seconds off the lead and piling the pressure on the final team, the Cannes Stars, to deliver a faster double clear. Two of the fastest riders on the circuit Margie Goldstein-Engle and Eric Lamaze joined forces again for the second round of action at GCL Valkenswaard. First to go Margie kept her ride with the 10-year-old gelding Dicas, but it all came undone at the first of the doubles, after Dicas spooked at the final moment and both elements fell. Another fence would drop the team to 12, and out of contention of even a podium today. Eric Lamaze made a horse change to Fine Lady 5, but he also had the first part of the double down. The team would finish on a disappointing 16 faults. READ THE LATEST NEWS ARTICLES HERE |
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© copyright. Equestrian Life. Saturday, 27 April 2024 https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/New-York-Empire-strike-back-with-GCL-Valkenswaard-victory |
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