Two successful FEI World Cup™ qualifiers have taken place in Eastern Europe, at Minsk (BLR) and Strzegom (POL).
Minsk (BLR), 19-22 June 2008
Aliaksandra Hlushakova (BLR), 26, won the former, riding Logika, a horse she has produced from one-star level and with whom she has won at each level, and finished second in the Moscow CCI**.
The field was reduced to eight, due to the fact that the Olympic candidates were in training in Poland, but it was a tight contest.
Hlushakova was only fifth after dressage, but there were only two clear cross-country rounds, so her joint fastest time of 16.8 gave her enough leeway to have two show jumps down in the final phase and still beat Ilya Anisin on Rascasse (BLR) by 2.90 penalties.
The site at Minsk has had several million dollars spent on it, and the event was televised and attended by the sports minister. Technical delegate Andy Griffiths (GBR) said: “It’s a very exciting venue, with a great cross-country, which should be able to stage some major competitions in the future.”
Results:
1 Aliaksandra Hlushakova (Logika, BLR) 58 + 16.8 + 8 = 82.8
2 Ilya Anisin (Rascasse, BLR) 63.7 + 22 + 0 = 85.7
3 Yahor Ramanouski (Alex, BLR) 65.9 + 46 (20.26) + 12 = 123.9
Strzegom (POL), 26-29 June
In Poland a week later, Germany’s Elmar Lesch, 48, achieved his first FEI World Cup™ points in style, heading an international field at Strzegom on Finch Hatton TS and rising from 13th after dressage to win with one of only two clear jumping rounds.
His compatriot, Dirk Schrade, riding his top horse Sindy 43, led after dressage and cross-country but incurred 16 jumping penalties plus 5 for time to drop to second.
Sweden’s Sara Algotsson, riding her veteran home-bred team horse, Robin des Bois, was second after cross-country, but incurred 12 faults to fall to third.
Marina Kohncke, who rode at the 2000 Olympics, was back in the international frame, fourth on Calma Schely, while another rider making a comeback into the big time was seventh-placed Piotr Piasecki (Jedrusia), 55, a mainstay of the Polish team in the 1980s and ‘90s.
A total of 24 riders from 10 nations started, but the cross-country was to prove influential. Although there were 10 clears, only the top three riders finished with under 10 time penalties and 10 were eliminated or retired.
These included the sole Briton, Oliver Townend, who was lying second after dressage on ODT Master Rose (46) but missed out fence 7, and Madeleine Brugman (NED), fourth after dressage on Sundancer, who suffered a broken rein. The Italian show jumper, Juan Carlos Gracia, also retired with his new ride, Ypaja Karuso, formerly world bronze medal horse of Pia Pantsu (FIN).
Strzegom is a possible venue for a future World Cup™ final. Ground jury member Jane Tolley (GBR) said: “It was a super competition, so hospitable and welcoming. I was really impressed.”
A crowd of about 5,000 attended the final day, but there was a sad postscript when the first horse in the jumping ring, Autorytet, ridden by Krrzysztof Jawid, fell and suffered fatal injuries.
Results:
1 Elmar Lesch (Finch Hatton TS, GER) 55.8 + 8.4 + 0 = 64.2
2 Dirk Schrade (Sindy 43, GER) 41.10 + 5.6 + 16 = 67.7
3 Sara Algotsson (Robin des Bois, SWE) 51.8 + 9.6 + 13 = 74.4
4 Marina Kohncke (Calma Schely, GER) 51.2 + 30.4 + 4 = 85.6
5 Anneli Persson (Lupin, SWE) 53.8 + 18.8 + 10 = 86.8
6 Martin Drescher (Surprise 64, GER) 55.8 + 19.6 + 16 = 92.4
The Standings
With 11 of the 16 qualifiers now complete, Montgomery Clift (USA) still leads the FEI World Cup™ standings on 160, followed by Oliver Townend (GBR) and Pippa Funnell (GBR), both on 115. Ireland’s Geoff Curran is fourth on 112, from William Fox-Pitt (GBR) on 110 and Dirk Schrade on 102. Aliaksandra Hlushakova (BLR) and Elmar Lesch (GER) join the six other riders in joint 7th place on 100 points as the action moves to Australia, at Warwick, and America, at Kalispell, on July 26-27.
The Final
The HSBC FEI World Cup™ Final will take place in Deauville (FRA) on September 18-21.
