Last weekend, the sporting spotlight was on the new Nations Cup series, the “League of Nations”. The world’s top ten teams competed against one another in the first round in Abu Dhabi.
According to the organisers, the revamped series – with €700,000 in prize money per leg and €1.6 million in prize money for the final in Barcelona – aims to combine the traditions of the past with the excitement of modern sport. One of the new features is that, in the second round of each leg, only three of the four team riders are permitted to compete. The Irish team, which finished second, comprised Cordial by Casall-Chicago Z (Hans-Hermann Gempf, Stelle), Stamm 325, and Denis Lynch. The Irish rider has only been in the saddle of the Casall son for a few months; the horse previously competed in Nations Cups, amongst other events, for France’s Meganne Moisonnier. In their short time together, Lynch and the stallion have already secured placings in Basel (SUI) and Leipzig (GER); in Abu Dhabi, they only had to compete for their team in the first round.
The Swedish team, which finished third, comprised Zuccero HV by Zirocco Blue-Caretino (Hanno Köhncke, Badendorf), line 4539, and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson. Following a clear round in the first round and equally strong performances from the other team riders, one fence did come down in the second round; however, thanks to the fast time set by Bengtsson and the association’s stallion, the Swedish team were able to relegate the Brazilians – who were level on points but slower – to fourth place.
Two Holsteiners were represented in the US team, which finished sixth: the Cascadello I–Clinton I son Carissimo (Sport a Media S.R.0./SLO), line 2666, ridden by Aaron Vale, and Cloud by Clarimo-Quintero (Hans-Christian Christiansen, Goldelund), line 8765, ridden by Hannah Selleck.
In Samorin (SVK), Claus by Casalito-Cosido (Fedder Feddersen, Olderup), line 890, ridden by Tim Hoster (GER), won a 1.45-metre show jumping class – the ten-year-old’s greatest international success to date.
Holsteiners secured two third places over 1.45 metres in Vejer de la Frontera (ESP) and Wellington (USA). Le Cordial by Lyjanero-Singulord Joter (Reimer Detlef Hennings, Bendorf), line 18A1, and Andrzej Oplatek (POL) took bronze under the Spanish sun. The former Bundeschampion Lissino by Limbus–Cassini I (Günter Brockstedt, Langwedel), line 456, and Darragh Kerrins (IRL) took third place in the USA.
Further results for Holsteiners from around the world can be found here:
Photo by Stefan Lafrentz: Cordial
