Aachen 2015 round-up: team show-jumping grand finale today.

Things are starting to hot up at the European Championships as we head into the final stage of the team show-jumping in Aachen.
France currently lead the provisional standings after the first stage with coach Philippe Guerdat fielding the following riders: Jerome Hurel with Quartz Rouge, Kevin Staut with Reveur de Hurtebise, Simon Delestre with Ryan Des Hayettes and Penelope Lèprevost with Flora de Mariposa.
The latter horse and rider combination in particular have shown themselves to be in fine form and their displays have also taken them to the top of the provisional standings in the individual category after the first stage. Penèlope and Flora de Marisposa will be out to maintain their excellent form to help bring home the gold for France.
A total of 3 pairs in the French team recorded clears, and apart from the aforementioned Penèlope and Flora de Marisposa, Simon Delestre with Ryan Des Hayettes and Kevin Staut with Reveur de Hurtebise also cleared the course. Jerome Hurel with Quartz Rouge wasn’t quite as accurate or as fast as his team-mates amassing 5 penalties in 90.42 seconds.
In second at the moment we find Holland with the following riders: world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam with SFN Zenith (the quickest amongst the Dutch riders, clearing the course in 87.37 seconds), Jur Vrieling with VDL Zirocco Blue, Gerco Schroder with Glock’s Cognac Champblanc and Maikel van der Vleuten with VDL Groep Verdi TN (4 penalties in 87.17).
Hosts Germany are in third and will be needing a strong performance to leapfrog the Dutch and French to take the win on home soil. The Germans entered the European Championships as the favourites for the gold in almost all disciplines, above all in dressage and show-jumping, but despite all the expectations Germany are still in search of their first gold.
Germany and their coach Otto Becker will be relying heavily then on the experience and class of Ludger Beerbaum with Chiara 222, a rider who can make the difference and who sits in second in the provisional standings for the individual category behind Penelope Leprevost. Beerbaum and his grey Holsteiner mare Chiara 222 haven’t disappointed and gave an impeccable performance clearing the course in a time of 87.43 seconds. Compatriot Daniel Deusser was also in good form, registering the second clear for the hosts with Cornet D’Amour but Meredith-Michaels Beerbaum with Fibonacci 17 and Christian Ahlmann with Taloubet Z both collected 4 penalties apiece.
Team GB are in fourth and in a good position to claim a podium finish, even if they are trying to do so without star rider Scott Brash. Britain have fielded the following line up: Joe Clee (clear with Utamaro D’Ecaussines), Michael Whitaker (clear with Cassionato), Ben Maher (4 penalties with Diva II) and Jessica Mendoza (12 penalties with Spirit T).
The rest of the top-ten:
5th Ukraine – 13.030
6th Switzerland – 14.230
7th Spain – 16.580
8th Denmark – 17.270
9th Ireland – 17.960
10th Sweden – 19.300
CLICK HERE for a full breakdown of the results: http://results.aachen2015.de/show/7/event/31/championship/team/standing/
As for Italy, Daniele Augusto Da Rios was the only Azzurri rider to score a clear for his team with For Passion (For Pleasure) in a time of 87.89 seconds. The Milanese rider’s sensational performance also puts him in 15th place for the individual category. The other Italians meanwhile are currently as follows: Piergiorgio Bucci with Catwalk Z (24th), Emanuele Gaudiano with Admara 2 (60th) and Lorenzo De Luca with Geisha van Orshof (49th). See here for more : http://results.aachen2015.de/show/7/event/31/championship/individual/standing/
Continuing our round-up, Emanuele Gaudiano picked up his second win at the 2015 edition of the European Championships and after winning the opening trial, the rider from Matera in the southern region of Basilicata, rode to victory with his Oldenburg stallion Caspar 232 in the Stawag-Prize against the clock. The duo cleared the course in a time of 67.39 seconds and came ahead of the current European Champion Roger-Yves Bost with Qoud’Coeur de la Loge (clear in 67.84) in second and Denmark’s Andreas Schou with Allstar (69.40) in third.
In terms of the other Italian riders competing, Juan Carlos Garcia came in 11th place with Gitano v.Berkenbroek after a faultless run in 74.30 seconds. Piergiorgio Bucci finished 29th with Cuarta after 4 penalties, Lorenzo De Luca 38th with Erco van’T Roosakker (5 penalties) and Daniele Augusto Da Rios 42nd with Baedeker (8 penalties). See here for a full breakdown of the results: http://results.aachen2015.de/show/7/event/32/competition/6/result/
The show-jumping action keeps on coming today with the Prize of Soers, reserved to young horses at midday, the trial reserved to riders under-25 for the Sap-Prize at 14.15 before the big one at 17.00 for the grand finale of the team event which will lead to one nation being crowned European Champions. You can follow it all live on Eurosport.
www.aachen2015.de