Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup: Dutch team a class above the rest.

Fans were treated to a great spectacle yesterday at the Falsterbo Horse Show; the Swedish event which also staged the latest leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup.
The international competition brought together the leading Dutch, Swedish and German nations, all battling it out for first prize and precious points for the overall standings and eventually won by Holland.
Holland’s strength on the international show-jumping scene is of no secret to anyone and the team’s majestic performance yesterday led by coach Rob Ehrens simply confirmed their status as the current nation to beat.
The Dutch team came out on top thanks to a faultless performance registering no errors to take home in addition to first place, 64.000 euros in prize money and 100 important points for the overall standings.
In fact, victory over the other nations takes them second in the overall standings on 295 points and hot on the heels of the French, leading the way on 310.
Focusing back to the competition itself, just 3 of the 4 members of the Dutch team went round course: in light of his team-mates’ outstanding displays, and subsequent overwhelming advantage over the other nations, Gerco Schroder could afford to sit out and hand his mount Glock’s Cognac Champblanc a rest.
The stars then of Holland’s impressive victory, achieved without a single penalty, were: Harrie Smolders with Emerald, Maikel van der Vleuten with vdl Groep Verdi Tn NOP and Leopold van Asten with Vdl Groep Zidane.
With Holland simply on another level, Sweden and Germany were left to fight it out for second place. Interestingly, and despite fielding second string line-ups, it was a very tight battle, so much so that the two nations ended up sharing second place.
4 penalties a piece meant the second step of the podium went to Germany led by Otto Becker and the home nation led by Sylve Soderstrand. The rider line-ups are listed below:
SWEDEN
Peder Fredricson – H&M All In (Kashmir vanT Shuttershof) – 0/0
Douglas Lindelow – Casello (Casall) – 0/5 (discarded)
Helena Persson – Bonzai H (Baloubet du Rouet) – 5 (discarded)/0
Henrik von Eckermann – Cantinero (Cento) – 4/0
GERMANY
Marcus Ehning – Comme Il Faut 5 (Cornet Obolensky) – 0/4
Janne Friederike Meyer – Goya 27 (Wandor van de Mispelaere)- 0/0
Mario Stevens – Brooklyn 17 (Balou du Rouet) – 0/0
Patrick Stuhlmeyer – Lacan 2 (Lando) – 4/4 (discarded)
CLICK HERE for a full list of the results: http://www.longinestiming.com/File/Download?id=00020A0100060F02FFFFFFFFFFFFFF04
OVERALL STANDINGS
1st France – 310 pts
2nd Holland – 295 pts
3rd Sweden – 295 pts
4th Belgium – 250 pts
5th Germany – 225 pts
6th Ireland – 205 pts
7th Great Britain – 200 pts
8th Spain – 195 pts
9th Switzerland – 160 pts
10th ITALY – 155 pts
Photo Credits: FEI
Pic. LOTTAPICTURES