On the penultimate day of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy, the first Final took place and Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch secured gold as they stood proudly on the podium in the 8-year-old category. In the easy-to-understand format, the Final saw each Studbook put forward three combinations. Each team started on a clean sheet for the Final with no drop score. The winning Studbook is the team with the least number of faults in the fastest time after all three combinations of results are added together.
In a surprising turn of events the first team to go Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch where crowned champions after finishing on a team total of 8 faults in 226.04 s just a second faster in time compared to Zangersheide who also finished 8 faults but in 227.36 seconds. The Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch made up of Ballerina 328 (Owner: Anke Nettebrock, Kai Ligges / Breeder: Ludger Gripshöver) and Marie Ligges, Project One (Owner: Lara Weber / Breeder: Paul Beutelmann) ridden by Lara Weber and Lajacuma (Owner: Ursula Rosendahl / Breeder: Hannelore Reibke) ridden by Hendrik Dowe pilled the pressure on teams to come.
Team Results after 8 year olds Final:
- Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch
- Zangersheide
- Danish Warmblood
- KWPN
- Selle Francais
- Belgium Warmblood
- Irish Sport Horse
Zangersheide’s squad opted to play it safe after not many clear rounds and couldn’t quite match the pace taking home silver medal position. The team featuring Tirelire T&L Z (Owner: Maeve Jungers / Breeder: Tilleman Cedric & Delphine) and Odile Gierech, Bobby Prova Z (Owner: Prova-Hof Nv / Breeder: Provahof Nv) ridden by Simon Prouvé and an epic clear round from Ecuador DW Z (Owner: DW Stables / Breeder: DW Stables) ridden by Thomas de Wit kept them in the game.
After 8 faults each for the Danish Warmblood team who only breed around 500 foals a year for show jumping, Calgrafi DWB (Owner: Peder Frederiksen / Breeder: Peder Frederiksen) ridden by Emil Hallundbaek and Soendervangs Matilde (Owner: Simone Hansen Scherff / Breeder: Soendervang V/ Else Og Nis Ravn) ridden by Simone Hansen Scherff where saved by a stunning clear round from Untouchable Olympic (Owner: Julie Højer Thomsen / Breeder: Schou Absolute Horses A/S) and Adam Sparlund Olesen to secure the team bronze medal position.
Irish Sport Horses looked on track to take the title as Commandant Geoff Curran and DHF Alliance (Owner: Minister For Defence / Breeder: Paul Douglas) won individually for the third time this week but it all fell apart for the rest of the team making the competition electric until the last round.
Team Results after 7 year olds Qualifier 1 & 2:
- Selle Francais: 623 points
- Anglo European Studbook: 550 points
- Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch: 521 points
- Irish Sport Horse: 505 points
- Hannoveraner Verband: 494 points
- Belgium Warmblood: 475 points
- Zangersheide: 474 points
- Oldenburg – International: 459 points
- KWPN: 457 points
- Danish Warmblood: 429 points
Selle Francais will take pole position as the last team to go in tomorrow’s 7 year old final after dominating the two qualifiers. Today the team had three clear rounds from Gengis Kann de Londe (Owner & Breeder: Mathias Spilmann and Pierre Spilmann) ridden by Emeric George, Giorgio d’Ellipse (Owner: S.N.C. Ellipse / Breeder: S.N.C. Ellipse) ridden by Robin Lesqueren and Grand Duc du Paradiso (Owner: Alain Leclercq, E.A.R.L. Quibel Stables / Breeder: Jean Marie Lefevre) ridden by Sara Brionne. After winning today’s qualifier individally with the fastest time by two seconds Anglo European Studbook have put themselves in a soil position for the dramatic Final with Gmail (Owner: Carron Nicol / Breeder: Tops Horse Trading BV & Camaran Stavble BV) and Leo Lamb. They eight other clear rounds from today’s 1.40m came from Irish Sport Horses, three from Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch, Zangersheide, Danish Warmblood, Hannoveraner Verband and Belgium Warmblood.
Team Results after 6 year olds Qualifier 1 & 2 :
- Anglo European Studbook: 571 points
- Hannoveraner Verband: 563 points
- Irish Sport Horse: 548 points
- Selle Francais: 513 points
- KWPN: 512 points
- Zangersheide: 507 points
- Westfalisches Pferdestammbuch: 500 points
- Oldenburg – International: 466 points
- Belgium Warmblood: 450 points
- Danish Warmblood: 416 points
The 1.35m second qualifier for 6-year-olds was dominated by Zangersheide as Cosimo de Leau Z (Owner: Philippe Bormans / Breeder: K.I. Hof Ter Leeuwe) took the individual victory ridden by Thomas Mertens. With 25 clear rounds in today, the time was crucial. Anglo European Studbook’s consistency paid off today as they will tackle the Final tomorrow in a prime spot after two within the top 10 today from Chrysler Key SR (Owner: Carron Nicol / Breeder: Keystud) ridden by Leo Lamb and Millfield Lottery (Owner: Angela Hunt, Nick Ward / Breeder: Millfield Stud) ridden by Emily Ward. Third place individually and team today was Hannoveraner Verband with Diabolo 588 (Owner: Eduard Voss / Breeder: Eduard Voss) and Dieter Smitz.
Tomorrow looks forward to the final day of the first edition of the WBFSH Studbooks Jumping Global Champions Trophy and the Finals for the 5-year-old, 6-year-old and 7-year-old. Tune in for free via GCTV to watch all the action and find out which Studbook will become Champions!