Double-gold and individual bronze for German Juniors at Bialy Bor
Germany claimed three of the six medals on offer at the FEI European Eventing Championships for Juniors 2015 at Bialy Bor in Poland. The event, which ran from 13 to 16 August, attracted competitors sfrom 18 countries, and 13 nations lined out in the team competition. Johanna Zantop claimed the individual title for Germany with FBW Santana’s Boy ahead of Victor Levecque from France, while Hanna Knuppel further underpinned German strength when slotting into bronze medal spot. This helped Team Germany to secure a massive winning margin of almost 30 points over France who took team silver while Britain lined up in bronze medal spot.
Established her credentials
Zantop established her credentials with the leading Dressage score of 31.5 from her 10-year-old gelding which gave her four points of an edge over Britain’s Sam Ecroyd and Opera House at the end of the first phase. Switzerland’s Sophie Schiesser and Canus Lupus were next in line, followed by three more of the German contingent – Jerome Robine (Quaddeldou R), Lara Schapmann (Quinzi Royal) and Anais Neumann (Pumuckel E) – while Leveque’s 39.9 was only good enough for seventh spot at this stage.
Schapman’s mark of 38.50 with Quinzi Royal ensured the German team was out in front going into Saturday’s cross-country test, but it was fourth team member, Romina Engelberth (High Speedy), who stepped into the breach the following day when the tour of the solid timber took its toll. From the start-list of 77 horse-and-rider combinations there were 15 eliminations, and Ecroyd’s fall at fence 10a on the 19-obstacle track rocked British chances. Scheisser and Schapmann plummeted down the order with time penalties, but Engelberth stood her ground to steady the German ship, and her side already had a colossal 35.5 point lead over the British going into the final afternoon, while the French were just over two penalty points further adrift.
Coloured poles
Zantop, who collected just 2.4 time penalties on cross-country day, picked up four more faults over the coloured poles to finish on a final tally of 37.90 on Sunday afternoon. But Knuppel was one of just three to complete on her Dressage mark, and even though Engelberth added 12 to her scoreline in the jumping arena, the final German total of 137.50 claimed the top step of the team podium by a long margin.
Meanwhile the French overtook the British, Leveque, who took the individual Eventing title at last year’s FEI European Pony Championships in Millstreet, Ireland, adding just 0.8 cross-country time faults to his scoreline to complete on 40.70. Backed up by 54.90 from Thais Meheust (Quamilha) and 70.80 from Soizic Lefevre (Saga de Mai), and with Justine Bonnet’s 113.90 with Saga de Mai providing the drop score, they completed on a total of 166.40 to take the silver.
Britain’s Charlotte East (Clear Dawn), Charlotte Bacon (Sannanvalley Justice), Alex Kennedy (Chocolate Domino) and Sam Ecroyd posted 176.00 for the bronze, and Belgium just missed the podium when finishing fourth ahead of Ireland in fifth and Italy in sixth place.
The final individual standings showed less than three marks separating gold medallist Zantop from Levecque in silver, while Knuppel was only 1.1 marks further behind when clinching the bronze.
FEI European Junior Team Eventing Championship:
GOLD – Germany 137.50:
Carismo 22 (Hanna Knuppel) 41.60,
High Speedy (Romina Engelberth) 58.00,
Quinzi Royal (Lara Schapmann) 60.70,
FBW Santana’s Boy (Johanna Zantop) 37.90
SILVER – France 166.40:
Saga de Mai (Solzic Lefevre) 48.40,
Newton D’Hericourt (Justine Bonnet) 113.90,
Phunambule des Auges (Victor Levecque) 40.70,
Quamilha (Thais Meheust) 54.90
BRONZE – Great Britain 176.00:
Clear Dawn (Charlotte East) 70.90,
Sannanvalley Justice (Charlotte Bacon) 58.50,
Chocolate Domino (Alex Kennedy) 46.50,
Opera House (Sam Ecroyd)
FEI European Junior Individual Eventing Championship:
GOLD – FBW Santana’s Boy (Johanna Zantop) GER 37.9
SILVER – Phunambule des Auges (Victor Levecque) FRA 40.7
BRONZE – Carismo 22 (Hanna Knuppel) GER 41.6
Source: Press release FEI
