PrintThe two countries are an ocean apart, but they had a lot in common in this five-star CSIO.
Even though the Canadians had a disappointing performance in the Nations Cup at the CSIO Madrid, Spain, May 15-18, won by the Netherlands, they made up for it in the $236,130 King’s Cup Grand Prix.
After 47 starters tackled Round 1, 11 riders qualified for the jump-off, including three of the four Canadian team members—Jill Henselwood/Special Ed, Eric Lamaze/Hickstead and Mac Cone/Ole.
In the end, Henselwood and Special Ed, an Oldenburg gelding, took the top check in the Madrid, Spain, featured class, with a clear round in a blistering 33.24 seconds. Lamaze and his impressive Holsteiner stallion Hickstead finished just fractions behind with a clear round in 34.60 seconds.
Cone, aboard the Dutch Warmblood gelding Ole, had one pole down in the tiebreaker for 11th.
After fourth team member Ian Millar had won the 1.50 meter class on Thursday aboard In Style and other members the Canadian team had achieved several top placings, the Canadians had been considered a favorite in the Nations Cup.
Unfortunately, their 20 penalties in the first round prevented them from qualifying for Round 2, ranking ninth.
Millar, the Canadian team veteran and two-time FEI World Cup Champion, was proud of his Canadian team for their performances and also for qualifying for the Olympics in Hong Kong this
summer.
“We have a really good team together and, I guess, we have a real chance to win a medal,” he said.
Over the four-day show, the national anthem of Canada had been played four times, twice for Lamaze, who had won on Thursday and on Sunday a 1.45 meter class with the Darco daughter Narcotique de Muse II.
With $236,130 donated by Volvo, the Nations Cup took on added importance Saturday evening, May 17, in front of tightly packed stands. The competition quickly became a tense, single-combat
battle between the Netherlands and Germany.
After the first round, in which 14 nations participated, seven (six plus the host nation Spain) were allowed
to compete in the second round. Germany had taken over the lead with no penalties.
Since Otto Becker, aboard the Holsteiner stallion Con Air, Max Kühner aboard the Bavarian stallion Acantus and Thomas Voss riding the Holsteiner gelding Leonardo, had achieved three clears, the 20 faults scored by Thomas Mühlbauer with the Oldenburg stallion Asti Spumante were scratched out.
The Netherlands and Great Britain shared second place with 4 faults.
For the Dutch quartet, Leon Thijssen, riding the Dutch Warmblood gelding Olaf, and Henk van de Pol aboard the Oldenburg gelding Dan 7-T, jumped clear, while Harrie Smolders and Exquis Oliver Q and Piet Raijmakers on Van Schijndel’s Rascin each had a rail.
In addition to Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain, France qualified for Round 2 as well as a
surprising Mexican team with 8 faults. Norway had 12, and Spain with 20 penalties had surpassed Ireland (16), but being the host country they were granted a place.
In the second round the Dutch riders showed their mettle with only one rail counting, a pole down from Raijmakers. Their 8-fault final score was good, but was it good enough?
Even though the Canadians had a disappointing performance in the Nations Cup at the CSIO Madrid, Spain, May 15-18, won by the Netherlands, they made up for it in the $236,130 King’s Cup Grand Prix.
After 47 starters tackled Round 1, 11 riders qualified for the jump-off, including three of the four Canadian team members—Jill Henselwood/Special Ed, Eric Lamaze/Hickstead and Mac Cone/Ole.
In the end, Henselwood and Special Ed, an Oldenburg gelding, took the top check in the Madrid, Spain, featured class, with a clear round in a blistering 33.24 seconds. Lamaze and his impressive Holsteiner stallion Hickstead finished just fractions behind with a clear round in 34.60 seconds.
Cone, aboard the Dutch Warmblood gelding Ole, had one pole down in the tiebreaker for 11th.After fourth team member Ian Millar had won the 1.50 meter class on Thursday aboard In Style and other members the Canadian team had achieved several top placings, the Canadians had been considered a favorite in the Nations Cup.
Unfortunately, their 20 penalties in the first round prevented them from qualifying for Round 2, ranking ninth.
Millar, the Canadian team veteran and two-time FEI World Cup Champion, was proud of his Canadian team for their performances and also for qualifying for the Olympics in Hong Kong this
summer.
“We have a really good team together and, I guess, we have a real chance to win a medal,” he said.
Over the four-day show, the national anthem of Canada had been played four times, twice for Lamaze, who had won on Thursday and on Sunday a 1.45 meter class with the Darco daughter Narcotique de Muse II.
With $236,130 donated by Volvo, the Nations Cup took on added importance Saturday evening, May 17, in front of tightly packed stands. The competition quickly became a tense, single-combat
battle between the Netherlands and Germany.
After the first round, in which 14 nations participated, seven (six plus the host nation Spain) were allowed
to compete in the second round. Germany had taken over the lead with no penalties.
Since Otto Becker, aboard the Holsteiner stallion Con Air, Max Kühner aboard the Bavarian stallion Acantus and Thomas Voss riding the Holsteiner gelding Leonardo, had achieved three clears, the 20 faults scored by Thomas Mühlbauer with the Oldenburg stallion Asti Spumante were scratched out.
The Netherlands and Great Britain shared second place with 4 faults.
For the Dutch quartet, Leon Thijssen, riding the Dutch Warmblood gelding Olaf, and Henk van de Pol aboard the Oldenburg gelding Dan 7-T, jumped clear, while Harrie Smolders and Exquis Oliver Q and Piet Raijmakers on Van Schijndel’s Rascin each had a rail.
In addition to Germany, the Netherlands and Great Britain, France qualified for Round 2 as well as a
surprising Mexican team with 8 faults. Norway had 12, and Spain with 20 penalties had surpassed Ireland (16), but being the host country they were granted a place.
In the second round the Dutch riders showed their mettle with only one rail counting, a pole down from Raijmakers. Their 8-fault final score was good, but was it good enough?
