By Helen Scott
Great Britain won team gold and individual bronze on home soil at the FEI Pony Europeans at Bishop Burton College.
The team finished on a total of eight faults, ahead of Sweden in silver on 17 and France in bronze on 20 and had the gold in the bag before the final rider went.
France and Ireland jumped off for bronze, and it wasn’t decided until the final rider for France stole vital seconds to produce the fastest round of the day.
Britain’s Shaunie Greig and Casino Royale, Claudia Moore and Elando van de Roshoeve, Perdita Digby and Kayleighs Star and Nicole Lockhead Anderson with Gangnam Style II were on fire, producing three of only seven clears in the first round, leaving them in pole position.
Two more clears in the second round from Shaunie and Nicole clinched it.
They came into the team competition in equal fourth with Germany behind the Netherlands in third on two penalties with France and Ireland joint first with zero penalties. In a change of rules, chef d’equipes were allowed to pick their team at this stage, with Clare Whitaker choosing Hannah Barker to ride Ammanvalley Santino as an individual.
“It was a good course, quite technical with riders having to be careful about their lines,” said Clare “They all rode well, and winning is even sweeter on home soil.”
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On the final day Claudia Moore took individual bronze after besting a nail biting jump-off with Romaine Orhant from France, while Max Wachman, the anchor of the Irish team on Cuffesgrange Cavalidam, claimed the silver. Individual gold went to Swedish rider Ingmar Hammarstrom on Ocean des As.
Shaunie Greig and Hannah Barker tied in sixth. Nicole Lockhead Anderson, who went into day three in pole position, finished 11th after clocking up 20 penalties in her final round. Perdi Digby was 15th.
Full report from the Pony Europeans in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 16 August
