Sunday’s €3.5million Super Cup Final at the GC Prague Playoffs sealed the GCL season with a spectacular win for the London Knights, led by the squad’s owner and U25 rider Emily Moffitt.
The British showjumper had excitedly rang her father on Friday after the team qualified for Sunday’s decider, saying ‘We can definitely win this on Sunday’. Her prediction came true as London Knights collected the €1.2million first prize at the third running of the Super Cup Final in the Czech Republic..
After a knockout tournament held over three days, just six teams made it through to Sunday’s decider where the London Knights really upped their game. The scarlet-coated squad were represented in this final leg by Belgian twins Olivier and Nicola Philippaerts and 23-year-old Emily, who made her senior championship debut for Great Britain at the Europeans earlier this year.
“I kept saying to everyone all year ‘Keep your heads up, I know we are going to win in Prague’,” said Emily. “The more pressure the better for me, but I owe it all to Winning Good – he is spectacular. Having this atmosphere here is the best and is what it is all about.”
GCL Super Cup Final: ‘This is what motivates us riders’
Emily’s team-mate Olivier Philippaerts added: “This show is great and makes our sport – it is what motivates us riders.”
The London Knights trio clinched the title with a hat-trick of clears in the final round of the GCL Super Cup Final – a phenomenal achievement in this three-to-a-team with all scores counting format, which mirrors the new-look Olympic Games.
Second place in the GCL Super Cup Final went to Paris Panthers, with team manager Rob Hoekstra saying: “I think what the London Knights did today was exceptional. I want to thank [co-founder] Jan Tops for being able to do all these shows in the difficult circumstances we have had over the past couple of years.”
Taking third were the Berlin Eagles, whose team member Ludger Beerbaum was riding with a broken finger.
Don’t miss more action and insight from this year’s GC Prague Playoffs in next week’s Horse & Hound, out Thursday 25 November.
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