SHOW JUMPING EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: LATE CALL-UP Cameron Hanley narrowly missed out on a medal in the Alltech FEI European individual show jumping championships in Windsor Park yesterday afternoon.
The 36-year-old Mayo native jumped two stylish clears with Sevil Sabanci’s grey stallion SIEC Livello but Bob Ellis’s second-round track was tightly measured and the single time fault they picked up proved crucial.
Next in, Germany’s Carsten-Otto Nagel stayed on his qualifying mark of 9.64 when the mare Corradina went clear and likewise Frenchman Kevin Staut produced a second superb faultless performance from the stallion Kraque Boom Bois Margot.
The pressure was now on the Netherlands’ Albert Zoer, who had taken over pole position at the halfway stage but had no margin for error. Uncharacteristically, his great mount Oki Doki lowered the front rail of the first fence which gave Hanley some hope, but the Dutchman got home within the time to secure the bronze.
Staut gave credit to his “amazing horse” for the victory and also acknowledged the great support he had received from his team members. “This gold medal is for all the French team,” he concluded.
On Saturday, the Dutch dressage riders dominated the freestyle to music with Edward Gal and the amazing nine-year-old black stallion Moorlands Totilas smashing the world record they recently established in Hickstead when scoring 90.70 to win gold.
The Grand Prix Special winner Adelinde Cornelissen had to settle for silver with Parzival (87.350), while Anky Van Grunsven and Salinero took the bronze (87.250).
In eventing, Michael Ryan fared best of a large Irish squad when finishing fourth with the Puissance gelding Old Road in the CIC*** at Blair Castle in Scotland.
