Twelve fences in Barcelona. 71 seconds. Then a jump-off
Sunday's Longines League of Nations Final at the Real Club de Polo went to a jump-off. Santiago Varela (ESP) set 12 obstacles and 15 jumping efforts, with 71 seconds on the clock. Twelve combinations left every fence standing in round one. Germany and Brazil finished the two rounds on four penalties. Richard Vogel and Cloudio then jumped clear in 40.85 seconds.
We had the handbook sketch last week in Barcelona on Sunday: all nine come back. Copy the numbers that actually went in the ring.
Same fence count as Gassin, four seconds less
Grégory Bodo's last qualifier at Gassin was also 12 fences and 15 efforts, with 75 seconds. Varela kept the count and tightened the clock. British Showjumping called the time restrictive. All four Brits took a short turn to the open water. It did not cause problems, which is the point: the water was a riding choice, not a trap.
Pieter Devos (BEL), double clear with Primo DV, said faults sat a little bit everywhere. He had to adapt his plan twice. A few options for one less stride or one more. That is the club lesson. Spread the rails. Give a stride choice. Do not park the whole class at one combination.
Great Britain still found that combination. Jack Whitaker and Jack JL took two elements of the penultimate combination for 16, discarded. Tim Gredley and Medoc De Toxandria had the midway plank oxer and the combination for eight. Scott Brash and Hello Mango dropped the middle of the combination. Pathfinder Jess Mendoza and Summerhouse had the first fence, then the plank oxer second time out. Team Audevard finished sixth on 20. Di Lampard called it a disappointing day, not for want of trying.
Nine teams, three to count, no hide
The Final still sent all nine nations back. Four jumped round one, three best to count. Round two was three, every score counting. Germany came out of round one on zero. Belgium sat on one time penalty. Brazil and the United States carried four.
Vogel, last to go for Germany in round two, lowered a rail. Brazil posted a blank second round. Four each. Second year running the Barcelona Final needed a jump-off.
Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom went first and had fence one. Vogel came home clear. Brazil took second (four in the jump-off, 39.48 seconds). Belgium third on five. Then the United States 12, Italy 16, Great Britain 20.
The FEI preview had already said qualifying points stay on the table. One afternoon decides it. That held.
Otto Becker's four were Marcus Ehning (Coolio 42), Jörne Sprehe (Toys), Vogel (Cloudio) and Sophie Hinners (Iron Dames my Prins). Ehning and Sprehe double cleared. Germany add this title to the World Championship they took in Aachen. It is their second League of Nations Final win. Cloudio took the Best Horse award for the most clears across the qualifying legs.
What to steal for a club team night
Do not copy 1.60 m. Copy the shape.
Keep 12 numbered fences and 15 efforts if you have a double and a triple. Put a time that makes people choose a turn, then check the water still rides. Write the discard rule on the schedule: four go, three count, then three with no spare. If first place is tied, one athlete jumps off. You cannot hide a brutal first-round combination and hope two teams miss the afternoon. All nine came back.
Weather moved the start to 14:30 after Catalan warnings overnight. CSIO Barcelona emptied the ground on Saturday evening. The footing held. Varela still had to build for horses that had not had a quiet night.
Print last week's format note beside Sunday's scores. Then open the designer, set a 12-fence team track with 15 efforts, and time a short turn to a water or a liverpool you actually own. If the class all take the long way and still finish inside the clock, the time is wrong.
