Weather continued to plague the competition so much so that special rules were put into place for Friday’s Nations Cup Super League Competition at Luzern, Switzerland.
Designers Rolf Ludi and Heiner Fischer shortened the original courses from 12 to 10 obstacles and the obstacle height was reduced to a maximum of 150cm. The planned triple was removed and the course was changed to include two doubles. After 16 of the planned 32 riders went, the course was altered by a meter sideways in an attempt to improve the footing.
For Round 2, a complete new course was designed and again the fences were moved. The actions met with the approval of the FEI and the Chef D’Equipes. Germany’s Kurt Grabvenmeier consulted his riders before he agreed to the terms.
The rains stopped for the competition which proved to be quite exciting for those in the home team crowd that had braved the elements.
Clear rides have always been the difference and once again Germany managed to execute perfectly on 5 of the 7 rides it needed to win the competition. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum was double clear and Marcus Ehning was clear on his only attempt. He opted not to go in Round 1 when all three of his teammates executed perfectly.
The Swiss gave the Germans serious competition in the first round when they also had clear rides from their firts three riders and Pius Schwizer did not have to show in Round 1. Swiss Chef d’Equipe Rolf Grass was pleased with the Swiss accomplishment of second place, “I am very satisfied with second place. The Swiss team is in good order so far, there are three months to the championships in Aachen and everything is going well for us right now”.
The Germans were quite pleased with their performance. Christian Ahlmann even joked that he deliberately made a mistake at the last fence in the second round just to make sure that Marcus Ehning had to go into the ring.
The USA managed three clear rounds, one each from Christine McCrea and Promised Land, Molly Ashe and Neuville and Laura Kraut and Miss Independent. A single fault was the difference between a tie for third or a tie for fourth. The footing conditions were at best barely acceptable and all teams should be complemented on valiant efforts.
Super League Standings after Luzern
1 Germany 31.625
2 USA 23.5
4 France 18
5 Switzerland 16.125
3 Great Britain 13.5
8 Sweden 10.125
6 Netherlands 9.125
7 Ireland 8
The series continues in Rotterdam, The Netherlands on June 22-25.
1 GER - GERMANY (Team Manager: K. GRAVEMEIER) 0 4 4
111 SHUTTERFLY MICHAELS-BEERBAUM M. 0 0 65000 CHF
105 MONTENDER KUTSCHER Marco 0 4
1 CÖSTER AHLMANN Christian 0 (4)
69 GITANIA EHNING Marcus (NS) 0
2 SUI - SWITZERLAND (Team Manager: R. GRASS) 0 8 8
34 L.B. NO MERCY LIEBHERR Christina 0 4 42500 CHF
3 LA TOYA III FUCHS Markus 0 4
130 PRINCIPAL MÄNDLI Beat 0 0
114 UNIQUE X CH SCHWIZER Pius (NS) (RET)
3 SWE - SWEDEN (Team Manager: H. NOOREN) 8 8 16
63 H&M MAGIC BENGTSSON FREDRICSON Peder (11) 0 35000 CHF
30 CONAN LUNDBÄCK Helena 4 4
15 CALIBRA II SCHULTZ Lotta 4 4
35 NOSTRADAMUS JOHANSSON Svante 0 (4)
4 NED - NETHERLANDS (Team Manager: R. EHRENS) 8 9 17
6 BMC NASSAU DUBBELDAM Jeroen 4 (8) 18250 CHF
14 AUDI’S JIKKE VAN DER VLEUTEN Eric 4 5
2 OLAF THIJSSEN Leon (8) 4
12 EUROCOMMERCE BERLIN SCHRÖDER Gerco 0 0
4 USA - UNITED STATES (Team Manager: G. MORRIS) 4 13 17
58 PROMISED LAND MCCREA TRIBBLE C. 0 (16) 18250 CHF
101 TARCO KING Candice (8) 8
85 NEUVILLE ASHE Molly 4 0
133 MISS INDEPENDENT KRAUT Laura 0 5
6 IRL - IRELAND (Team Manager: R. SPLAINE) 9 13 22
82 WORLD CRUISE BREEN Shane (12) 4 10000 CHF
70 HIPPICA KERMAN HANLEY Cameron 1 0
106 HERITAGE TRANSMISSION HUGHES Marion 4 9
31 EFFECTIVE DOYLE Edward 4 (NS)
7 FRA - FRANCE (Team Manager: J.M BONNEAU) 8 16 24
5 CROCUS GRAVERIE BERTRAN DE BALANDA G. (8) 8 7000 CHF
44 EPHEBE FOR EVER*LA SILLA HERMON Christian 4 4
67 JUMPY DES FONTAINES DELAVEAU Patrice 4 (8)
19 FIRST DE LAUNAY*HN ANGOT Florian 0 4
8 GBR - GREAT BRITAIN (Team Manager: D. RICKETTS) 4 21 25
87 RUSSEL SKELTON Nick 0 (22) 4000 CHF
104 PEPPERMILL WHITAKER John 0 4
9 NIKO IV MAHER Ben (12) 8
76 MOZART DES HAYETTES WHITAKER Michael 4 9
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