The team from the Czech Republic won the first leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League at Linz, Austria today: (L to R) Ales Opatrny, Emma Augier de Moussac, Chef d’Equipe Martin Ohnheiser, Zuzana Zelinkova and Ondrej Zvara. (FEI/Herve Bonnaud)
On an day of ever-changing fortunes for many of the other sides, a crack foursome from the Czech Republic took the lead at the halfway stage and held on to secure a convincing victory in the opening leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 Europe Division 2 League at Linz in Austria. Zuzana Zelinkova, Emma Augier de Moussac, Ondrej Zvara and Ales Opatrny finished on a final tally of just two faults to leave them well ahead of the runners-up from Ukraine who completed with eight. Team Germany lined up third ahead of Poland in fourth, while the exciting young side from Luxembourg slotted into fifth ahead of Finland in sixth place.
Written by Louise Parkes
The was great joy in the Czech camp in the aftermath, and a sense that they have really arrived. Success in Europe Division 2 of the Furusiyya series is not entirely new to them as they also came out on top in Budapest, Hungary last season. But today’s result, which earned them the maximum 100 points towards qualification for the Furusiyya 2015 Final, suggests a significant strengthening of their position, backed up by a brilliant performance from their second-line partnership of 23-year-old Augier de Moussac and her 10-year-old gelding, Charly Brown, who produced the only double-clear of the competition.
The right level
Franz Madl’s 12-fence track was pitched at just the right level, with less-experienced riders gaining valuable experience while the more seasoned campaigners were still well-tested. A double – vertical to oxer – preceded the big 4-metre-wide open water which claimed a large number of victims in both rounds and that was followed off a wide right-handed sweeping turn to a 1.60m wall that represented the Austrian national flag and crest. The early drama of the day included a spectacular display of naughtiness from Finland’s path-finding 11-year-old grey, Lennox Luis, who threw a temper tantrum when asked to turn away from the out-gate and go down to the wall, and who wasn’t satisfied until he threw himself on the ground and unseated his rider, Henri Kovacs.
Meanwhile the end of the course presented plenty of questions, with the penultimate triple combination taking a heavy toll. Augier de Moussac commented afterwards, “it was partly difficult because it was at the end of the track and the time was short. If you over-rode to the triple bar going in, then it was easy to have the vertical down or meet the last oxer on a bad stride” she explained.
Great team spirit
“We have great team spirit, we support each other a lot” said Augier de Moussac who competed on last year’s winning Czech team at Budapest and at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy with her other top ride, Danthe. “Charly Brown is a new horse for me, my sister broke her wrist last year and he was only jumping up to 1.35m until last summer with her. He’s come a long way in a very short time!” explained the talented French-born rider who has been based with her trainer, Vincent Voorn, in Eindhoven, Holland for the last 18 months.
Result:
1. Czech Republic 2 faults: Caleri ll (Zuzanna Zelinkova) 4/1, Charly Brown (Emma Augier de Moussac) 0/0, Cento Lano (Ondrej Zvara) 0/5, Acovardo (Ales Opatrny) 0/1.
2. Ukraine 8 faults: Quebracho Semilly (Katharina Offel) 4/0, Forlap (Cassio Rivetti) 5/0, Chadino (Ferenc Sxzentirmai) 0/4, Cooper 75 (Rene Tebbel) 4/0.
3. Germany 13 faults: Che Guevara (Joerg Oppermann) 4/8, Luna (Jorne Sprehe) 4/0, La Luna (Andreas Kreuzer) 0/4, Cashmoaker (Denis Nielsen) 0/5.
4. Poland 16 faults: Wavantos vd Renvillehoeve (Lukasz Wasilewski) 4/9, Osadkowski van Halen (Piotr Morsztyn) 0/4, Emperio van’t Roosakker (Zuzanna Gowin) 0/8, Abigej (Marek Lewicki) 16/0.
5. Luxembourg 21 faults: Global (Christian Weier) 4/1, Sorbier Blanc (Victor Bettendorf) 4/4, Smint 2 (Noemle Goergen) 4/13, Kiwi du Gibet (Charlotte Bettendorf) 8/4.
6. Finland 23 faults: Lennox Luis (Henri Kovacs) Elim/1, Cue Channa (Sebastian Numminen) 4/4, Celestine (Satu Liukkonen) 8/1, Vincente (Maiji Mallet) 5/4.
7. Turkey 27 faults: Colino (Derin Demirsoy) 5/Elim, Chaccomo (Cagri Basel) 1/5, Chiara (Husnu Dinc) 8/4, Dadjak ter Puttenen) Omer Karaevli) 8/4.
8. Hungary 32 faults: Esprit (Emil Orban) 0/12, Zordon (Balazs Horvath) 0/8, Chacco Boy (Mariann Hugyecz) 4/8, Casinger (Gyula Szuhai) Ret/23.
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