The British recorded their first victory in 24 years at St Gallen, Switzerland where the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ was disrupted by appalling weather conditions. However good sport won through, and despite the fact that the second round was bypassed in favour of a four-way jump-off between one representative from each of the leading countries, it was a thrilling contest to the very end.
The initial start-list read like a “who’s who” of the sport, but, as the heavy overnight rain failed to stop, the star-studded German team decided to withdraw even though this was their first nominated event for points-gathering in the 2013 Furusiyya series. And other sides opted for alternative horse-power, notably the Dutch who had sent their full London 2012 Olympic bronze-medal-winning side but who fielded a completely different quartet of horses on the day.
It was a tough challenge from the outset as the remaining seven countries battled it out over the rain-sodden track, but Laura Renwick and the aptly-named Oz de Breve sealed it in style for Great Britain with the quickest run against the clock. Even that was fraught with drama however.