Great Britain’s Jumping team took gold at the FEI European Jumping Championship for Children at Moorsele in Belgium over the weekend where Switzerland’s Larissa Notz claimed the individual title.
The gold medal winning team included Amy Inglis, 14 year old daughter of well-known British rider Duncan Inglis riding Happy Ending, 14 year old Laura Robinson riding Chashmire, 13 year old Ella Curley riding Lucky and James Shore who is just 12 years of age and son of another British veteran Keith Shore. James competed with Pascal IV. Together this talented side put the result beyond doubt when they picked up just four faults over the two rounds of competition. Shore was the only one to lower a fence in the first round, and although he collected nine second time out, that proved the discard when Inglis and Curley produced double-clear performances and Robinson dropped just a single fence.
It was a close-fought affair however as the host Belgium’s Jos Verlooy (Tia Maria), Victoire Delforge (Tina des Papillons), Valerie Vleugels (Amienka VH Westleven) and Vicky Van de Poel (Whisper) finished with only five faults on the board. At the halfway stage the Belgians were looking very strong indeed after clear rounds from all four riders, but a time fault for Verlooy added to four faults from Delforge and five from Vleugels ensured they had to settle for silver medal position.
The bronze went to France, represented by Margaux Broucqsault (My Flower du Valfleuri), Valentine Albrand (Nausicaa du Touney), Audrey Paris (Licorne des Forets) and Francesca Frigerio Bonvicino (Corinessa), who went into a jump-off against Turkey after these two nations completed the first two rounds with 12 faults, the French registering the fastest time against the clock to clinch the medals.
Spain lined up fifth, having made a great start with just a single time penalty at the halfway point but adding 12 more in round two, while Germany was challenging strongly with a zero score at the end of the first round but racked up 20 faults next time out. They lined up sixth in the final analysis, just ahead of the seventh-placed Swiss side which included the eventual individual champion Larissa Notz.
Riding Sjarlotte, 14 year old Notz, who showed superb form at Neuendorf in Switzerland last month, never put a foot wrong throughout the entire weekend at Moorsele to claim individual gold ahead of Hungary’s Barna Burucs with Mamma Miya who also finished on an impressive zero score. And the Belgians had the satisfaction of seeing one of their own taking bronze when Jos Verlooy and Tia Maria completed their championship challenge with just a single time penalty.
Riders from 16 countries including Great Britain, Switzerland, Belgium, Turkey, Hungary, Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Greece and Austria took part in the 2009 edition of the Championships.
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