On their debut in Europe Division 1 of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series at the Piazza di Siena in Rome (ITA), the Ukrainian team came out on top in a thrilling three-way jump-off and entered the history books of equestrian sport.

Cassio Rivetti, Oleg Krasyuk, Ulrich Kirchhoff and Katharina Offel were flying the flag of the Ukraine for the very first time at this top level of the sport. And they demonstrated their formidable combined strength when taking on the giants and taming them all, although Rivetti’s jump-off round was a nail-biter as he racked up three time faults during the slow clear that clinched it.

Crack sides from Germany and France had to settle for second and third places while the host nation made a brilliant recovery from an edgy first round effort to finish fourth ahead of Great Britain and Sweden in joint-fifth. The Swiss team, so impressive when runners-up at La Baule (FRA) last week, had to settle for seventh while the Spanish team finished eighth when collecting 44 faults.

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