The Netherlands fourth in EEF Nations Cup final, Italy last minute to gold
The Italian team has won the final of the 3* EEF Nations Cup in Warsaw. The Irish team was good for silver, the Netherlands came in fourth with 1 point difference with the bronze Austria. Maikel van der Vleuten and Elwikke (by Eldorado vd Zeshoek), Kars Bonhof with Hernandez, Tennessee (by Kannan) and Marc Houtzager and Saint Moley (by Verdi TN) all three contributed with a clear round, Loewie Joppen and Havel van de Wolfsakker Z (v. Hos d’O) 2nd round damage development limited to one balcony.
Italy deservedly went to the gold with five clear rounds and three times one bar over the two final rounds. Lorenzo de Luca and the ten-year-old KWPN stallion Scuderia 1918 Highlight W (by Berlin) remained double clear. The final score for Italy was only 4 penalty points. Also with the Irish a double clear combination: Kevin Gallagher with the Irish bred mare Ballypatrick Flamenco (v. Je T’aime Flamenco), the Irish team on 8 penalty points. Austria was currently delivering the gold in two beams from fourth starter Gerfried Puck with Equitron Naxcel V (by Balou du Rouet) settle for 12 penalty points and the bronze. Katharina Rhomberg and Cum 5 (by Comme il Faut) signed for two clear rounds in the Austrian team.
Netherlands fourth
The beams fell very easily in Poland today, although the damage to the Dutch team was still limited. Hernandez TN jumped a phenomenal and clear first round with Bonhof, but really empty leek in the second round. That knows in eight penalty points. Both Van der Vleuten and Houtzager had a sublime second round. Van der Vleuten and Elwikke got a penalty in round one in Houtzager and Holey Moly and a time penalty. That was a shame, because otherwise shared bronze would have been in the final standings. Loewie Joppen ran into two bad luck bars in round one and saw one bar fall in the second round. Team NL came in the final result with 13 penalty points.
Source: Horses.nl