GERMANY claimed victory in the €1.5 million Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Final at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain, last Saturday night to gift Ludger Beerbaum with the perfect ending to his legendary team jumping career.

The title came down to a jump-off between the newly crowned champions Nick Skelton and Big Star and Marcus Ehning with his Pret A Tout.

Eight teams made it through to the world final, to take on Santiago Varela’s track, where the majority of the faults came towards the end of the course, with the difficult treble combinations catching many riders out.

Under the unique set of rules for the final, each country nominated a total of five riders and the first three teams – Germany, Great Britain and the USA – all called on their fifth rider for the final round. The one round competition had it all – excitement, drama, disappointment and top-class jumping from the world’s best riders.

The eight teams to qualify went back to a score of zero for the final. Drawn second to go, Tipperary’s Shane Breen got Ireland off to an eight fault round with Golden Hawk, before Darragh Kenny steadied the ship with an ice cool clear round on the Vigo d’Arsoullies gelding Go Easy De Muze to keep Ireland in the hunt.

Next in, Denis Lynch produced a perfect jumping round on the athletic All Star 5 but crossed the line with a single time fault. Thursday’s hero, Greg Broderick with his Olympic mount, the Caledonia Stables-owned MHS Going Global, approached the final line clear but an unlucky rub on the final part of the combination saw it fall for four faults, meaning Ireland finished with a team total of five, tied with Italy and Switzerland.

The placings then came down to time and Italy’s combined time of 223.03 seconds saw them finish in fourth place, ahead of Ireland (225.81) in fifth and Switzerland (226.34) in sixth. Last year’s winners Belgium faded to seventh place with 16 faults, just ahead of The Netherlands on 20 faults. Ireland picked up €110,000 for their effort.

CONTENDERS

Britain emerged as early contenders with Skelton and Michael Whitaker both producing foot perfect clear rounds. 20-year-old Jessica Mendozawith Spirit T replaced John Whitaker and Ornellaia, but with 12 faults on the board, the pressure was on Scott Brash to produce a clear round to finish on a team total of zero.

Brash did so accordingly with his Spruce Meadsows Masters winning mare Ursula to pile the pressure on Germany’s last rider Ludger Beerbaum, who was making his final appearance for his country at this level.

Christiam Ahlmann and Janne Friederike Meyer, who replaced Daniel Deusser, were both clear for the Germans but a four fault round from Marcus Ehning and Pret A Tout meant Beerbaum had to be clear to force the jump-off. With fond memories of winning an individual gold medal at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the 52-year-old never looked like faulting with Casello.

JUMP OFF

Skelton was first to take on the shortened track and went around clear in a good time of 41.82 seconds to set the target, and ensure a share of the €200,000 bonus on offer to riders who jumped clear on both days.

Ehning meant business setting off at a blistering pace and galloped down to the last with more than two seconds to spare, clinching victory and the €500,000 prize money in an emotional night for the German team.

The all-female team of the USA were assured third place with their team total of four faults. Lauren Hough inccurred an unlucky four faults at the final oxer, before Audrey Coulter faulted twice with Capital Colnardo.

Lillie Keenan, who is a pupil of Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and was a late call-up to Saturday’s team after Lucy Davis’ Barron picked up a minor injury, jumped an excellent clear aboard Super Sox to keep them in the running, before Laura Kraut sealed the podium finish when clear with Zeremonie.

Speaking after the show, team Ireland manager Robert Splaine said: “It was a high-class performance from the Irish team, to finish fifth out of 18 of the world’s top teams who qualified to jump here in Barcelona this week.

“It was a tough week but I am very proud of the lads, they were amazing. The margins were tough, one fault cost us a place, one fence keep us off the podium. We have made great strides, we have great owners, great riders, they are truly great ambassadors.”

The Longines Challenge Cup, for the 10 teams that didn’t qualify for the world final, was cancelled on Friday night due to bad weather. Rescheduled on Sunday, Brazil claimed victory ahead of Qatar and Columbia.