OTTO Becker’s German team won the exciting third leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2021 series at Sopot in Poland this afternoon (Sunday), reports Louise Parkes.

On a day when Marcus Ehning and Funky Fred produced an uncharacteristic drop-score for the German side, victory was sealed by double-clear performances from Maurice Tebbel with Don Diarado, Christian Kukuk with Mumbai and Andre Thieme partnering DSP Chakaria.

Thieme’s second clear piled all the pressure on Belgian anchorman Niels Bruynseels who needed to provide a foot-perfect run from Delux van T&L in order to maintain a zero scoreline for his country also, thus forcing a jump-off against their German rivals.

Ireland finish in joint third

However two down put paid to Belgian chances, and they lined up second carrying just four faults while Ireland, Norway and Great Britain all collected 16 faults to fill the next three places ahead of France, USA, Morocco, Poland and Italy.

Irish scores

Ireland team total: 16/219.53 seconds.

Derry's Daniel Coyle and Ariel Grange's 11-year-old bay Chippendale Z mare Legacy: 0/8 72.51 secs.

Meath's Alexander Butler and Ger Poels Horses' 16-year-old bay Berlin mare Athene: 0/RT

Clare's Eoin McMahon and Madelaine Winter-Schulze's 11-year-old grey Casall mare Chakra: 4/0 74.17

Limerick's Paul O'Shea and Skara Glen's Machu Picchu, a 14-year-old Silverstone gelding, owned by Frank Cunniffe/Machu Picchu Partner: 0/8 72.85.

The final round of the 2021 Longines FEI Nations Cup Series is set for Rotterdam in two weeks' time before Ireland take part in at the Nations Cup final in Barcelona in October as the defending champions.

Source: FEI press release