British Show Jumping Team Chases Nations Cup Final Berth in Norway this Week

Drammen is located about 40 kilometres or 25 miles from the Norwegian capital, Oslo. The city was built at the tip of a valley on both sides of a river which joins up with a fjord called the Drammensfjord. It reputedly has the oldest surviving brewery in Norway, and in the Old Norse language, Drammen is said to be derived from the word ‘wave’ — a somewhat fitting image for the British and others hoping to build qualifying momentum in this Nations Cup with 1.50 metre obstacles.

A total of 14 countries — including Europe Division 1 invitees France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy and Sweden, in addition to Japan (all of which can not obtain points in Norway) — are set to compete in the qualifier at the Drammen Ridesenter. Chefs d’équipes from each nation will select their four-rider team in advance of the competition, with an overall pool of 95 riders and 215 horses to choose from.

Of that total, host Norway has 29 riders and 54 horses at the event, while Great Britain’s group consists of 7 riders and 19 mounts: Julie Andrews, Alison Barton, Jessica Dimmock, Graham Lovegrove, Harriet Nuttall, Louise Saywell and Phillip Spivey. After the first qualifier last week at the Linz-Ebelsberg 4* in Austria, Belgium leads the division with 90 points, while the British are in second with 80. In fact, Italy took first place in Austria but did not win the normal 100 points for a victory as it is in DIvision 1. 

Other national teams which are eligible to pick up points at Drammen are: Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Poland, and Turkey. As the most powerful region in the sport worldwide, the 27 European teams have been split into two divisions, with 19 in Division 2. 

The Nations Cup, organized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), is the traditional international team competition in Show Jumping. Athletes and horses from dozens of national federations around the world are aiming to earn one of the 18 spots in the Final, which takes place September 28 – October 1 in Barcelona.