Great Britain Kicks Off Nations Cup Campaign After Near-Win Last Year

This weekend in northern Austria, the British will be hoping to put themselves en route to return to this year’s Final for another shot, as they start their 2017 qualifying campaign at the CSIO4* Nations Cup in Linz-Ebelsberg. The British will be joining 17 other national squads at the first qualifier in Europe’s Division 2, the biggest division in the world with 19 countries.

The Nations Cup, organized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the most prestigious and storied international team competition in Show Jumping. Athletes and horses from 46 different national federations are competing this year in six qualifying regions around the world for one of the 18 spots in the Final, which takes place September 28 – October 1, again — and for the fifth consecutive year — in the capital of Spain’s Catalonia region.

In Austria this week, Great Britain will be represented by a team of five riders and 14 horses among the total of 85 riders and 186 horses at the spacious Linz-Ebelsberg equestrian centre located on the southern outskirts of Linz, a city on the Danube river know among things for the Linzer torte, which is reputed to be the oldest cake in the world. Alison Barton is in Austria with Donata and Roma IV, as well as Joseph Clayton with Con Man JX, Daedalus Van T&L and MillionInMind, Robert Smith with Bavi, Cimano E and Ilton, Michael Whitaker with Cassionato, JB’S Hot Stuff and Viking, and Robert Whitaker with Able Mable, Catwalk IV and Noble Warrior.

After Linz, the Division 2 qualifying circuit will head to Drammen, Norway for the CSIO3* from May 11-14, Lisbon and its CSIO3* from May 25-28, the Uggerhalne, Denmark CSIO3* from June 1-5, the CSIO5* in Sopot, Poland from June 8-11, Roeser, Luxembourg’s CSIO3* from June 29-July 2, and the last opportunity in Gijon, Spain with its CSIO5* from August 30 – September 4 before the Barcelona Final. The four best results by team count for the overall standings.