Team Germany (pictured above) stamped its authority all over the Agria FEI European Eventing Championships and galloped away with a convincing seventh gold in the history of this contest.

They led from the start and finished an impressive 37 penalties clear of Ireland, the latter nation left celebrating its first European medal following a long 30-year wait.

France – the Olympic Champions at the Rio Games in 2016 – completed the podium when securing bronze.

“When we came here, we hoped to be on the podium, but we didn’t expect to be first,” confessed Germany’s chef d’equipe Annette Wyrwoll.

“To be in Great Britain, to beat the British – I never expected it. Our riders and our horses were great, and it was simply bad luck for the others.”

Team podium

‘It’s special to stand next to Michael’

The German team included Michael Jung and FischerChipmunk FRH, who also claimed the individual silver behind European champions Laura Collett and London 52.

His teammates were Jerome Robine (on Black Ice), Malin Hansen-Hotopp (Carlitos Quidditch K) and Libussa Lubbeke (Caramia 34).

“We ask him everything. He had some good advice, but we all had an idea and a system how to do it. It’s always special to stand next to him and compete with him,” said Jerome about his multi-medalled teammate, Michael.

Germany’s last European eventing team gold came back in 2019, on home soil in Luhmuhlen. Michael Jung was a part of that line up, too.

“England is a very big country, especially in eventing. It’s such a strong nation,” he said.

“When I was young, I always watched videos of Badminton and Burghley. To stand on the podium and receive the gold medal here is a dream.

“In the end, we were all very well prepared, from the first rider to the last. The dressage was under pressure, the cross-country was perfect, and we can all be proud of our horses, our team, and the people working behind the scenes.

“We are already excited for the big [world] championships in Germany at Aachen next year.”

‘We are on the up’

Ireland’s Padraig McCarthy on Pomp N Circumstance. Credit: FEI/Benjamin Clark

Padraig McCarthy finished best of the Irish in 12th individually aboard Pomp N Circumstance. He credited his nation’s climb up the leaderboard – from seventh after dressage – to having brilliant jumping horses.

“We came in knowing that we had very good cross-country horses and we probably wouldn’t be in the hunt after the first day,” said Padraig, who lives in Devon with his wife Lucy (nee Wiegersma).

“I kept saying to everyone it’s not going to be a dressage competition, especially with Captain Phillips designing. I thought yesterday was an amazing day of sport.

“The guys were really eager to get the job done. Aoife [Clark, whose horse Full Monty De Lacense fell when exiting the water, fence 20] was very unlucky, but it was a team effort and it just goes to show that when you have good cross-country horses and jumpers you can climb.”

Teammate Robbie Kearns, 18th individually on his senior debut aboard Chance Encounter, described winning silver as “incredible”.

“I’m so proud to be a part of this team and to be standing beside these guys on the podium. It’s what dreams are made of,” he said.

Chef d’Equipe Dag Albert added: “I think they’re all going along the right track. The young riders were very good a few weeks ago and these guys, I mean, we are on the up, I hope.”

Ian Cassells and Millridge Atlantis completed the Irish team and finished 14th individually.

‘Into the water trough’

A jubilant Astier Nicolas prompted plenty of laughter at the final press conference when he told the media that team France would be celebrating by “throwing the chef d’equipe [Jean-Luc Force] into a water trough”.

“Then we’ll head to the bar and see what’s happening, whether we miss the boat [home] or not,” he added with a wink.

Assisted by Alexis Goury (on Je’Vall), Sebastien Cavaillon (Elipso De La Vigne) and Luc Chateau (Cocorico De L’Ebat), Astier and his French comrades had slotted into bronze position after the first dressage phase.

However, they temporarily slipped to fourth behind Switzerland after the latter nation’s riders pulled off faster clear rounds on cross-country day.

When France’s riders all showjumped clear on the final day, with only a few time-faults to add, they moved back up to a podium position.

Two Swiss riders, meanwhile, knocked down five fences between them and the team picked up a smattering of time-faults to fall out of medal contention.

In the end, a convincing 15.8 penalties separated third place from fourth.

Austria finished fifth and became the final team to finish with three counting scores.

Final team results

  1. Germany – 124.9 penalties
  2. Ireland – 161.9
  3. France – 167.5
  4. Switzerland – 183.3
  5. Austria – 207.7
  6. Great Britain – 1060
  7. Belgium – 1118.2
  8. Italy – 1144.8
  9. Sweden – 2061.5

View the final leaderboard in full

View the final individual leaderboard

Images by Tim Wilkinson unless stated

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