Personal notes: Rotterdam sunshine and rain

Marco Kutscher and Coronet Obolensky first to go in
the Nations Cup and they jump clear

Having travelled through the night from Calais, with a pit stop in Belgium, I arrived in Rotterdam with a few hours to go before the Nations Cup.

I wasn't expecting Britain to be in with such a chance of winning the FEI Top-Level Nations Cup league, surely the Dutch were going to pull off something special to claim glory on home soil?

The orange-clad riders had been victorious in three competitions and held first place by four points over Britain and Germany. I certainly wasn't expecting the latter two countries to be battling to the last for both the class and the overall title.

Long way round
My hotel was just over one mile from the showground. I thought it would be an easy journey in every day and never wondered why my accommodation wasn't fully booked. I found out after driving around Rotterdam for an hour following signs only written in Dutch, but with the recognisable CHIO lettering.

Laura Renwick, winner of three classes, and Roller Coaster

These signs directed me into shopping centres, residential areas and car parks. It was only when I asked a local man where the entrance was I discovered the show had no car parks, only a park and ride service. So, having dumped the car back at the hotel, decided it would be easier and quicker to walk.

All new
Once I got my accreditation sorted out, including the obligatory bad photo on my pass, I entered the showground though its new "straw village" entertainment area. It's a huge decked space with a covered bar and massive stage for bands and DJs. It is surrounded by trade stands and on the other side is the main arena.

This, too, has had a massive facelift with a new €5,000,000 grandstand running the length of the arena. However, I was quite surprised by how small the arena was. Compared to Hickstead it is tiny, but it has a nice peaceful feel to it, particularly as it is plonked in the middle of a forest.

Ben Maher and Tripple X jump double clear in the Nations Cup

Wet weather
There had been rain before I arrived and I was hit by the overwhelming smell of pine. All of the walkways are covered in woodchippings apart from a quaint little illuminated decking pathway through the woods to the collecting ring.

Once I'd gained my bearings, collected paperwork said hello to Laura Renwick, who'd won three classes by this stage; Ben Maher and their connections, I found myself a spot to photograph the Nations Cup from.

The Nations Cup
Spain's Santiago Varela, who'll be building at this year's Europeans, was the course designer. His track  looked tricky enough, but when the first to go, Germany's Marco Kutscher and Coronet Obolensky, went clear, I did wonder if it was going to be a low scoring competition.

Germany double clear combination Carsten-Otto Nagel and
Corradina

I was wrong. Clears became few and far between and the time allowed was increased after the first three had jumped. After that only Britain's Ben Maher (Tripple X), the USA's Laura Kraut (Cedric), Germany's Carsten-Otto Nagel (Corradina) and Frenchman Olivier Guillon (Lord De Thieze) returned zero scores in round one.

Halfway positions
Germany headed the class at the halfway stage, carrying five from Thomas Voss (Carinjo 9) and discarding Ludger Beerbaum's eight with Gotha FRH. France and the USA were equal second on eight, while Britain were one point further adrift having added five from Guy Williams (Derpardieu van'T Kiezelhof) and four from John Whitaker (Peppermill). John's brother Michael's score of nine on GIG Amai was not counted.

John Whitaker and Peppermill go clear in round two for Britain

Round two
Run in reverse order of first-round standings, the second round got better for The Netherlands, who were sitting seventh after the first outing. They finished by just adding a single penalty. However, they had done too much damage in round one to climb much higher. Their league title began to slip away as Britain's Ben Maher, Germany's Carsten-Otto Nagel and Olivier Guillon, of France, recorded double clears.

Going down
Things had been looking good for the USA, fighting relegation to the promotional league to join the already known-to-be-relegated Danes, over the first trip of the course. However, Lauren Hough (Quick Study) had scored a nine-fault round, but Christine McCrea (Romantovich Take One) had gone clear. The Americans needed then to drop that nine-faults. But disaster struck for them.

Ludger Beerbaum and Gotha FRH secure Germany's win

Coming to a vertical at six, Laura Kraut's Cedric seemed to take off before Laura was expecting him to. She got behind the movement going over the fence and the pair couldn't make the turn to the next oxer on an ideal stride. Cedric slammed on the brakes and as Laura circled as the fence was rebuilt, the look on her face was one of horror. She must have realised relegation was now a real possibility. You cannot have a stop on a Nations Cup course and then not get time faults.

She only gained two of those, but hitting the top of an oxer with a water tray at 10 meant she finished with 10 penalties. And despite a clear from the USA's last rider Beezie Madden (Coral Reef Via Volo) a drop to the promotional league was inevitable.

I didn't even try to talk to George Morris afterwards. He did not look a happy man. And why would he? He retires next year, so this meant Rotterdam would be his last Top-Level show as a chef d'equipe.

Britain's Guy Williams and the eight-year-old Derpardieu
van'T Kiezelhof

Better for Britain
For Britain, however, the situation was looking much more rosy. Michael Whitaker had returned for one fault, Ben had got another clear and John had also jumped without error. Guy's five-fault score was discounted.

France were only carrying four faults, thanks to Olivier and a clear from Kevein Staut (Silvana de Hus). A clear from Michel Robert (Kellemoi de Pepita), would hold their second place. But he toppled the last oxer.

I couldn't believe my eyes and started hopping up and down like a mad thing shouting to anyone who'd listen. Britain could not only win the class, but the league as well.

It was all down to how Ludger performed. And as he hit a triple bar for the second time. I then started to feel sick. Both equal on 10. A jump-off. Who would Rob Hoekstra chose to go for Britain. Who would Otto Becker choose for Germany. Aaarrrggghh! Too much excitement.

British team members Michael Whitaker and GIG Amai

Jump-off
I pigeoned my way through the Dutch commentary and heard that Ben would go for Britain and Ludger for Germany. The triple-bar was in the jump-off. Could Ludger knock it down a third time? Would Ben go clear on his young horse?

Ben was first to go, but he toppled the third last oxer on a right-hand turn from a vertical.

"I went for the safe option over the vertical, but still ended up too close to the oxer," he woefully told me afterwards.

Keen
Ludger was eager to jump again for Germany.

"I wanted to make good after being the drop score in round one," he said.

And jumping clear, he secured both the class and the league for the country. This left Britain third in the league, second in the class.

"I took more care to the triple-bar that time," he said grinning afterwards.

Good results
I spoke to Rob Hoekstra the following morning, who was delighted with the British performance.

"We have done amazingly well to say we have two young horses on the team [Depardieu van'T Kiezelhof and Tripple X], to come some close to winning is amazing," he said. "But you really do need to remember that it wasn't Ben's jump-off round that lost it, it was the time faults we'd gained in the first two rounds which did that."

The rain was torrential the next two mornings, but thankfully cleared up at 2pm on both ocassions. This meant bright sunshine for the Longines Grand Prix.

Beezie Madden wins the Grand Prix on Coral Reef Via Volo

Some compensation
The USA gained some compensation with a win in this final class for Beezie Madden and Coral Reef Via Volo.

"It's not been a good year for us," she said. "But we always seem to do well in the Grands Prix at these shows. I think I am about the third US rider to win one this year."

The €50,000 first prize and a Longines watch may well soothe the pain temporarily, but the fight begins now with riders trying to regain a place in the Top League as well as secure a place at the London Olympic Games. How the reigning Olympics gold medallists fortunes have change in three years.