The German team repeats its victory on the Olympic track of the Real Polo Club of Barcelona
MADRID, 7 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
This Sunday, the Olympic track of the Royal Polo Club of Barcelona crowned the German team as the winner of the most important competition on the international equestrian calendar after the Olympic Games, the Longines Nations League.
With the stands of the Barcelona club full of people, the final of the Nations League was the icing on the cake for CSIO Barcelona after four intense days with the best equestrian team in the world. André Thieme, with DSP Chakaria, Christian Kukuk, with Checker 47, Richard Vogel, with United Touch S and Jana Wargers, with Dorette Old, were the champions, led by team leader Otto Becker.
The excitement of meeting the champion lasted until the last ride of the last horse. In the first round four horses per team jumped, discarding their worst result. Thus, only Germany and the Netherlands have gone to the second round with zero points, while the rest of the teams have suffered penalties and have been left with almost no options.
A second round in which the Dutch and Germans have reached their third and final participant tied at 12 points and without the possibility of ruling out the worst of their results. The German Richard Vogel (United Touch S) completed the course without penalty, while the Dutch Harrie Smolders (Uricas v/d Kattevennen) knocked down an obstacle.
Finally, Germany has added 12 points to the Netherlands’ 16 points, winning the Nations League title and repeating its victory in Barcelona last year. Sweden has qualified in third position, with 20 points, while the Spanish team has finished in a creditable seventh place with 28.