Nail biting Finish at Military Boekelo

The 2023 FEI Nations Cup – Boekelo Leg Winners: Team France: Maxime Livio, Karim Florent Laghouag, ; .Jean Lou Bigot, Nicolas Touzaint. ©Irish Eventing Times

Boekelo hosted the finale of the 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series, where Team France achieved their fourth win of the series this season. France finished on a team score score of 97.8, ahead of last year’s Boekelo winners Great Britain on 111.2. Team Belgium finished third on 129.0 at Boekelo, and were the overall champions of the 2023 FEI Eventing Nations Cup™ Series.

The 2023 FEI Nations Cup Series Winners: Team Belgium: Jarno Verwimp; Tine Magnus; Lara de Liedekerke-Meier, Karin Donckers and Kai-Steffan-Meier (Chef d’Equipe). ©Irish Eventing Times

Nicolas TOUZAINT riding Diabolo Menthe, winners of Military Boekelo 2023. © irish Eventing Times

It was a nail biting finish on the final day for the showjumping, with less than a fence separating the top 5. When Belgium’s Lara de Liedekerke-Meier riding Ducati d’Arville for Belgium (sitting in 2^nd place overnight) produced a clear round, the pressure was on France’s Nicolas Touzaint riding Diabolo Menthe, who only had 1.2 penalties in hand. However a foot perfect round from the combination left him the 2023 champion, with Lara de Liedekerke-Meier having to settle for second and Great Britain’s Ros Canter taking third with MHS Seventeen.

Boekelo’s 2023 podium: Nicolas Touzaint (centre), Lara de Liedekerke-Meier (left), and Ros Canter (right). © Irish Eventing Times

Best individual result for Ireland

Clare Abbott riding Jewelent. © irish Eventing Times

Ireland’s Clare Abbott riding Jewelent [IRL] owned by Barbra Allen and Lisa Rosbotham, finished in 13th place. The combination were in 28th position after scoring 31.6 in the dressage, and then went on to achieve one of only 20 clears cross country in the time allowed, moving them up to 12th place going into showjumping. An unfortunate pole down, cost them one place in the final result. It has been a good season for the combination who won the CCI3*S at Lisgarvan and then took second at Ballindenisk International in September.

For the FEI Eventing Nations Cup™, Dag Albert’s Irish Team were

Sam WATSON riding Ballyneety Rocketman [IRL]

Robbie KEARNS riding Ballyvillane OBOS [IRL]

Ian CASSELLS riding Shanbo Super Flex [IRL]

Clare ABBOTT riding Jewelent [IRL]

Robbie KEARNS riding Ballyvillane OBOS © Irish Eventing Times

Team Ireland moved up from ninth after dressage to seventh after cross country, a position which they retained after showjumping.

Dutch National Championship

The Dutch National Championship went back to last year’s winner Janneke Boonzaaijer, riding I’m Special N. the only combination in this leaderboard to jump clear, adding just 0.8 time to their score. That moved them up from overnight third place after overnight leader Merel Blom-Hulsman had a fence down and added 1.2 time penalties with Vesuve d’Aveyron, dropping her to second, and overnight second-placed Sanne de Jong with Global Faerlie Flashy (previously ridden by Ireland’s Brian Morrison) knocked three and added 0.4 time to drop to third.

Dutch Championship
1st Janneke BOONZAAIJER riding I’m Special N
2nd Merel BLOM-HULSMAN riding Vesuve d’Aveyron
3rd Sanne DE JONG riding Global Faerlie Flashy

Results for Irish riders

Jennifer KUEHNLE riding Sammy Davis Junior. © Irish Eventing Times

The second highest Irish result was achieved by Jennifer Kuehnle riding Margaret Kinsella’s Sammy Davis Junior. . A clear cross country with 12.4 time penalties had them in 52nd place after dressage and cross country, but a perfect clear round in the show jumping moved them up to complete in 40th position. Last year at Boekelo, Jenny won ‘Rookie of the Year” with Polly Blue Eyes.

Robbie KEARNS riding Ballyvillane OBOS.© Irish Eventing Times

44th Robbie KEARNS riding Ballyvillane OBOS went clear cross country adding 11.6 time penalties.

52nd Ian CASSELLS riding Shanbo Super Flex, jumped clear cross country but picked up 17.2 time penalties. A clear showjumping moved them up 11 places from 63rd on the final day.

Meghan HEALY riding Think It Over.© Irish Eventing Times

57th Meghan HEALY riding Think It Over, came home clear cross country, but added 22.0 time penalties. The combination went clear in the showjumping on the final day.

63rd Declan CULLEN riding the 9 year old Ultimate Quality. Declan made a remarkable recovery after a stumble in the water (one of many to fall prey of the water) to finish the cross country with 15.6 time penalties, leaving them in 59th position. Three poles down in the showjumping moved them down four places to complete in 63rd.

68th Tara DIXON riding Master Smart had one refusal at fence 20 on the cross country, so finished in 76th after the first two phases, but a clear in the showjumping, moved this combination up 8 places on the final day.

69th Sam WATSON riding Ballyneety Rocketman. A refusal at 20b (water complex) on the cross country followed by 0.4 time penalties in the showjumping still allowed Sam to climb drastically from 108th position after dressage.

75th Patrick BYRNE riding Oughterard Diva. This combination also had a near miss at the water, in the same spot as Declan Cullen, however managed to come home clear but with 31.6 time penalties to add to their score.

78th Lexi KILFEATHER riding Lord Of The Morning, had a refusal at 24a on the cross country, and added 27.6 time penalties.

The other three Irish combinations did not complete.

Steven Smith retired Newferry Jagermeister at fence 17b (the second part of two open corners), and Michael O’Toole and First Obama, fell victim to the same fence.

Robbie Kearns withdrew Pisco Sour, before the second horse inspection on Sunday. Robbie was another near victim at the water, but some great balance and quick thinking left them going clear cross country.

Our coverage at Military Boekelo was sponsored by Barberstown Castle Hotel and Equine Halo Salt Therapy