Norway Reign Supreme At Stutteri Ask!

Norway came out on top following a thrilling climax to the Longines EEF Series North Group qualifier at Stutteri Ask. The podium saw a Nordic clean sweep after Sweden occupied the runner-up position and hosts Denmark took third.

It looked like we were heading for a jump-off between Norway and Sweden until the latter’s final duo, Linda Heed and the flashy grey mare Laurien van Orshof, knocked the final fence to hand victory to Norway and leave the Swedes in second on eight faults and with 90 qualifying points.

The Norwegian quartet of Pal Flam riding the exciting 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Omonza D C, Therese Soehol Henriksen with Santos Z, Ingrid Gjelsten aboard VDL Edgar M, a 15-year-old KWPN gelding, and Geir Gulliksen on Oh la La van Overis were in third place on a score of four following the first round. Three clear rounds in the second, including one from the veteran Geir Gulliksen and his 10-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare whose score of 16 had been the team’s discard score in the first round, saw the team climb the order and take overall victory on what was Norway’s National Day.

"I started very badly, four down in the first round was really a disastrous round! Luckily I have a little bit of experience, I don’t lose the mood and I can pull myself together. We needed a clear and I managed to do it. I think my experience helped me a lot today," said Geir.

Therese and the 12-year-old grey stallion Santos Z were one of just seven pairs to record a double clear around Gerard Lachat’s course at this stunning venue, a stud farm in central Denmark which overlooks Dalby Bay and was a new addition to the show jumping calendar this year.

"This Longines EEF Series is very important for us smaller countries, to develop younger riders and younger horses. We're very happy to be here, it’s an amazing place and we want to thank the family of Kirk Kristiansen who built up this facility for the sport, and we are very happy now. We look forward to coming back next year,” said Norway’s chef d’equipe Mikael Kolind.

Norway, who received 100 qualifying points for their win, will next be in action at the qualifier on home turf in Drammen in June.

A single time fault in the first round for Rikke Andersen and Nordsturm 15 proved costly for Denmark who finished third with nine penalties and 80 qualifying points. Some disappointing rounds from round one leaders Belgium saw them tumble down the order in the second round to finish eventual fourth on 12, just half a second behind Denmark.

Netherlands and Germany also finished the competition on 12 penalties and were separated by time for fifth and sixth places respectively. Poland were seventh, thanks in part to a fabulous double clear from Tomasz Miskiewicz and the 11-year-old Oldenburger mare Velvet Lazar, and the team received 70 qualifying points. Ukraine finished eighth while Finland’s ninth position earnt them 60 qualifying points. The only other team contesting the event were Lithuania, who sadly with only three riders starting in the team, did not complete the second round.

Poles fell all over the course but it was the water jump which proved most problematic and caused many combinations to falter.