After being second in the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 1 in Lummen and winning the leg on own ground at La Baule, France once again steped up to win the fifth leg in Rotterdam.
After a very exciting first two rounds it went on to be a jump-off between France and the home country the Netherlands. With only beine able to select one member per team it was Penelope Leprevost on Flora de Mariposa (For Pleasure x Power Light) for france facing Gerco Schröder with Glock's London N.O.P (Nabab de Reve x Chin Chin).
The first round produced 13 clears, with three of them being for the Netherlands that was in the lead ahead of the second round. Closing in on the home team were Switzerland, Germany, France and Brazil that had 4 faults each.
As course seemed a bit tougher it were only seven riders who cleared the course, and three of them having a double clear. Among them Gerco Schröder with Glock's London N.O.P, Joe Clee with Utamaro D Ecaussines (Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel) and Yuri Mansur Guerios with the impressive First Devision (Andiamo x Perhaps vh Molenvondel).
With only one rider to go for each team, France had taken over the lead from the Dutchies. An unfortunate fall for Patrice Delaveau and Carinjo HDC (Cascavelle x Landgraf) on the last fence of the triple put the pressure on for Kevin Staut going in last for France. If Kevin would go and produce a clear round the French team would win. It didn't quite go Kevin's way and with four faults France ended on the same score as Germany and the Netherlands before their last rider entered the arena.
Next to go was Marcus Ehning riding Cornado Nrw (Cornet Obolensky x Acobat), with a clear round Germany would go on to a jump-off. Cornado was flying over the fences, but still a pole fell in the end of the course which made Germany end on a total of 12 penalties and taking the third place.
The Netherlands, who started the second round with only three riders as Harrie Smolders and Emerald pulled out after a very bad first round with 17 penalties, had faith in their last rider Gerco Schröder with Glock's London N.O.P. A clear round would mean ther would be a jump-off against France. And Gerco delivered, producing a fabilous clear round!
Penelope Leprevost was first to go in for the face off with Flora de Marioposa. With a clear and very fast round she put pressure on Gerco who only got to the second fence before a pole fell and give away the win to France.
