With a totally clean sheet, Switzerland won the first leg of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup Europe Division 1 in Lummen. With the three first riders, Pius Schwizer on Toulago, Romain Duguet on Quorida de Treho and Paul Estermann on Castlefield Eclipse all going double clear, Steve Guerdat didn't even have to enter the ring to take home the gold. It was a typical Nations Cup track set by mastermind Uliano Vezzani. After the first round Switzerland, France and the Netherlands were all in the lead joined on a zero penalty score. The winning Swiss team that did not have one single fault during the two rounds! Switzerland's Pius Schwizer and Toulago (v. Toulon) delivered yet another clear, the first riders from the Netherlands and France all had a pole down. Netherland's second rider Robert Vos and Interline H (v. Indoctro), got some problems in the turn to the triple combination leaving them with twelve penalties, leaving him with 16 penalties after two rounds. France's second rider Aymeric De Ponnat with the lovely Armitages Boy (Armitage x Feo) repeated putting presure on Switzerland's Romain Duguet on Quorida de Treho (Kannan x Tolblac des Forets) that kept his cool and jumped a double clear. Putting the Swiss team and the French in the contest for the win. The Dutch team on the other hand started to struggle, and fell back to 5th place. With Paul Estermann being clear againg for Switzerland, their last rider Steve Guerdat could watch the entire competition ringside without having to jump one fence. French Penelope Leprevost riding Dame Blanche van Arenberg (Clinton x Codexco) could have given the crowds a jump-off by going clear, but one pole fell towards the very end of the course handing over Switserland the win. Team Standings: 1. Switzerland - 0 faults 2. France - 4 faults 3. Belgium and Ireland - 12 faults 5. Netherlands - 16 faults 6. Spain - 19 faults 7. Sweden - 21 faults 8. Great Britain - 33 faults Click here to see all results
