Team Germany, under the direction of Chef d’Equipe Otto Becker, won the first ever Longines League of Nations™ championship at Barcelona on Sunday, having also won the opening leg at Abu Dhabi in February. The anchor team of Richard Vogel and United Touch S clinched the victory with a gorgeous double clear as the last ride of the day, putting Germany on a total score of 12 penalty points. Chef d’Equipe Otto Becker described the win as “a dream come true.”
“It’s always special to win here in Barcelona,” he said. “My team did a great job, and I’m super, super happy.”
All four German athletes remarked on the difficulty of the course and how tough the second round was, with Kukuk commenting on how grateful he was for Vogel “just flying” in the second round.
Vogel, who painted Round 2 as a “roller coaster of feelings” gave all the thanks to his horse, saying how “extra and special” he is. “I’m very happy how United jumped,” the young athlete added before heading to the awards ceremony and Champagne celebration.