The Belgian "jumping devils" had the advantage of starting last. For Belgium, Zoe Conter and her trusted La Una (Chacco-Blue, breeder: Alois Hinxlage) proved to be the anchor. The pair jumped two clear rounds.

First to go for Belgium was Roy van Beek. Riding the 10-year-old Cavoiro-H OLD (Casallco), he kept all the rails up in the first round but struggled with the allowed time, earning a time fault. The duo completed the second round faultlessly and within the time limit.

Sacha Beghuin with Elcup van Beek II Z (Elvis ter Putte) and Krismar rider Mathieu Bourdeaud'Hui with the 11-year-old stallion Oscar The Homage (Quint vh Maarlo Z) also each delivered one clear round. With a total of one time fault, the Belgians jumped to victory.

The Spanish team followed with four penalty points, ahead of Brazil, which totaled 12 faults!

Speaking after the competition Chef d’Equipe Filip Lacus summed up the Belgian performance; “We are very happy to win this class so we qualify for the final which was the reason we came. I am very happy how the riders rode and the horses jumped. They (the riders) came for the experience for sure and we had to qualify for the final which they did. The Series gives experience for younger combinations so we try to use it as much as possible to take the experience for the younger riders.”

Mathieu Bourdeaud’Hui  kept his cool with the exuberant Oscar the Homage owned by Krismar Stables as the final rider on the team, to seal the deal with a clear round. “Yes I felt the pressure but it was ok, my horse jumped good and it was a spectacular round and he was very good so I am very happy. He is an eleven year old stallion, he had a little break for two months and this is his first big show again so now he is getting back into shape.”

27 year-old Zoe Conter produced one of the very few double clears of the competition and was the eldest on this evergreen Belgian team, “I was actually surprised to be the eldest on the team because I am actually quite young but I was really happy to come here with such a great team of younger riders and I think we all contributed to this result so I think we can be very happy.” She was delighted with her 14 year-old mare La Una, who she rides for the prolific Stephex Stables. “I was very happy with her performance. I’ve had a long partnership with this mare, I think we have been together for about six or seven years so we know each other through and through. I think that played a huge role for us today and I am very happy for this.”

Roy van Beek performed equally well with just one time penalty on his striking grey gelding Cavoiro H OLD who is owned by Johannes Heinrichs. “ I am very happy with the way my horse jumped, the first round was a little bit too slow and had too big turns. The second round we tried to keep the time in mind and the way it worked out was amazing”.

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