Scott Brash and Hello Folie have won individual silver at the Longines FEI European Showjumping Championships, finishing just behind Germany’s Richard Vogel and United Touch S, and ahead of Belgium’s Gilles Thomas and Ermitage Kalone, after a nail-biting competition finale.
Scott and Lady Pauline Harris and Lady Pauline Kirkham’s incredible 10-year-old mare, who is competing in her first championships, kept everyone on the edge of their seats all week with their epic heart-filled performances, and today was no different.
“She’s shown the world how talented she is this week,” said Scott. “I’ve always felt that she was going to be a top, top horse, but until they actually come and do it at this level, you don’t really know, but she’s certainly proved that more this week. So I’m delighted.”
The pair entered the second round of today’s individual final in the silver medal position and it was theirs to lose, after Gilles Thomas and Joris van Dijck’s 11-year-old stallion had sealed a medal with another foot-perfect performance.
Folie looked her feisty self, but as always the partnership with Scott shone through on Santiago Varela’s new track. The crowd held its breath when the pair got a little close to the oxer at fence 6, but it stayed up. Down to the final line the pair jumped through the triple combination – a vertical, vertical, oxer – with ease before providing another heart-skipping moment with a bold long stride to the penultimate fence, a huge 1.63m vertical. The pair then soared over the final oxer to keep the pressure firmly on Richard and United.
Folie has shown her desire to get on with the job all week.
“It’s been very fun,” Scott said. “I was glad I managed to keep hold of the reins today! To the triple combination, I wanted to come in not too quick, but I actually waited one too many strides, and she just shows such fight and spirit to jump through it; what an incredible mare.
“These are the biggest courses she’s jumped so far. I feel she’s grown up through the week and she’s going to use this championship to grow for the future.”
The competition remained unbelievably close to the end; the final eight all jumped clear. Ben Maher was just out of the medals in fourth with Dallas Vegas Batilly. Donald Whitaker finished 10th with Millfield Colette, having jumped double clear this afternoon. Jessica Mendoza and In The Air picked up four faults in the second round when they knocked the first part of the combination to finish 11th.
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