What a marvellous, exciting reining afternoon in Mooslargue! The team competition of the third FEI European Reining Championship ended with Germany winning the gold medal and Italy placing second. Martin Gamper (ITA) and RS Great Jac Fiona were the first to go for Italy and set a high level for the following competitors scoring a 218. Germany’s first team member Steffen Breug ended with a 212 astride MR Rattle N Hum. Then Gennaro Lendi added another 220 to Italy’s score riding Mifillenium, the horse Adriano Meacci won individual gold with two years ago. Then Emanuel Ernst scored a tremendous 221 for Germany astride Legend’s Diamond Doc (owned by Paul Kratschmer), followed bei Davide Brighenti and OT Taris San Peppy who scored a 222,5 for Italy. But the best was still to come when Nico Hoermann and Ralf Gembe’s Big Time Rooster slided to highscore 227!

Nico risked everything without losing harmony with his horse. Beautiful circles, low, fast spins and smooth long stops made the crowds cheer. This really was a winner’s go! Italy now had a total of 660,5 and Germany a 660, so everything depended upon the last riders. Adriano Meacci and Docs Tivio Hancock scored a 212, so the total score of Italy remained the same as before. Germany’s last rider Grischa Ludwig needed a 213 only now, but he did even better scoring a 218 astride Olenas Diablo Star (owned by Kai Thielk). This meant gold for Germany with 5.5 points ahead of Italy. Switzerland won the bronze medal with a total von 634,5 – only half a point ahead of Great Britain.

“The team was simply super,” team coach Kay Wienrich said enthusiastically . “They were fantastic! Everything seemed to be just perfect from the start. After Martin Gamper’s 218, there was great pressure on Steffen Breug, but he still had a good ride. And then the others…. I’m very, very happy for them.”

It was the second gold medal for Germany after winning the first European Championship in 2003. It also was Nico Hoermann’s second European Championship, as he was part of the silver medal team in 2005. Big Time Rooster is a 7-year-old American Quarter Horse stallion that was bred in the U.S.A. The Gallo del Cielo-son out of an own daughter of Smart Little Lena was started as a cutting horse, but his stops and reining talent soon persuaded his breeders Dave and Clara Capps to send him to Todd Bergen for training. Bergen rode the stallion to the NRHA Futurity Finals and placed 14th there. Also, he placed third in the West Coast Spectacular. The stallion won more than USD 40,000.—so far.

Only seven teams from nine nations were able to compete this afternoon, as some horses were injured or did not pass the vet check. Unfortunately, the team of Israel could not start as Ilan Rosenberg’s horse Doctor Stream had injured himself during their last show and was not fit. The remaining two riders of the team Israel, David Mordechai and Elad Kalifa then decided against competing as individual riders.

The top 19 riders will now go for individual gold on Saturday night.

Place - Nation - Score
Gold - Germany - 666
Silver - Italy - 660,5
Bronze - Switzerland - 634,5
4 - Great Britain - 634
5 - Netherlands - 629
6 - Czech Republic - 617
7 - Denmark - 610

No. - Rider - Horse - Country - Score
16 - Nico Hörmann - Big Time Rooster - GER - 227
33 - Davide Brighenti - OT Taris San Peppy - ITA - 222,5
15 - Emanuel Ernst - Legends Diamond Doc - GER - 221
35 - Gennaro Lendi - Mifillenium - ITA - 220
34 - Martin Gamper - RS Great Jac Feona - ITA - 218
17 - Grischa Ludwig - Olenas Diablo Star - GER - 218
40 - Hubert Heule - Shining Fox - NED - 215
38 - Rieky Young-van Osch - Stop It - NED - 214
42 - Anders Josefson - Silver N Hickory - SWE - 213,5
20 - Francesca Sternberg - Yelena May Way - GBR - 213,5
14 - Steffen Breug - MR Rattle N Hum - GER - 212
37 - Adriano Meacci - Docs Tivio Hancock - ITA - 212
19 - Doug Allen - Jacs Little Sunrise - GBR - 212
46 - Daniel Straumann - Gallo Pequeno - SUI - 211
43 - Thierry Hebert - MR Royaly Freckles - SUI - 211
21 - Tammy Greaves - The Magic of Whiz - GBR - 209
2 - Klara Salkova - Smart Chiconita - CZE - 207
4 - Roman Zimmermann - RDH Genuine Cookie - CZE - 205,5
10 - Rikke Madsen - Fast Draw Enterprise - DEN - 205
5 - Fister Hynek - Monty Blue Sky - CZE - 204,5
11 - Morten Soby - Smokin Tari Too - DEN - 204
12 - Yves Fromont - Titan Texan - FRA - 202
3 - Karel Barotek - Hollywood Spinstep - CZE - 202
8 - Sannee Klindt - Rietta Doc Jac - DEN - 201
7 - Christine Johansen - JFB Bar Power - DEN - 201
39 - Angelique Ferdinandus - Pepp O Lena Chex - NED - 200
13 - Gregory Legrand - New Doc Peppy Cat - FRA - 0
45 - Selina Schultheiss - MR Topsail Bregalena - SUI - 0
44 - Alex Kubli - Jokers Freckle King - SUI - 0
22 - Marc How - Whiz Worth - GBR - no score