Team GBR storm home with 15 point lead
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 WATCHING the British team's winning performance in the Hickstead leg of this year's Meydan Nations Cup, it's hard to believe that at the same time last year relagation loomed and spirits were low. Now, with a new team manager and stronger team bonds Britain holds a strong second place on the league table, thanks in no small part to an outstanding performance at the weekend.
"The aim for this year was to stay in the top six [and not be relegated]," said Rob Hoekstra, team manager/chef d'equipe for the home side. "Now we are second in the table with one leg to go."
Having walked the course, the British team had decided to take the longer route between the first two fences and get into a good rhythm without worrying about time faults too much. This tactic proved to be the best of all the nine teams competing, Poland having opted not to travel with no hope of saving themselves from relegation.
Peter was first to go of the sixth draw Brits with Olga White's Murka's Pom d'Ami. In the six legs they have now jumped in, this pair has acted as pathfinder and was the first to complete with no jumping faults in the competition, with one time penalty accrued.
 "He's a great horse and has been super in all the rounds he's jumped," said Peter, refering to the fact that the 11-year-old gelding has only touch four poles in the now 12 Meydan Nations Cup rounds he has completed.
William Funnell and his own and Donal Barnwell's Billy Stud's Billy Congo were next to go for Britain and finished on the same score as Peter and Murka's Pom d'Ami.
"It's was fantastic to jump in the team with a homebred horse," said William of the Vechta stallion. "The result of the breeding programme can now be seen."
Having had a fall in an earlier class from KBIS Yorkshire Business, after the horse put in an out-of-character stop at a wall, Britain's next rider Tina Fletcher (Hello Sailor) was feeling rather sore. But described by Rob as "one tough lady" she did not let it affect her performance on Lady Pauline Harris's 11-year-old gelding. Admitting later that her mount had gone "a little bit green and been strong" she took a wide but much straighter approach to an uphill oxer (fence 10). It resulted in two time penalties, but all of the poles remained in their places.
Last to go for team GBR was Michael Whitaker and Beatrice Mertens' GIG Amai. This combination were clear until the oxer at 10, which fell, followed by the following vertical, the first part of a double. Their eight faults were discarded from the team total giving Britain a score of 4 at the end of round one.
The only other rider not to gain jumping faults in the first round was The Netherlands' Jur Vrieling (VDL Bubalu), but higher faulting rounds from his team-mates left them in fourth at this stage on 19, behind Germany on 14 and Sweden on 18.
Switzerland were out of round two, while the USA (21), Ireland (26), league leaders France (29) and Spain (36) all desperately needed to improve on their opening performances, and all came out fighting.
Spain's Pilar Lucrecia Cordon Muro (Herald 3) opened round two with a clear, followed immediately by another from the French European Champion Kevin Staut (Silvana). They were the first of eight penalty free performances in the second round, and two for their own nations, but Spain's big score from round one meant the highest they could climb was one place to seventh.
 The Brits, however, stuck to their original plan and Peter, William and Tina all finished with just one time penalty each, meaning Michael did not have to jump again as the class was already won.
Germany's additional eight faults was good enough to hold second, while America climbed to third and France fourth. The points gained by France from this leg now secures their win of the series for the second year running.
"I'm highly delighted," said Rob. "I've got four very happy riders here today — who between them have won 10 Derbys, [four King Georges] and two Queen Elizabeth Cups here — and another 10 who'd give anything to be in their place.
"Staying in the league was part of the plan for this year and we'll be focusing on next year's Europeans and the 2012 Olympic Games."
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