The reigning Olympic and European champions from Germany claimed the latest leg of the 2004 Samsung Nations Cup series on their home ground in Aachen today, sending out a strong signal of confidence and determination ahead of next month’s Olympic Games in Athens.

Aachen has long been considered the Mecca of the show jumping world – the place where every team and every individual wants to do their very best – and course-designer Frank Rothenberger’s track tested them with 12 big fences, light poles and clever layout. While problems were spread all around the course the line from the oxer at fence five to the combination at fence six proved the bogey of the day, but having shared pole position with the USA, Belgium and Holland carrying eight faults after the first round, the German squad added nothing further to win without calling out their final rider.

The United States finished second, just one fence behind the victors when collecting a total of 12 faults, and showed real class. Throughout this entire 2004 Samsung Super League series they have been incredibly consistent and look their serious Olympic medal-contenders based on today’s excellent performance while the French, reigning World Champions and defending their Samsung Super League title, showed the professionalism which has been the hallmark of their successes in recent years to recover from sixth position after round one to take third place with a hat-trick of zero second-round scores to complete with 15 faults.

Ireland, with new Chef d’Equipe Colonel Ned Campion and re-appointed trainer Eddie Macken now in charge of operations, slotted into fourth with 16 faults, helped in no small measure by Cian O’Connor’s superb double-clear from Waterford Crystal – a score matched only by Frenchman Eric Navet riding Dollar du Murier.

Belgium and Holland shared fifth spot when collecting a total of 20 faults each while Great Britain were seventh with 30 faults and the Italians, surely now in very deep water, racked up a huge score of 68 to finish a long way behind at the bottom of the order.

Otto Becker’s opening eight-fault round with Dobel’s Cento was the German discard score in round one when Marco Kutscher (Montender) and Christian Ahlmann (Coster) dropped one pole apiece while Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly went clear.

The Dutch made a good start when Wim Schroder (Eurocommerce Montreal) kicked off with a fault-free run and, despite an uncharacteristic 19 faults from Eric Van der Vleuten and Audi’s Jikke, shared the lead at the half-way stage when Gerco Schroder (Eurocommerce Monaco) and Gert-Jan Bruggink (Joel) lowered just one pole each.

The Belgians also had a promising start when both Ludo Philippaerts (Parco) and Jos Lansink (Cumano) left the course intact, counting only the eight faults collected by Marc Van Dijck (Verelst Goliath) when Dirk Demeersman’s nine-fault total with Clinton was discounted.

Peter Wylde and Fein Cera were foot-perfect for the USA who dropped Alison Firestone’s eight-fault result with Casanova to count just the four collected by both McLain Ward (Sapphire) and Beezie Madden (Authentic) and when both Ward and Madden went clear next time out, just a single error from Wylde was added to complete their total.

The Dutch and Belgians picked up 12 more however and that allowed both the French and Irish into the picture.

New French stars Eugenie Angot and Cigale du Tallis had a misunderstanding at the very last fence in the opening round to collect 11 faults at their first attempt but this had to be counted when Christian Hermon (Ephebe Forever Ecolit) picked up 12. A single error from Florian Angot (First de Launay) made up the first-round French total when Eric Navet was clear but a superb rally in round two with clears from both members of the Angot family along with another from Navet deservedly rocketed their side up the leaderboard to eventual third place but only one fault ahead of the Irish.

At just 24 years of age Cian O’Connor has already clocked up 38 Nations Cup appearances and this young man was given the unenviable task of leading the beleaguered Irish into the fray today when second into the arena. The sole member of the Irish team to remain in support of former Chef d’Equipe Tommy Wade throughout the damaging and divisive recent controversy he might well have been feeling extremely uncomfortable with the new management system in place but, in typical fashion, he put that behind him to give his team the best possible chance with his double-clear performance and the Irish have now moved four points ahead of the Italians at the bottom of the leaderboard.

While the Dutch and Belgians may have been disappointed in losing their early advantage with the addition of 12 faults each it was even more frustrating for the British who added 17 more to their first-round score of 13 to finish second-last but Italian Chef d’Equipe Duccio Bartalucci must be wondering what he can do to rescue his team at this stage in the series.

With two relatively inexperienced recruits – Luca Carini and Emanuele Fiorelli – on his side this time around there was perhaps some explanation for the colossal score clocked up today but ahead of Athens next month and the last three rounds of the Samsung Super League series over the next few weeks there was little encouragement for the Italians who look destined to lose their Super League status if they cannot turn things around very soon.

German Chef d’Equipe Kurt Gravemeier however had plenty to celebrate today. This was the first home-side victory at Aachen since 1998 and he said "I want to congratulate my team – I am proud of them and it is always very special for us to win here in Aachen. There was also a great atmosphere around the arena today – the crowd were wonderful during the prizegiving" he added.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly were very impressive once again today and when asked after the competition if she believed today’s performance had sealed her place in the German Olympic squad she said "I’m not there yet but I would be very proud to be the first German woman to compete in show jumping at the Olympic Games".

Today’s result moves Germany back into second position on the Samsung Super League leaderboard, less than two points behind the leading French, while the Dutch drop to third ahead of Belgium in fourth, USA in fifth, Great Britain in sixth, Ireland in seventh and Italy in eighth place. French Chef d’Equipe Jean-Maurice Bonneau is very much hoping to take the Samsung Super League title again this year but is very aware that his side does not have the strong lead they enjoyed this time last season.

"We will be trying our best to do it again and we know we will really need to send a strong team to the final this year" he said today, particularly pleased with the way his squad had responded in the fifth leg of the series when under pressure.

"We were a long way behind after the first round but my team never gave up and I’m delighted with Eric Navet and his horse. They won the French Championship three weeks ago in Fontainbleau and you could see how they did that today. The course was strong but fair and Eugenie had a problem after the water when she could not collect her horse but she came back in the second round to jump clear and that is what made the difference for my team – they fought back and I’m very happy" he added.

There is little time however to dwell on the disappointments and delights of today’s leg of the 2004 Samsung Nations Cup series as teams now head off for the next round which takes place in seven day’s time at Hickstead.

RESULT:

1 - Germany – 8 faults: Otto Becker/Dobel’s Cento 8/0, Marco Kutscher/Montender 4/0, Christian Ahlmann/Coster 4/0, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum/Shutterfly 0/DNS.

2 - USA – 12 faults: Peter Wylde/Fein Cera 0/4, Alison Firestone/Casanova 8/8, McLain Ward/Sapphire 4/0, Beezie Madden/Authentic 4/0.

3 - France – 15 faults: Florian Angot/First de Launay 4/0, Eugenie Angot/Cigale du Tallis 11/0, Christian Hermon/Ephebe Forever Ecolit 12/4, Eric Navet/Dollar du Murier 0/0.

4 - Ireland – 16 faults: Cian O’Connor/Waterford Crystal 0/0, Marion Hughes/Heritage Fortunus 12/0, Jessica Kurten/Quibell 4/12, Kevin Babington/Carling King 8/4.

5 - The Netherlands – 20 faults: Wim Schroder/Eurocommerce Montreal 0/4, Eric van der Vleuten/Audi’s Jikke 19/4, Gerco Schroder/Eurocommerce Monaco 4/4, Gert-Jan Bruggink/Joel 4/8.

5 - Belgium – 20 faults: Ludo Philippaerts/Parco 0/4, Dirk Demeersman 9/4, Marc Van Djick/Verelst Goliath 8/5, Jos Lansink/Cumano 0/4.

6 - Great Britain – 30 faults: Robert Smith/Marius Claudius 4/9, John Whitaker/Exploit de Roulard 12/8, Scott Smith/Cabri d’Elle 0/8, Nick Skelton/Russel 9/1.

7 - Italy – 68 fauls: Bruno Chimirri/Landknecht 8/12, Luca Carini/D’Artagnan 16/12, Emanuele Fiorelli/Western Union Bigus de Monts 8/20, Roberto Arioldi/Loro Piana Dime de la Cour 8/DNS.

For all information about today’s leg of the Samsung Super League 2004 series in Aachen contact Press Officer Niels Knippertz –niels.knippertz@aachen2006.de. You can also email info@chioaachen.de or consult the website www.chioaachen.de.

The next leg of the series takes place at Hickstead on Friday July 23rd and for information about the British fixture you can call ++44 1273 834 315 or email admin@hicktead.co.uk. Website for Hickstead is www.hickstead.co.uk, Press Officer is Peter Jeffery – contact him at jeffery.communications@btopenworld.com.

Samsung Super League 2004 Leaderboard (after round 5 in Aachen):

France – 30.3
Germany – 28.8
The Netherlands – 25.5
Belgium – 19.8
USA – 18
Great Britain – 18
Ireland – 12.5
Italy – 8.5