The French were a force to be reckoned with at the 2021 FEI Pony European Championships in Strzegom, Poland taking home both individual and team gold medals in Eventing
Germany took team silver and Ireland finished with the bronze, with the top three teams remaining in the same positions throughout the competition
The gold medal winning French team consisted of Zoe Ballot with Voltair De Lalande, Valentin Quittet Eslan with Winnetou, Mathieu Cuomo with Celeste Du Montier and Mae Rinaldi riding Boston Du Verdon, taking the Championship on a total score of 104.4
Mae Rinaldi also won the individual gold medal, taking the lead after dressage and keeping it through the cross-country in spite of time faults. She then jumped clear in the final phase to finish on a score of 28.4.
Mae Rinaldi and Boston Du Verdon - Individual Gold Medallists
“I’m very happy with my individual victory, but also for the whole team. It’s a dream come true. Boston is a great pony, he is amazing in all three trials, he’s always very concentrated and I love him!” said Mae the new European Eventing Pony Champion.
The German team of Merle Hoffmann riding Penny Lane WE, Pita Schmid riding Sietlands Catrina, Maya Marie Fernandez riding Maruto and Ella Krueger riding Golden Grove Simon finished on a total score of 114 for the silver medal.
The Irish Team sporting their yellow ribbons in honour of Tiggy Hancock
The Irish team of Ben Connors, Caoimhe Crozier, Sarah Keane and Ted O’Leary took the team bronze on 132.3
The Individual silver medal also went to Ireland’s Ben Connors with Cornafest Fred, who was clear in both the cross-country and showjumping, to finish on a score of 30.3. Sophie Weening from the Netherlands took bronze riding Hip Hop on 30.04.
It was an emotional weekend for the Irish team and manager Becky Cullen as they honoured their fellow team member Tiggy Hancock who tragically died following a fall from her pony when preparing for the Championships.
Individual bronze medal winner, Sophie Weening from the Netherlands
Gold - France (104.4)
Mae Rinaldi, BOSTON DU VERDON
Zoe Ballot,VOLTAIR DE LALANDE
Valentin Quittet Eslan, WINNETOU
Mathieu Cuomo, CELESTE DU MONTIER
Silver - Germany (114)
Merle Hoffmann, PENNY LANE WE
Pita Schmid, SIETLANDS CATRINA
Maya Marie Fernandez, MARUTO
Ella Krueger, GOLDEN GROVE SIMON
Bronze - Ireland (132.3)
Ben Connors, CORNAFEST FRED
Caoimhe Crozier, KILDROMIN BANJO
Sarah Keane, LON MAC LIOMHTHA
Ted O'Leary, ROCKON PEDRO
