German reining team
The German reining team was victorious at this year's SVAG FEI European Reining Senior Team Championship. • Photo by Tom Hautmann.

Germans Win European Reining Team Title

Riders from Germany’s reining team did their country proud by winning the 2019 SVAG FEI European Reining Senior Team Championship. The event was held in Givrins, Switzerland.

The top 15 scores from the Team competition automatically advance to the SVAG FEI European Reining Championship for Seniors Individual Final, which will be held on Saturday. Five more horse-rider-combinations will make it back through the Consolation.

Gold

In the first set of riders, Team Germany set the bar with Markus Suechting marking a 218.5 with Spotlight Charly (As Smart As Charley x Sweet Steppin Cody x Hes A Steppin Jac). Once the second rider for the team, Elias Ernst, had closed his performance aboard USS N Dun It with a 215.5, Germany was leading 10 points ahead of Team Italy.

“This is the first year that we had to actually make a choice and leave great horses and riders at home because so many tried to qualify; the result is that we have six high-class horses and riders vying for the Team and Individual medals in the Senior, Junior and Young Riders and today the result sealed the deal,” said Nico Hoermann, Team Germany’s historical coach. 

Germany’s reining team proved him right and once again young Gina Schumacher, past FEI Young Rider World Team and Individual Champion, proved her worth as she rode Shine N Whiz (Topsail Whiz x Spark N Pretty x Shining Spark) to a 220.5. The 2010 stallion is owned by her mother, Corinna Schumacher.

The second-highest score that counted toward making Germany’s reining team ride to the highest step of the podium was a 220 posted by veteran Grischa Ludwig riding Coeurs Little Tyke (Coer D Wright Stuff x Sweet Remy Chexs x Little Remedy Chexs). 

The fourth components of the German team were Elias Ernst and USS N Dun It, a 2005 stallion by Reminic N Dunit and out of USS Enterprise (by Be Aech Enterprise). 

Silver

Claiming the Silver medal with 646 points was Team Italy: the three scores counting were 216.5 marked by Luca Dossetto and RS Nebbiolo Blu (Spat A Blue x RS Hollywood Hglo x McJac Flash); 215 by Lorenzo De Simone and The Cocked Gun (Gallo Del Cielo [Rooster] x Katie Gun x John Gun) and a 214.5 by Davide Brighenti and Custom Genetic (Custom Crome x Gay Doc Nell x Gay Doc).

As a son of Spat A Blue, RS Nebbiolo Blu is a grandson of the NRHA’s newest 1 Million Sire, Spat Olena. The 1993 son of Smart Chic Olena recently became the first European-based NRHA Million Dollar Sire.

Enrico Sciulli’s 214 posted on Snips Gotta Bud was dropped but he was just as happy for his team. Snips Gotta Bud is a 2009 mare by Nic It In the Bud and out of Snip O Chex (by Nu Chex To Cash).

“Anchor rider, Davide [Brighenti] and Enrico [Sciulli] both are experienced riders in FEI competition,” said Team Coach Marco Manzi. “I am very proud of the whole team as both De Simone and Dossetto are new to the game. It’s a great result and we now look forward to seeing our four riders come back to compete for the Individual medals on Saturday.”

Bronze

On home turf, Team Switzerland slid to the Bronze medal with a final composite score of 640.5. Adrienne Speidel marked a 218 on Arc Walla Smart (Walla Walla Whiz x Please Pass the Chic x Smart Chic Olena); Sabine Schmid marked a 213 with Gotta Make It Baby (Spooks Gotta Whiz x Make It With A Twist x Dun It With A Twist); and Annika Riggenbach scored a 209.5 with Great Little Gunner (Colonels Smoking Gun [Gunner] x Tanit Rooster x Rooster).

The dropped score was a 207 posted by Daniel Schmutz and SLJ Smart Doc (Smart Like Juice x Doc Etta x Doc Per).

“Our team was simply great,” said Team Coach Sara Moonen. “This is a wonderful result for our country, thanks to the hard work and great team we had.”

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