With one exception, the Dutch show jumping riders did not start strongly at the European Championships, which started in Milan.
After the first part, the Dutch team takes twelfth place in the ranking of the Nations Cup. The only bright spot was Jur Vrieling’s ride from Holwierden on Long John Silver 3 NOP. The gray not only remained clear very easily, but turned out to be fast at the finish line, which meant that he ended up in eleventh place in the individual classification.
Maikel van der Vleuten and Willem Greve suffered two jumping faults and are provisionally ranked 58th and 46th, while Harrie Smolders had to add no less than three jumping faults, which puts him very disappointingly in 60th place in the field of 85 participants.
‘We have nothing yet’
Executioner in the course was an oxer that had to be overcome after a sharp turn to the left and was built after the ditch. „I took some risks left and right and then that provisional eleventh place is nice, but we have nothing yet”, Vrieling reacted. His eleven-year-old gray was previously known as a slow horse, but in Milan Long John Silver showed a completely different side.
„Lately, in preparation for this European Championship, I have put a lot of work into improving his condition and trying to ensure that he enjoys the work he does”, said Vrieling. ,,We rode along the road a lot and galloped a lot and jumped little. He’s in good shape. So I think he has been better than a lot of people.”
Vrieling was lenient towards his other team members. “They were not lucky today. You know, sometimes it’s good and sometimes it’s bad and it’s been good for me and it’s been bad for them.”
Optimistic
Because it had rained heavily shortly before the start of the European Championships, the temperature was pleasant and the track perfect. When the first round of the Nations Cup is held on Thursday, it will be warmer. Vrieling was optimistic. “As a team we have often fought back from a disadvantaged situation and that will certainly happen now. From now on, every post that falls counts and then you have to see where we are tomorrow evening if we leave all the posts.”