Dubai: The Netherlands clinched their fourth gold medal at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games when triumphant in the team showjumping event at a pulsating d’Ornano Stadium in Caen, France,
A runner-up at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the Dutch team went one better to finish 1.25 points ahead of France, while the United States took third.
Britain’s showjumpers, who won the gold at home, failed to reach the world team final.
As a result, the Netherlands, France, the United States, Germany, and Sweden qualified for team jumping event at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Sweden finished sixth behind Brazil, which already has a spot as the host nation.
The individual medals will be decided on Sunday, the last day of the Games which began on August 23 and featured the equivalent of eight world championships in the Olympic disciplines of Jumping, Eventing and Dressage, the Paralympic discipline of Para-Equestrian Dressage as well as Endurance, Vaulting, Reining and Driving.
Meanwhile, two horses have tested positive for substances that are not allowed in competition at the Games.
One of them was Tra Flama, ridden by Giliese de Villiers of South Africa, who tested positive for an anti-inflammatory in the endurance event on August 28.
The 160km event was won in majestic fashion by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, to give the UAE their only gold of the Games.
Britain top the medals table with seven gold medals, and 15 overall, followed by Germany (5), the Netherlands (4), the United States (2) and Belgium (2).
France could also lose its team eventing qualifying spot for the 2016 Olympics following the failed doping test of Qalao des Mers, ridden by Maxime Livio in eventing on August 29, the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) said on Friday.
“We carried out an intensive awareness campaign prior to the games and also offered pre-arrival testing to all participants,” FEI secretary-general Ingmar De Vos said in a statement. “So it is very disappointing that we have two positives for controlled medication substances at the games, especially when it is well known and well accepted that both these substances are not permitted in competition. Although these are controlled medication, not doping substances, we take this very seriously.”
France qualified for the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro by finishing fourth in team eventing, but the positive test of Qalao des Mers could deny them the chance of competing.
“I would never have taken such a risk for France or for my career,” Livio said in a statement. “For now I can only think of a malevolent act since I haven’t given any doping substance to my horse.”
The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, which are organised every four years in the middle of the Olympic cycle, are the largest equestrian event in the world. Positioned just two years before the 2016 Olympic Games, the Normandy extravaganza has helped to showcase the best of equestrian sport to over 500,000 spectators.
Elite horsemen, spectacular venues, thrilling competition and record participation (74 nations represented and nearly 1,000 horses and athletes), ensured that the Games offered a unique spectator experience.
France is also set to host top sporting events like Euro Football 2016, the Handball Worlds 2017 and the Ryder Cup 2018.
- With inputs from Agencies
