Pierre Volla and Badinda Altena, pictured here at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
© Eric Knoll
By Equestrian Life
France has won the CDIO Nations Cup event at Hickstead (UK), beating Great Britain, Portugal and Sweden.
In the CDI3* Grand Prix, it was France’s Pierre Volla and Badinda Altene who finished on top with a score of 72.674%. Second place went to Louise Anne Bell and Into the Blue of Great Britain on 71.674%, while third went to Portugal’s Vasco Mira Godinho and Bariloche with a score of 71.543%.
The Portuguese combination also won the CDIO3* Grand Prix Special on 71.511%, just ahead of France’s Anne Sophie Serre and Vistoso De Massa on 70.468%.
Pierre Volla and Badinda Altene were also successful in the CDIO3* Grand Prix Freestyle, scoring 76.325% to win ahead of Great Britain’s Hayley Watson-Greaves and Rubins Nite on 74.575%.
In the CDI3* classes, Spencer Wilton won the Grand Prix with Super Nova 11 on 74.152%. However, the pair withdrew from the CDI3* Special, leading to speculation as to whether they would still be in contention for Great Britain’s WEG team.
Spencer Wilton and Super Nova II at Rio, 2016.
© Arnd Bronkhorst
The CDI3* Grand Prix Special was won by France’s Bertrand Liegard and Star Wars on 70.340%, while the CDI3* Grand Prix Freestyle went to Marie Emilie Bretenoux and Quartz of Jazz on 72.925%.
Full dressage results from Hickstead can be found here.
