Nicola Sime-Riley Wins The 2020 Erreplus President’s Cup

The 18th Erreplus President’s Cup competition has once again proven to be an incredibly exciting event. Unlike other competitions, the President’s Cup title isn’t awarded to the winner of the final championship class but rather the athlete who has completed the championship class with the least amount of penalties accumulated in all legs of the competition, three competitions over the course of the week.

President’s Cup First Round

Round 1 on Thursday was run as an A2 competition which meant that the riders had to provide the fastest time with the least amount of penalties in a straightforward single round against the clock. Claiming an early lead in the run for the title was ‘The Queen’, Data Sciences Enouche RK, ridden by Jonathan Clarke for owners, Slade Equestrian. 2nd place was also claimed by Jonathan Clarke, but on Data Sciences Hummer van het Bevrijdthof. Nicole Horwood, defending President’s Cup Champion, also had a great start to the show, finishing the 1st round in 3rd place on Mark White Nissan’s Capital Chantilly and a 6th on Mark White Nissan’s Capital Hitoshi. 4th and 5th were claimed by Ronnie Lawrence riding Avis Gillian van Orshof and Cambell ridden by Lisa Williams.

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President’s Cup Second Round

On Friday the 22nd of October, Round 2 of the event was staged in a traditional competition format – one round with a jump-off – and would prove to be even more exciting with the top 4 placings changing hands to a new grouping of riders, leaving the President’s Cup trophy open to anyone who dared to claim it.

Securing the victory in Round 2 and edging one step closer to overall glory was Gareth Neill and his brilliant mare Dartoli while Kayla Gertenbach expertly guided the inexperienced Mike Like van Pela Graca into a strong 2nd place finish in her first 1.50m with him. The Back On Track-sponsored rider/horse combination of Rainer Korber and Clouny 3 claimed the 3rd place podium and in 4th position was Dominey Alexander on RNR Jelle S, owned by Natalie Robertson. A further 5 riders, including Jonathan Clarke, all went clear and tied in fifth place, electing to retire from the jump-off and save their horses for the final day of the competition.

President’s Cup Final Round

20 combinations qualified for the final leg of the event, a two-round 1.50m competition with the potential for a jump-off if any two or more riders finished on equal penalties across all legs. Riding in reverse order of merit, no fewer than 6 riders started the class on zero penalties: former two-time winner Chris van der Merwe and Domino van der Boswinning, Nicola Sime-Riley and Fulvic Connoisseur, Rainer Korber and Back On Track Clouny 3, Lisa Williams on Campbell, Nicole Horwood on MWN Capital Chantilly, and Jonathan Clarke on Data Sciences Enouche RK.

The Kate Launder (FEI 3*) designed track asked a number of questions of the riders, but the top crop of competitors rose above the challenge, with 5 of them jumping clear, including Nicola Sime-Riley and Sunny Park Stables Insaghi DB who went into the second round on a single time fault incurred in the preliminary competitions. Fulvic Connoisseur, Back On Track Clouny 3, Capital Chantilly, and Data Science’s Enouche all went into the second round clear, Insaghi on one fault, and three combinations on four faults: Ronnie Healy and Hausberger’s Eldo, Chris van der Merwe and Domino, and Lisa Williams on Campbell. Also in with a shot, Kayla Gertenbach and Like Mike Van Pela Graca carried forward five penalties. The only rider on more penalties to compete the second round would be Hanelize Kamffer, racking up much-needed experience as a newbie to this level.

Hanelize rode in first, jumping a wonderful clear in her second round. Kayla Gertenbach and Like Mike followed in at number 2 and, with a single rail down, finished on 9 penalties overall to cap off a fantastic return to 1.50m after a long injury layoff for Kayla. Ronnie Healy put in a fantastic effort on Ashlee Healy’s Eldo to jump clear and finish on an overall tally of 4 faults, as did Chris van der Merwe and Domino. Lisa Williams, after taking a rail in the first round, jumped clear in a quick time to finish on four faults.

Just as Nicola Sime-Riley and Insaghi were due to start their round, lightning forced a halt on proceedings. After a brief delay, the class resumed as Nicola and Insaghi jumped clear to finish on a single time fault across all competitions. She returned moments later on Connoisseur only to leave with 4 penalties after a single fence went down. Rainer Korber and Clouny also had a single fence down, and in a cruel twist, Capital Chantilly and Nicole Horwood had a fence down too to finish on four. Jonathan Clarke and Enouche, last up and carrying a clear, had the President’s Cup on a silver platter. The pair set off at pace and with the final fence looming, it looked all set to go Jonathan’s way. But with a clip of the last fence, Jonathan finished on four penalties and would have to settle for a lower placing.

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Nicola Sime-Riley, on a single time fault, claimed victory at the 2020 Erreplus President’s Cup, claiming her third title after victories in 2007 and 2008 on her thoroughbred stallion, Sharp Colt.

As per President’s Cup rules, the four faulters would be placed based on their total penalties over all competitions and their combined times of the first competition and second round of the final competition. As such, second went to Jonathan Clarke and Data Sciences Enouche RK, while the third spot on the podium was claimed by Nicole Horwood and Mark White Nissan’s Capital Chantilly.

-The JumpOff-

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