Team gold and plenty of emotions

Today the time had come! The first medal decisions were due, requiring contestants in the finals for the top 10 nations to master a course that’s once again quite a challenge. Today the obstacles all get raised to 1.60 m, there’s the challenge of open water again, technical and visual subtleties lurk at one obstacle after another and the oxers are so deep that you almost cringe with fear. “Really nice and tricky, all this here” says Gerco with characteristic élan after viewing the course, then immediately moving on to the spectator grandstand with the team. He wants to observe the other riders.

The Dutch team always move around together. Everyone’s there at warm-up, they all accompany each rider to the main stadium and tremble as the rides take place. The closer it gets to the closing riders, the greater the tension in the air. Will France be able to defend its intermediate lead? Can the Netherlands ride to a medal position?

Jeroen Dubbeldam (SFN Zenith N.O.P.) and Maikel van der Vleuten (VDL Groep Verdi TN N.O.P) achieve clear rounds, Jur Vrieling (VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P.) picks up a time penalty. That just leaves Gerco who is contesting what is GLOCK’s Cognac Champblanc’s first championship. The atmosphere is tense, spectators react vocally to every critical situation; loud screams for each penalty, deafening cheers for each clear round completed. The stadium presents a play of light and shadow as the sun gradually descends. Gerco rides into the arena. The start is good. The grey horse extends, passes easily over the required jump heights. But then a fault at the ditch – spectators scream. “I lost him for a moment there. I don’t know whether it’s because he doesn’t know it all, or what might otherwise be going on. Suddenly he was no longer jumping like normal. That resulted in two subsequent faults, but then he felt like he was concentrating completely again, like normal”, said a very disappointed Gerco after his ride.

GLOCK Groom Lulu kisses ‘Cognac’, tears streaming down her face. “All that tension and because I love him so much” she sobs, while ‘Cognac’ gets his carrots. Then joy comes to the fore, because the Dutch have won team gold, which wouldn’t have been possible without those two fantastic clear rounds by Gerco and GLOCK’s Cognac Champblanc.

Without this man there would be no GLOCK's Cognac Champblanc: his breeder Peter Diedrichsen visited today. © GHPC

The pressure is enormous as Gerco and 'Cognac' enter the course as closing riders for the Netherlands. © GHPC

The sun is already low in the sky as Gerco finally gets to ride into the stadium. © GHPC

GLOCK's Cognac Champblanc and Gerco on the difficult EC course. © Arnd Bronkhorst

Gerco is somewhat disappointed after the ride. © GHPC

The press crowd around Gerco and Jeroen Dubbeldam. © GHPC

Gerco and Jeroen Dubbeldam at their TV interviews. © GHPC

The team European champions come from the Netherlands. © Arnd Bronkhorst

During the medal ceremony, GLOCK Groom Lulu looks after GLOCK's Cognac Champblanc. © Arnd Bronkhorst

With their two clear rounds, Gerco and 'Cognac' have made a decisive contribution to the Dutch team’s winning gold. © Arnd BronkhorstThere’s plenty more to come from these two. GLOCK Rider Gerco Schroeder und GLOCK's Cognac Champblanc. © Arnd Bronkhorst