Great Britain claim second place in Nations Cup series

Great Britain secured second place in the final of the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup series in Barcelona.

GB joined seven other teams in the floodlit final and were edged out by Belgium, despite an impressive clear by Joe Clee on Utamaro d'Ecaussines at the Real Club de Polo Arena.

Belgium's Gregory Wathelet matched Clee with a clear of his own to clinch top spot in a thrilling end to the event, earning a €2.5m prize fund for his team.

Ben Maher started for GB and was unfortunate to pick up four penalties when a top pole rolled from its cups, while teenager Jessica Mendoza also finished with four penalties on Sprit T after a vertical midway round caught them out.

Laura Renwick then endured a disappointing round with Bintang II, who was hit with a four-point penalty for disobedience, and a foot in the water and a fence down saw a further eight penalties accrued, with four additional time penalties added.

Clee needed to produce a perfect display to keep Britain in contention and he duly delivered, but Wathelet then followed with a superb round to claim top spot and the Netherlands took third.   

Final standings:

1 Belgium

2 Great Britain

3 Netherlands

4 USA

5 Ireland

6 Germany

7 Sweden

8 Switzerland