Olympia Horse Show: British showjumpers edged out by German duo
Last Updated: 21/01/15 2:04pm
Great Britain's top showjumpers endured a frustrating afternoon in the Longines FEI World Cup at Olympia.
Robert Whitaker led the British challenge, finishing fourth on this year's Royal Windsor Grand Prix winner Catwalk IV, while his father John and Argento were six places behind after a 13-horse jump-off.
Scott Brash, the British No 1 riding aboard Hello Sunshine, was left to curse a costly error as he had the last fence down in round one.
Ben Maher (Diva II) and Michael Whitaker (Viking) both jumped clear, but each incurred one time fault, leaving the way clear for a German one-two.
Marco Kutscher secured the winner's purse of £32,000 on Cornet's Cristallo, with countryman Daniel Deusser (Carriere) less than a second behind and Sweden's Malin Baryard-Johnsson (H&M Tornesch) third.
Robert Whitaker - drawn first to go in round one and the jump-off - posted an impressive time of 40.49 seconds, but Kutscher, Deusser and Baryard-Johnsson all went quicker.
"The last few shows, Catwalk has been jumping really well," Yorkshireman Whitaker said. "The course really suited him today, although the time was always going to be tight when you are drawn first to go.
"I am a bit sick of being drawn first. It is a bit annoying. But I wouldn't have changed anything in terms of my plan."
Deusser only brought Carriere to London after two of his other horses suffered injuries.
"I really wanted to come to this show," he said. "I rode him last Tuesday morning, then put him on the truck to come here on Tuesday afternoon."
