Great Britain have qualified for the Olympics in showjumping
Last Updated: 22/08/15 10:30am
Great Britain's showjumpers secured Rio Olympics qualification after a tense final day of team competition at the FEI European Championships in Germany.
The quartet of Ben Maher, Jessica Mendoza, Joe Clee and Michael Whitaker finished fourth, but claimed one of three Rio tickets available for teams that had not already qualified.
But there was agony for Ireland, as their team - Bertram Allen, Greg Broderick, Cian O'Connor and Denis Lynch - controversially missed out by 0.380 penalties behind sixth-placed Spain, who took the final Rio spot, while bronze medalists Switzerland also booked a trip to Brazil next summer.
World title holders Holland were crowned European champions in Aachen's 44,000-capacity main stadium, while Germany took silver. Britain finished just 0.760 penalties adrift of Switzerland, but it was mission accomplished for team boss Di Lampard.
The reigning Olympic and European champions arrived in Germany without world No 1 Scott Brash, whose top two horses Hello Sanctos and Hello M'Lady were unavailable for the championships, yet Britain responded superbly to acute pressure.
Maher and Diva II set the tone by jumping clear, then 19-year-old Mendoza - Britain's youngest showjumper at a senior championship since 1976 - collected just four faults aboard Spirit T, while Clee and Utamaro d'Ecaussines also had one fence down, meaning that Whitaker's nine faults aboard Cassionato could be discounted.
Both Clee and Maher are among the top 25 riders who now progress to Sunday's European individual final - Clee is currently eighth and Maher 10th - while three Irish riders have also qualified in Allen, O'Connor and Lynch.
But Ireland were totally out of luck after an arena steward inadvertently ran in front of O'Connor during his round, and the London 2012 individual bronze medallist then had the next fence down. It is understood that Irish officials lodged an immediate protest.
O'Connor could be seen pointing as he exited the arena, and the Irish team were understandably furious as had the fence not gone down, Ireland would have secured qualification.
There were no such issues for Britain, though, and they will now head to Rio next August ready to defend the Olympic title won at Greenwich Park three years ago.
Maher said: "It has been an important day for us. We had expectations coming here - we are a strong team.
"Diva jumped incredibly, and I am very proud of her. She has come a long way in two years - she is still young at this level - but she is such a trier and fights so hard for it.
"There was pressure today for qualification and to lead the team. It is a round I will definitely remember."
