Beerbaum clears way for Germany

Germany confirmed their position as hot favourites for this month's European Show Jumping Championships with a convincing win in the St Gallen Nations Cup yesterday.

Both Ludger Beerbaum on Gladdys, and Lars Nieberg on Loro Piana Esprit, provided double clear rounds for the team's victory over Switzerland and Sweden. Britain disappointed for the second weekend in succession by failing to get into the second round.

Michael Bullman, the Great Britain chef d'equipe, said that he was hopeful after Di Lampard had set the team off to a fine start with a clear round on Abbervail Dream but then came the disappointments, with four mistakes apiece for Michael Whitaker on Virtual Village Tornedo and Tim Stockdale on Traxdata Parcival.

As always, John Whitaker did his best to retrieve the situation, but the distance in the treble proved a little too short for the big stallion, Virtual Village Calvaro, and he made his only mistake there at the middle element. Both Lampard and John Whitaker will nevertheless have strengthened their claims for a place on the championship team.

Michael Whitaker acknowledged that eight-year-old Tornedo needs more experience. "He is obviously not ready, he wasn't enjoying it," he said of the young stallion. Michael does, however, have two other serious contenders in Handel II, with whom he finished third in this year's World Cup Final, and his Olympic mount, Prince of Wales. Both are expected to compete at Aachen in Germany next week.

Beerbaum collected approximately £45,000 in prizemoney, which included a bonus of £22,500 for his remarkable achievement with Gladdys, who jumped clear in the grand prix qualifier on Friday, won the grand prix on Saturday and then jumped two clear rounds in the Nations Cup.