Despite an outstanding Super League debut by Charlotte Platt, on Paulien II, the only rider to gain a double clear round, Great Britain had to settle for joint second place behind Germany in the Samsung Super League Nations Cup at the Royal International Horse Show at Hickstead in West Sussex yesterday.

In a contest that was not decided until the last rider from each team had gone, Germany, who were fielding an inexperienced team, took victory with a clear round from Holger Wulschner, their final rider, on Clausen. Britain, despite the retirement of Duncan Inglis’s Sunkist, who suffered a burst blood vessel, had the chance to match Germany’s score if Michael Whitaker and Wonami van den Aard went clear, but four faults at fence seven kept Britain in joint second with Sweden.

At a time when Hickstead is under threat as a Super League venue — the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) is to discuss which of the present eight venues will remain in the league on Monday — it was disappointing that, through no fault of Hickstead’s, this was a second-rate event. With most of the top riders absent to prepare for next month’s Olympic Games, the competition that unfolded was not in the first rank of Super League events. But nothing should detract from the superb display of Platt, 22, who lives in Henfield, a stone’s throw from Hickstead.

A former top junior and young rider, her display came as no surprise to Corinne Bracken, the manager of the Britain Young Rider team. “She’s always at her best under pressure,” she said. “Her cool head helped the Young Rider team win team gold at the European Championships last year.”

With the exception of Platt, this was not a star-studded event. From the start, the course, designed by Ken Bywater and described by Whitaker as “big enough”, produced low scores. Most notable of these came from the United States, last year’s winners. They, too, were fielding an inexperienced team, but even with that proviso a score of 48 at this level is unusual.

Michael Morrissey, the only male rider in the team, was eliminated at the water on Crelido, his overenthusiastic use of the whip producing palpable disapproval from the crowd.

At the end of the round Britain had a four-point lead over Germany and Sweden after a superb ride by Platt, backed up by a consummate clear round from Whitaker, the anchorman of the team. Ireland, the pre-event favourites with the on-course bookmakers, were in joint fifth place.

Eddie Macken, 59, returning to the scene of his greatest triumphs after a ten-year absence, looked his old self as he jumped fluently round until a surprising misjudgment at the awkward distance between the final two fences, resulting in ten penalty points.

For the second round, in which the teams went in reverse order, tension built as mistakes were made. For Britain, Geoff Luckett, on Monline, disappointed with 16 faults, putting pressure on Platt, the second to go. She responded with a second faultless round. Germany and Sweden failed to produce clear rounds from their first three riders and Inglis, Britain’s third rider, retired after Sunkist’s injury.

There is no better rider than Whitaker under pressure, but on this occasion it was a tall order. Wonami van den Aard was competing in her first Nations Cup and Whitaker said: “Hickstead, with its huge, spooky arena, is probably not the easiest place to start.”

Despite the partisan crowd willing them on, the famous Hickstead Planks (fence seven) toppled to the ground, giving Germany victory and extending their lead in the Samsung series.

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