Team jumping day - and it seems that the weather gods were shining on the dressage riders this week as somehow every time the jumping is on the skies cloud over and rain threatens.

The perfect footing of the Martin Collins surface though means that, although not great weather the footing is always perfect and that makes for excellent jumping.

The course is set and designed on the theme of the English Country Garden and perhaps that is why the rain keeps threatening - but seriously the fences are beautiful and do reflect the English Gardens and with the beuatiful Windsor Castle as a back drop it really doesn't get much better!

Bob Ellis set a course today which has definitely established him as one of the premier Championship Course Designers - his tracks ask questions of the riders and have an expectation of a well produced horse who responds to the aids and can be turned easily, without a fight - because todays course was not only tall and technical but included a number of difficult enough turns.

The thirteen fence, 16 effort course began with a 1.45m x 1.50m oxer with a sharp u turn to the left to a tall oxer which flowed to related fence 3 which was a 1.50m x 1.60m oxer, curbed left line to 1.60m vertical, followed by a sharp right turn to fence 5, a 1.53m x 1.70m oxer, 6 strides to the 1.60m palisade, to the open water at fence 7 which came off a a very short sharp left turn which then led on to the 1.55m x 2m triple bar (8A) one stride to the 1.55m vertical (8B) and then 4 strides to the 1.60m planks. Then another quick u trun to fence 10, 1.58m x 1.20m oxer, left handed curve to 1.60m vertical and the 6 strides to the trouble making treble of 12A, 1.50m liverpool, 2 strides to 12B 1.50m liverpool, 1 stride to 12C the 1.60m vertical with a right hand curve to fence 13, a 1.55m,1.55m x 1.70m final fence!

The length on course was 530 metres with a time of 85secs - this was not going to be a stroll through an English Country Garden - this was always going to be tough - but it wasn't till the jumping started that anyone realised just how tough it was to be!

First to go were the countries jumping as individuals - as well as being the Team medal class, this was also the 2nd qualifying round for the Individual medals.

The opening round came from Asparuh Atanasov from Bulgaria and they left with elimination after 2 stops - this was not the start anyone wanted.

Patrik Majher from SVK was happy to get around and finished with 20 jumping and 1 time penalty, while Bulgaria's 2nd rider faired much better when her finished with 12 jumping and one time fault.

AZE's Jamal Rahimov also left the arena after elimination for two stops and Denmark's Andreas Schou and the sensational 10 year old stallion Chicago had a disappoiting round today with 20 jumping and 1 time penalty added.

It is hard to believe that Chicago - pictured left over fence 5, would be touching anything - but things didn't start well when he lowered fence 2, then 8B, 10, 12A and 12B - the seriously talented and scopey 10 year old by Cassini just didn't seem to be on form today and maybe this was just too much of an ask of one so green and young at this level.

Turkey's Omer Karaevil, at his first European Championships wuld have been happy to get around no doubt, as this was a serious test of rider and horse and this combination finished with 28 faults.

The crowd roared their approval and disappointment of Estonia's Tilt Kivisild and Cinnamon 4 fault round as they looked so much like the first clear round until the dreaded last fence fell leaving them with four faults and they also picked up a time fault for their troubles.

The Ukraine's Cassio Rivetti finished with a 24 jumping and one time fault round, while Denmark's second rider, Tina Lund would not

have been thrilled with her 12 fault round with her troubles coming at 7, 11 and 12B.

Tina - pictured below right over fence 12B which took so many victims - riding Carola, a 15 year old mare by Coronado.

Hopefully this hasn't frightened the 9 year old stallion son of Kannan, out of a Cash mare as this is a horse with a lot of talent and scope - he is just green at this very top end of the sport.

And then it was time for a short break for the tv commercials - and when we returned to the jumping it was the beginning of the teams competition.

They start order saw the 18th to 11th teams in the first group of teams and of this group Austria and Norway made it through to the top 10 for the second round, while of the 10th to 1st teams, Finland didn't make it through to the second round.

Finland were jumping with only 3 team members and so did not have the luxury of a drop score so when Noora Forsten - pictured below - was eliminated for two stops at fence 12A with the 17 year old stallion Evli Cagliostro, Sebastian Numminem had to hope his 12 faults would be good enough for the Individual final on Sunday while Mikael Forsten would have been confident he would be there with his clear round from Isaac du Jonquet, the 14 year old gelding by Leaken.