Equestrianism: Melliger has the answers in title quest: Bronze for Briton

WILLI MELLIGER, of Switzerland, held on to his overnight lead to defeat France's Michel Robert and Britain's Michael Whitaker in the individual final of the European Show Jumping Championships.

That was the order in which the three riders had started yesterday's two-round contest, but any idea that it was therefore a tame finale should be summarily dismissed.

Supporters of Robert and Whitaker had a fraught afternoon. Both riders had a single error in the first round, dropping to fifth and sixth in the placings. There would be no medal for either of them unless some of those who had moved ahead made a mistake over the second course.

Whitaker's hopes had dropped until he looked at the fences for the final round. 'When they're as big as that anything can happen. I thought I could nearly win it,' he said. It was the biggest course that his 10-year-old mount, Everest Midnight Madness, had ever jumped - but Whitaker had no doubts about the horse's ability to deal with it. 'He's careful and a fighter. I've never ridden a horse with as much scope.'

By then Nick Skelton had retired Dollar Girl after two errors in the first round and John Whitaker, with one fence down on Gammon, was beyond reach of a medal, eventually finishing in eighth place.

They jumped in reverse order of merit and the younger Whitaker completed the first clear of the second round that was within the time. 'The first course may have been a bit too easy for him,' he said of Midnight Madness. 'I think he lost his concentration, he only just touched the third fence and was unlucky to have it down. In the second round he had to try all the way, and that kept him thinking.'

Robert promptly went ahead of Whitaker with a clear round on Miss San Patrignano, but the next three dropped back: the British-born Lesley McNaught Mandli (now riding for Switzerland) with eight faults on Pirol; Stefan Lauber of Switzerland with four faults on Lugana; and Eric Navet (the world champion who was defending his European title) with a dramatic 13.75 on Quito de Baussy, which was to drop him from second to 12th. The stallion scattered poles on the triple bar when he missed his stride and ploughed in to it for a refusal, he also had eight faults for two fences down.

Melliger had a fence in hand with the French-bred mare, Quinta C, so it made no difference when the last fence fell. His individual gold medal can now be added to an impressive array of team medals spanning the last 10 years: two gold, one silver and three bronze. 'I knew Quinta was in very good form, it was today or never for an individual win,' Melliger said.

EUROPEAN SHOW JUMPING CHAMPIONSHIPS (Gijon, Sp) Individual Final: 1 Quinta C (W Melliger, Swit) 8.83 faults; 2 Miss San Patrignano (M Robert, Fr) 8.91; 3 Everest Midnight Madness (M Whitaker, GB) 9.33; 4 Lugana II (S Lauber, Swit) 12.18; 5 Apricot (H Simon, Aut) 14.00; 6 Bollvorm's Let's Go (R Bril, Neth) 15.68; 7 Pirol IV (L McNaught Mandli, Swit) 16.27; 8 Everest Gammon (J Whitaker, GB) 18.11.