The one-eyed mare Cicci passed Saturday morning's veterinary inspection without any remarks.
She happily ran back onto the track again, says the only remaining Swedish rider in the championship.
Then it was just a matter of waiting and hoping to get to jump at least one more round. The setback in Friday's round – the first in Casas Novas outside La Coruña – meant that the Swedish team plummeted to 27th place.
Sunday's first final round is only open to 25 teams. When the Belgian Abdel Saïd and the Frenchman Julien Epaillard did not show up and declined, Hellström countered with a quick and happy yes.
”Do our best”
Advancing and securing a spot among the twelve who will compete for the medals in the second final round will be tricky.
But nothing is impossible.
I've counted and counted and you can do that as much as you want, the margins are so small. We have to do our best and see how far it takes us.
It's quite common for riders to spare their horses rather than compete an extra day just to possibly reach a two-digit placement. Wilma Hellström doesn't think that way. She and Cicci don't feel finished at the European Championship. She also wants a receipt that the 14-year-old can handle a fourth – and preferably also a fifth – round in the toughest possible competition environment.
The last time they went four rounds in a short time was at the European Championship in Milan two years ago.
I'm going in with a different feeling this time. The horse feels stronger, I feel stronger, she says.
”Can't be trained”
National team captain Henrik Ankarcrona, with his eyes on the World Championship in Aachen next summer, also wants to be able to check off the team as reliable championship material.
It can't be trained for. She did it in Omaha in the World Cup final two years ago and she did it in Milan, even if it didn't make it all the way to the last final round. I think she has completely different conditions this time, he says.
Who do you think will take the European Championship gold?
I had the Belgians (winners) as my pre-favorite in the team competition. Ermitage (ridden by Gilles Thomas) is a fantastic horse. Scott Brash has looked outrageously good, but I think it's very open considering how tight it is. A time fault can make a big difference. I won't say more, I just hope to enjoy some good sports, says Ankarcrona.
Hellström's stable tip:
Richard Vogel looks strong.
The German enters the first final round in the lead ahead of the Brit Brash and the reigning European Championship winner, the Swiss Steve Guerdat. Gilles Thomas is fourth.
