The remaining 34 starters managed to complete the course but just 10 left all the poles in place to qualify for the second-round jump-off. The twisting 12-fence course included a treble with a tight distance and it was here that Markus Beerbaum bit the dirt when Constantin tried to take the final element, an oxer that stood 1.50m high and wide, on just one stride instead of two while Holland's Judy-Ann Melchior parted company with Caridor Z when the pair got into a muddle at the second fence. The track set by Italian course-designer Giovanni Bussu created some surprising problems in the opening round with two falls, a total of four eliminations and retirement for both Tina Lund from Denmark riding Andante and for the experienced German partnership of Lars Nieberg and Loreana. Riding the nine year old Oki Doki the flying Dutchman secured pole position with a super-fast round in the ten-horse jump-off.

Holland's Albert Zoer scored a resounding victory at the third leg of the 2005/2006 FEI World Cup Jumping series in Verona, Italy today.