Equestrianism: Britain select Armstrong

MARK ARMSTRONG has been chosen to ride Corella in the British team for today's important Nations Cup in Germany. It will be the 32-year-old Armstrong's second appearance in a Nations Cup, but the first for the nine-year-old mare, writes Genevieve Murphy from Aachen.

It will be a daunting test for Armstrong, but he is eager to accept the challenge. 'I just hope that I don't let the others down,' he said.

Ronnie Massarella, the British team manager, named his quartet yesterday. Michael Whitaker will go first on Everest Midnight Madness, followed by Armstrong, David Broome riding Lannegan and John Whitaker on Gammon.

Nick Skelton has had two disappointing outings here with Everest Limited Edition and he did not want to ride the mare, Dollar Girl, in the Nations Cup. Nevertheless, he is likely to join the Whitakers and Broome in the team for the European championships in Spain later this month, when Armstrong will be the probable reserve.

Skelton had one mistake on Dollar Girl in yesterday's opening round for the Nordrhein Preis, which made him the only British rider to qualify for the second round. However, having injured his right leg at Arnhem last weekend, and knowing that he had lost his chance of reaching the jump-off, Skelton declined to go again.

The event provided a popular win for the in-form German rider, Franke Sloothaak, on the grey stallion San Patrignano Corrado. .

GERMAN NATIONS CUP MEETING (Aachen) Nordrhein Preis: 1 San Patrignano Corrado (F Sloothaak, Ger) clear, 30.93sec; 2 Bollvorm's Libero (J Lansink, Neth) clear, 32.20; 3 Crown Royal Artos (M Leone, US) 4 faults, 31.71.