Their team of Roland Englebrecht, Julia Houtzager-Kayser, Felix Koller and Max Kuhner finished tonight’s round at the Real Club de Polo with just one penalty, meaning they go through ahead of Italy in second and Sweden – the World Equestrian Games silver medallists - in third.

In all the top eight sides have made it into the final, but the United States, last month’s World Equestrian Games winners, are not among them.

The US team failed to qualify after recording eight penalties, though that result may not be quite the surprise it seems.

Laura Kraut is the only rider from their winning team in Tryon, who made the journey over to Spain.

Their eight penalties mean instead of competing in the main event, their side will instead look to win the Challenge Cup, for those sides that failed to make it through to the Nations Cup final, tomorrow.

Joining the US will be Germany, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, the United Arab Emirates and Spain, who finished last today with 34 penalties in all.

Joining Austria in the main event will be Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Switzerland and France, plus Sweden.

Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands all went through with four penalties, while Ireland scored five and Switzerland and France both clocked up eight.

Tomorrow’s final is due to go ahead at 9pm local time tomorrow.