With all the authority that she carries as the most consistently successful athlete in the sport of Dressage, Germany’s Isabell Werth strutted to victory with Emilio at the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League in Stuttgart (GER) tonight.

In a competition in which multiple rising stars and established performers produced combination-best results it all came down to Werth’s last-to-go ride, and she aced it with confidence and style. 

Emilio was in the zone from the first beat of their musical score. There was a level of true togetherness about the pair throughout their test, and the 17-year-old gelding gave his all. Werth could feel an extra dimension to him tonight.

“From the minute we started and I said to him, ‘come on, let’s go!’, he was just so cool, and he stayed the same during the whole test! There wasn’t a second when he was tricky or hot, and he was full of power and listening to me. I think he was feeling really proud of himself so he just wanted to do his best!”, said the lady whose record in equestrian sport is second to none.

Fascinating

From the outset tonight’s competition was a fascinating one, and it was Swedish star Patrik Kittel who put it up to the rest of them when eighth to go just before the halfway break with the 13-year-old Bonamour who put a big target score of 81.340 on the board.

This pair have not competed together at top level many times, but they have posted three recent wins including a Grand Prix/Freestyle double in Budapest (HUN) last month.

Next to come close to that target was exciting young German, 24-year-old Raphael Netz, who didn’t hide his delight when posting a personal-best 80.115 with the 12-year-old Great Escape Camelot when fourth-last into the ring. This young man has a formidable record at U25 level and finished seventh with Camelot at the opening leg of the Western European League in Herning (DEN) four weeks ago.

Then the Finnish partnership of Emma Kanerva and her lovely chestnut Greek Air also posted a PB of 80.375 with an exhibition of real partnership before Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald set the new standard at 82.965 with Blue Hors Don Olymbrio.

The handsome stallion showed a charming blend of power and light-footedness, their only error a slight blip in tempi changes, and the horse seemed to eyeball judge at C, Denmark’s Hans-Christian Matthiesen, as he turned from his final halt knowing he had done a really nice job.

Class of his own

But Emilio was in a class of his own today.

“To be honest I think maybe this is the best test we’ve ever done - he was on fire today!”, said Werth after bringing the competition to the perfect conclusion with a score of 86.880 that put the result beyond any doubt.

Madeleine Winter-Schulze’s gelding simply cruised through his test with incredible ease and as he carried Werth up the final centreline for their one-handed ride to halt the crowd were going wild because they knew they were watching the winners.

The atmosphere in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle was something all the leading riders talked about post-competition. “It was outstanding - something more than ever today, the support of the crowd was incredible!”, Werth said.

For Skodborg Merrald her result today was her third runner-up finish from three starts so far this season, but with 51 points already on the leaderboard she is well on the road to the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2024 which will take place in Riyadh (KSA) next April. 

She too felt the electricity in the fully packed stadium. “It was like a party in there - that was the craziest atmosphere I’ve ever experienced!”, she said.

Agreed

And third-place Kittel agreed. 

“You never know how horses will react with so many people, the music and the special atmosphere, but my horse did a great job and I really enjoyed it!”, he said. 

He has no intention of stepping back from further legs of the league despite his strong lead on the league table with 68 qualifying points already accumulated so far. “My horses are really fit and in great form so I’m happy with today and I intend to keep going!”, he pointed out.

Werth meanwhile will be taking her time in planning her season with a view to the Final. “I need to sit down and work it out, because of course we have to look towards Paris (2024 Olympic Games) too. I will ride some more qualifiers but I’m not sure which ones I will go to just yet”, she explained.

The next of the 11 Western European League qualifiers is just a week away when the action moves to Madrid (ESP), so don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

Result

Standings

Backed by one of the best crowds on the circuit, Boyd Exell (AUS) and his slick, super-speedy horses raised the roof at the FEI Driving World Cup™ in Stuttgart to take his third win out of three in this series.  Indoor Driving has been at Stuttgart since 1994 when the great Michael Freund (GER) went on to take thirteen victories in a row.  But that was before the Australian sealed his unwavering dominance of the sport.

“Stuttgart has an amazing, electric atmosphere with an educated Driving public.  It’s where World Cup Driving started so it means a lot to be here.  It was a really high-speed course and today, Michael Brauchle was first out with a very fast time and clear round, so it added to the pressure.  Ijsbrand got ahead of him by just one second and Koos had great speed as it was an open course that suited his horses, so it was a close competition.  But my team can do both – they can do high speed and they can be technical.  They are just such brilliant horses!” – Boyd Exell (AUS)

Using three of his horses from Lyon (FRA) and one from Maastricht (NED), Boyd and his team are so consistent that even when a ball rolls or they are in second place, they put so much pressure on those in front that they force mistakes from their rivals.  In a similar scenario to last weekend, it was an error from a Dutch driver while he was in the lead that helped secure victory for the reigning world champion.

Koos de Ronde (NED) had set blistering times in both first rounds on Friday and Saturday to go ahead and ensure his top three placings.  But balls rolling on Friday then a slip from his leader in the water in the drive-off on Saturday meant that he couldn’t maintain his position. Despite starting so well on his final round he lost his line through the water exit cones and there followed a costly ring of the bell and rebuild of obstacle seven.  Finishing on a total of 226.40, Koos slipped to third.

“Boyd’s score was 151 and I had done the course in 150 seconds, so I knew that my only chance was to go fast again with no mistakes.  At the beginning of my drive-off there were no mistakes but then my left leader tripped in the water and he pulled my team to the left so I ran over cones four and seven.  I was focussing on my horse to make sure he was okay then I lost the track and made some extra loops.  It was a pity but the horses were so good.  Afterwards I was asked by one of the jumpers why I didn’t quit because I was already third, but I said that we drivers don’t quit!”- Koos de Ronde (NED)

Taking second place was Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) who recovered well from mistakes in his drive-off on Friday night when he misjudged entering the water and sent number eight flying.  He pulled up before the judge’s bell rang so the clock ticked on and he accrued more penalties on a technicality.  But he was back on form on Saturday and produced two quick and precise drives to end on 160.38, which was 9.22 behind Boyd’s total of 151.16.

The remaining qualifying drivers who took on Jeroen Houterman’s (NED) 14-obstacle course with a watersplash in the magnificent Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle were Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) and home crowd favourite Mareike Harm (GER), who were joined by Michael Brauchle (GER) as a wild card.

To roars from the audience, Michael opened proceedings and came out on Friday at lightning speed.  But the gamble didn’t pay off and a knock in the obstacle meant a bell ring and rebuild and he ended the night in sixth.  The fans were equally thrilled to see Mareike and she drove with her customary smooth style over her two rounds.  Mareike confesses to knowing she’s unlikely to win against the faster drivers, but she relishes being back in the series after her maternity break last year.  Three of her four horses are used in her outdoor team and as she says, they are “big Dressage horses, which is a bit more difficult for me.  I’m really used to them, and they are used to me so we make a great team because we have been competing been together for long time so we know each other really well”.

Jérôme was another who attacked the course with his bright bay Swiss horses who are so well suited to the format.  He had some great times but wasn’t accurate enough to make a drive-off.  

There’s a weekend off before the 4th leg in Stockholm (SWE) on 1st and 2nd December.  With all the qualified drivers well into their stride now, this halfway event sees Mareike, Boyd and Michael joined by Bram Chardon (NED) and Glenn Geerts (BEL), plus the host nation’s wild card, Fredrik Persson (SWE).

Stuttgart confirmed Boyd’s position at the top of the series ranking and he remains the favourite to take an unprecedented 11th FEI Driving World Cup™ title in Bordeaux (FRA).  Yet despite the results, as he said before the opening event, his fellow drivers are on great form too and are not going to make it easy for him! 

The FEI has today launched a thought-provoking campaign – Think Outside The Box - aimed at raising awareness and educating stakeholders around the risk of contamination in and around the stables, and the potential consequences from a rule’s violation perspective as well as the general threat to the health and wellbeing of their horses emanating from other avoidable hazards.    

What began as a brainstorm between the legal and education departments at the FEI as to how they could best inform and educate stakeholders and in particular FEI Athletes, Grooms, Owners and support personnel around the potential for contamination and subsequent doping cases (violation of the Equine Anti-Doping and Medication Controlled Regulations EADMCR), soon expanded to include general best practice recommendations for the wider equestrian community in a bid to promote safety and wellbeing for horses, regardless of their competition status.

Feauring a campaign video which will astonish viewers, and challenge conventional expectations associated with the FEI, Legal Director Mikael Rentsch explains the rationale behind such a bold move.

“We wanted to create a buzz and get people’s attention.

“For some time, we have seen that there is a real lack of awareness in the community when it comes to the risks for contamination in the stables, and there are a lot of common practices which are contributing to inadvertent positive doping cases. And for all the emailers and official information campaigns we have attempted, we realised we were not getting through to our target audience - the riders, the grooms, the owners and the support personnel.

“And this is a really unfortunate, because athletes are having to learn the hard way, only if they had been aware of a few simple principles to avoid contamination, they might not have had a positive case.

“This is why we set out to do the campaign in this way, and we decided to use this opportunity and expand the scope to look at the general health risks contamination could pose for horses, as well as other avoidable threats to a horse’s safety and wellbeing in and around the stables which can often be addressed with proper planning and organisation, and is relevant to all equestrians, not just the FEI community.”

The campaign is centred around four core themes – Behave, Organise, Maintain and Secure – with each theme broken down into specific actionable points and the risks emanating from these points should they not be addressed. The risk for contamination and consequences for EADCMR violations such as disqualification and suspension, being the core driver of the campaign, feature prominently as does safety messaging in relation to intoxication, injury and potential fire hazards.

The campaign portal www.fei.org/think is available in three languages – English, French and Spanish – in order to reach non-English speaking audiences, and includes downloadable assets for the public to promote and endorse the campaign natively on their own platforms as well as dedicated sections for ambassadors and supporters, including the International Grooms Association and Equestrian Organisers Association among others.   

For more information on the campaign, the supporters, ambassadors and to download digital assets visit www.fei.org/think

#FEIThinkOutsideTheBox

Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Dallas Vegas Batilly snatched a sensational victory in the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League series in Verona, Italy today.

In the eight-horse second-round jump-off it seemed reigning European champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland had it in the bag after scorching around the twisting new course to set a truly tight target time in 37.60 seconds with Venard de Cerisy. But reigning Olympic champion Maher snatched it from his grasp when, second-last to go, he was 0.15 seconds quicker with his exciting 10-year-old mare.

Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani set them a tough task. 

“It was a very difficult jump-off, you had to ride the right lines to make it smooth and fast and Dallas gave everything to me today, she was really fighting for me and everything went my way - she was incredible!”, Maher said.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere at Jumping Verona is always electric, and that puts plenty of extra pressure on both horses and riders. The action takes place within the context of the world’s biggest horse fair, the Fieracavalli which this year celebrated its 125th anniversary and which attracted over 130,000 visitors from 60 countries around the globe. The Jumping hall was packed to capacity as always today, seating booked out within days of going on sale each year, and the sound level was at the maximum as the competition came to a thrilling climax.

Austria’s Max Kuhner was first out against the clock and set the pace with a great clear round from the nine-year-old gelding EIC Julius Caesar in 39.76 seconds, and then Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts raised the game when crossing the timers in 39.00 seconds with Katanga van het Dingeshof. 

Next in however, Guerdat set a whole new standard when bringing his 14-year-old gelding home in 37.60, landing and turning to the next fence without ever taking his foot off the accelerator.

Norway’s Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (Harwich VDL), Sweden’s Peder Fredricson (Hansson WL) and the sole Italian contender and former national champion Franceca Ciriesi (Cape Coral) followed with foot-perfect runs, but none threatened the Swiss star’s lead until Maher set off with absolute conviction to bring his mare home just 0.15 seconds quicker. And when last man in, Guerdat’s compatriot Martin Fuchs had a fence down with Conner Jei it was a done deal. Maher would take the win ahead of Guerdat in second while Philippaerts slotted into third ahead of Sweden’s Fredricson in fourth place.

Wall of sound

Maher was concerned that the wall of sound in the arena and the nearby warm-up ring might un-nerve his talented horse ahead of the jump-off. 

“So I stayed in the quieter warm-up because she’s very sensitive. I warmed up early so I could get to watch Steve, and I picked the right one to watch!”, he said. “My horse - a little bit like Steve’s - she lands, she turns, and everything went my way today but it was so very close!”, he added. 

Guerdat, who suffered a shoulder injury during the first round but said it didn’t affect his second-round performance in any way, was upbeat about his second-place finish.

“I had a very good jump off. Everything went as I planned and there is not much I could have done better day. I was not fast enough and I am happy to be second today. Ben rode a great jump-off and fully deserves his win!”, he said. 

He continued, “I have had a very good year with a very good Nations Cup season and then won the European title which was the goal for my team this year. It has been an amazing year, but I was struggling a bit with 5* Grand Prix classes. I did win a lot of 3 and 4* Grand Prix but was not so good with the 5*, so I am happy today that the luck turned in the right direction again and I am very happy with my horse!” 

Philippaerts was delighted with his third-place finish. “Katanga is an unbelievable mare, she had a break for two months after the European Championship and this is the first time she jumped a 5* Grand Prix again and she jumped fantastic!”, he said. 

Thrilled

Maher, who finished third at round three of the Western European League in Lyon, France last weekend, was thrilled with today’s winning result which has moved him into third place on the Western European League leaderboard.  With a running tally of 35 points he is already within sight of a qualifying spot for the Longines 2024 Final which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia next April.

“All my horses are in form right now, it’s a credit to my team, my owners and my sponsors, we’ve built this over the last few years and they all deserve this. It’s great when it all comes together!”, he said this evening. 

Despite the challenge it presented, he enjoyed the tension created by the enthusiastic crowd.

“It has been a few years since I was here in Verona last time and it is great for us riders to compete in a venue with so many spectators. They witnessed such good riders and horses today, and this is great for our sport!”, he added.

Over one year

Talking about Dallas Vegas Batilly he explained, “we have her for a little over one year now. I am very fortunate with my owners and sponsors who are very supportive. I had a few upcoming horses, but we felt I needed one more horse ready for the big classes so we got her and it took me some time to get to know her well. She’s great, but she likes to be the boss and for me to be the passenger!”

Asked what he has in mind for the mare after today’s success he said wisely, “I will just enjoy today first! I have learned over the years to enjoy the wins,  because in this sport you lose more than you win!”

Next weekend the Western European League moves to Stuttgart in Germany for round 5 of the 14-leg series so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Result

Standings

Daniel Bluman (ISR) has claimed wins on the North American League before, but with the 12-year-old mare Gemma W, he—on three occasions—held the role of the bridesmaid.

He and the remarkably consistent grey were runners-up a year ago in Toronto (CAN) and Washington (USA). A week ago, they were second again in Lexington (USA). 

But on Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Toronto's Royal Horse Show (CAN), Bluman and Gemma W broke through with a most well deserved victory, besting a five-horse jump-off. 

Crossing the timers of Kelvin Bywater's (GBR) short course in 33.28 seconds, Bluman and "Gemma" forged ahead of eventual third-place finisher Kent Farrington (USA) with Greya (34.32 seconds) and held off a final chase from Jessica Mendoza (GBA) and I-Cap CL Z (33.60 seconds), who claimed second.

"I've always wanted to win this grand prix, one of the most traditional ones in North America...[Gemma W] deserves it, and she was magical tonight. I'm so happy."

Daniel Bluman (ISR)

Bywater set a stiff first round challenge for the competitive yet compact field of 20 that came forward, including four of the world's top 15 athletes. The triple combination was left as the final element on course, while five verticals rose above 1.60m, including a 1.63m plank midway through the track. In the jump-off, many of those tests remained.

"The initial plan [for the course], I had a few weeks ago," Bywater said. "You kick [the plan] around a bit, and then you kick it around a bit more, and then you watch these guys and you think, 'Yeah, they're pretty good.' So you kick it around a bit more and you eventually come up with something that you think is a fair test and you think is fair for the sport and what we've got here."

After jumping only clear rounds in Washington and Lexington, Rene Dittmer (GER) and Corsica X had a surprising rail as pathfinders on the short course. Vanessa Mannix (CAN) produced the first double-clear effort of the evening with Carmela Z, but it was Farrington who broke things open with Greya, a most exciting young horse in Farrington's string. That, however gave Bluman a target with Gemma. When the pair met that target, Mendoza could catch them. 

"I don't know how many chances you get to win a grand prix like this one, and when you are given the chance, the minimum you can do is beat the time of the rider that went before you. My goal was to beat [Kent's] time. Hopefully the rails would stay up, and I could then put the pressure on Jess not to beat me tonight."

Daniel Bluman (ISR)

Bluman has produced Gemma W since the mare's five-year-old season, and he used her natural footspeed, along with a most efficient turn back to the penultimate vertical to secure his victory. But Bluman expressed that it was his horse's heart that was the greatest contributing factor.

"Gemma is all heart. She maybe lacks some of the physical ability to jump the big fences, but she will always give you everything," Bluman said. "When I walked the course today, I knew that I was on the limit. The verticals were big, and we had the triple combination to finish. But I had a good feeling that my mare was feeling good. I haven't jumped her too big this year and was trying to pick the right places for her. She felt amazing, and sometimes it just goes your way."

The victory moved Bluman to the top of the North American League standings with 43 points. Halfway through the season, Devin Ryan (USA) sits second with 30 points, ahead of Shane Sweetnam (IRL) with 28 points.

The North American League continues in Las Vegas (USA) on 18 November 2023.

Results

Standings

 

What promised to be the new season’s closest contest lived up to expectation as the two favourites Boyd Exell (AUS) and Bram Chardon (NED) went head to head at Jumping Indoor Maastricht (NED).  And until the final moments, it looked like Bram – after three fast, clear rounds – was going to dominate, but a rare lapse from him in obstacle five helped seal Boyd’s win.

Using two different horses from his winning combination in Lyon (FRA) last week, Boyd seemed to be coming from behind in Maastricht.  A ball at the bridge in his first round and slower times than Bram in both rounds meant that he finished in second place.  As both Boyd and Bram were the wild card entries, they were in the early order on Friday night, with Bram first out and laying an untouchable challenge with his well-judged, clear round in 160.22.  Glenn Geert (BEL) joined them in the drive-off, but the night belonged to Bram with his win in 141.02 ahead of Boyd’s 143.08.  

With the drivers going in reverse order on day two, Bram was last out on Saturday night and replicated his speed and accuracy to finish in front again.  Boyd had knocked the cone number nine in the middle of the arena to add four to his time, and Glenn couldn’t replicate his great first night so instead it was Michael Brauchle (GER) who took the third slot in the drive-off.

For his final round of the event, Michael’s horses found another gear and he flew over the course in a time of 161.37 seconds with one ball to add, totalling 165.37. Boyd was next out as second placed driver, and as usually happens when the pressure is on, took his team’s performance to another level and went clear in a remarkable 152.54.  

All looked very promising for Bram with his bouncing, grey Hungarian horses until the detour in the first marathon obstacle meant an extra loop to make gate ‘C’, which threw him off his gameplan and he ended on 178.01, slipping to third. Although he remained clear, he couldn’t recover his form and make up the seconds on such a tight course in a compact arena where there were few advantages to be found either in speed or cutting corners.

While it was a disappointing end for Bram after such a promising start, his compatriot Koos de Ronde (NED) recovered himself after an off-form round on Friday which saw him finish in sixth place, to narrowly missing the top three and a drive-off slot on Saturday.  Using a new horse this season who he had trialled at home, Koos was only 1.18 behind Michael, but it was enough to deny him another round.

Making a welcome return to the indoor circuit after missing last year’s series to have her baby, Mareike Harm (GER) was fourth on Friday and then dropped two places on Saturday. Her teammate Georg von Stein, who has returned to the series as a qualified driver after several years, was some way off and was seventh on both nights.

As in Lyon, Jeroen Houterman was the course designer and different questions were asked in Maastricht due to the smaller dimensions of the venue.  There was a bridge in the middle of the 13-obstacle course, with the cones placed near to the marathon obstacles to ensure that lines had to stay tight.

In terms of the early ranking points, Michael was the highest placed qualifying driver so took the maximum ten points and now sits in joint first place with Boyd after the two legs.  Glenn has gained points over both weekends and is third, and Koos joins Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) on seven and ties in fourth place.  Of the ten eligible drivers, only Bram has not won points yet and he will be aiming to add his name to the finals rankings on the fourth leg in Stockholm (SWE) in early December.

Next weekend the third leg will be at the Stuttgart German Masters when Boyd, Mareike and Koos are joined by Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) and Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) in the qualifying slots.

FULL RESULTS

The family name ‘de Rham’ is more synonymous with real estate than equestrian sport in Switzerland. But the two-hour long conversation with William de Rham was all about horses.

At 101 years of age, de Rham is the oldest living Swiss Olympian to have participated in the equestrian discipline of Jumping. He admits that reading emails these days is difficult because of his failing eyesight, and that he cannot ride horses anymore because his balance is not quite what it used to be.

Active in equestrian events for over 50 years, de Rham first competed in his teens and won his last event at the age of 71.

“I rode horses every morning and evening from the age of 18 until 85,” de Rham says proudly. “You need to be very flexible to ride a horse. And as any equestrian knows, if you don't ride for three months and then try to get back on a horse, the next day you're full of aches and pains. I’m convinced that riding so late in my life has played a role in maintaining my health.”

The height of his international career came when he competed with the Swiss team at the 1956 Olympics on his horse Va Vite. Although the Olympic Games were awarded to Melbourne that year, the equestrian events were held in Stockholm due to Australia’s quarantine regulations. He placed 19th in the individual event, and ninth in the team event alongside team mates Marc Büchler and Alexander Stoffel.

On the table next to de Rham is a scrap book of newspaper clippings, competition photos, results and brochures from those weeks in Stockholm.

One page displays a picture of a 34-year-old William de Rham looking sharp in his military uniform. A retired member of the Swiss Armed Forces, de Rham held the rank of Major when he competed at the Olympics that year. There’s over 65 years between that photo and the present day, but de Rham’s smile is immediately recognisable. 

There are also some familiar faces in the scrap book photos, including a young Queen Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret watching the competition from the side lines.

“There was an incredibly pleasant atmosphere in Stockholm with equestrians from all over the world coming together,” de Rham said. “Equestrians are a particular group of people and we all understood each other. But it was still surprising to see the Queen of Sweden walking among the crowd, and I even got to see the Queen of England with her sister Princess Margaret up close!”

For de Rham, equestrian is not just a sporting activity but a passion – a gift – that runs deep, and that was passed down to him and other members of his extended family from two generations before.

De Rham doesn’t hide his disappointment that his children don’t share his passion for horses. But it is this distance that seems to have given his daughter Gisèle Collomb a profound respect and insight into her father’s love for horses.

“My father never pushed us to ride,” explained Collomb. “He has always believed that a person’s connection with a horse cannot be forced and that it has to come freely. He has always loved nature and the strength of life that it gives, and he has physically benefitted from this through riding horses.

“He has led an absolutely extraordinary rider's life. Many people ride horses because they feel that animals understand them better than humans. But as daily life starts to take over, and they find a job or move into responsible roles, they stop riding. My father never let go of his passion and love for horses even though he had a busy day job in real estate.

When asked the question, “What have you learned from horses?” de Rham’s answer comes without hesitation.

“Horses have taught me patience and perseverance. You cannot expect a horse to work with you overnight. You need develop your relationship with them every single day. You need to develop kindness, respect and trust.

“Animals have a highly developed sense of what's going on around them. If you're upset one day and you try to ride your horse, chances are it won't go well as the horse feels it too. If you're afraid to jump an obstacle, the horse will feel it and be scared too.

“You need to be a calming influence on them and build their confidence. You have to understand that when you have this contact with another being like a horse, how you act and feel plays a significant role in their behaviour.”

In October 2023, de Rham was invited to sign the Olympic Wall at the Olympic House in Lausanne. Alongside his name, he proudly wrote the name of the horse who has clearly left a deep hoof print in his mind – Va Vite.

“I bought Va Vite just after the war from a farmer in France for one thousand Swiss Francs. He was an excellent horse that had the character, generosity, and willingness to work with me. He gave me his all and I knew what I needed to do to get the most out of him during a competition,” said de Rham.

“People were surprised that I put his name on the wall. But to me it was only normal that I did – we were a team after all.”

Photos:

1. Header photo: William de Rham and Va Vite (Photo from de Rham family archive)
2. Photo of William de Rham from the de Rham family archive
3. William de Rham (SUI) proudly adding his signature to the Olympic Wall alongside that of Va Vites, his equine companion during the 1956 Olympic Games, at the International Olympic Committee headquarters in October 2023. (Photo: IOC/Greg Martin)

 

Gregory Wathelet stormed to victory with Bond Jamesbond de Hay at the third leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League in Lyon, France today.

All eyes were on Julien Epaillard and his 10-year-old mare Dubai du Cedre, one of five French partnerships to make the cut into the second-round jump-off, after their win in Friday’s hotly-contested Longines Grand Prix. But they had to yield to the mighty stride of Wathelet’s stallion who snatched it away with a breathtaking run to post Belgium’s first-ever victory in the history of the World Cup class at the hugely popular French fixture.

From a starting field 40 that included six of the top 10 riders in the world a total of 14 found the key to Gregory Bodo’s first-round track, and it was leading U-25 rider, Great Britain’s Harry Charles, who set the pace when clear with Romeo 88 in 35.34 seconds over the new seven-fence jump-off course. Belgium’s Pieter Devos followed with a great round from the young mare Jarina J in 36.76 but reigning Olympic champion Ben Maher shaved almost a second off Charles’ target when fourth to go with Dallas Vegas Batilly who broke the beam in 34.59 to temporarily take the lead.

Home runners

Next in was first of the home runners, Rio 2016 Olympic team gold medallist Penelope Leprevost, who had already left the first element of the turquoise double on the floor before the grey gelding Bingo del Tondou stopped at the last, unshipping both his rider and his bridle. His quick-thinking groom ran into the ring and had him in a head-collar within seconds however, and together they left the arena with nothing more than a look of sheer surprise on Bingo’s face. 

That turn to the last would be the critical one of the day. 

Megane Moissonnier followed with a clear from the 14-year-old Cordial in 38.07 seconds but, two horses later, her compatriot Epaillard set a whole new standard. He was defending the title he won last year at this event, and partnering the horse that carried him to individual bronze at this summer’s FEI Jumping European Championship in Milan (ITA) he looked to have put the competition to bed when scorching through the finish in 33.10 seconds. 

He then had to sit back and watch five more take their turn, world number four Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs hitting that first element of the double with Commissar Pezi and his compatriot Simon Delestre making it all the way to the very last with Dexter Fontenis Z only to leave that on the floor. And then Wathelet set out, galloping well before he even got to the start-line and never taking a pull the whole way around, Bond Jamesbond de Hay crossing the finish fractionally quicker in 32.93 to the sound of the spectators screaming with delight. When the final two Frenchmen faulted, Wathelet’s victory was secured. 

Experience

“My horse doesn’t have much experience with jump offs but I felt I had something to play with today, taking out one stride between (fences) 1 to 2 and at the last fence too. In the end it worked out and I am very happy and proud of him! I am getting to know him more and more, and he is showing so much scope and quality on the fences. I did not think he was that agile when I started riding him, so I am very happy with how things are developing”, added the double Olympian who was a team bronze medallist at the Tokyo 2020 Games. 

Epaillard may have had to settle for runner-up spot but he was still more than pleased with his brilliant 10-year-old mare who earned him that European individual bronze. “She has had an amazing year and is getting more and more reliable. She was already very good in Barcelona (Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023 Final), and it has been a great weekend here”, said the French star.

He has the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023 in Riyadh (KSA) in his sights and has made a clear plan for how he’s going to get there. “Donatello will go to Verona (ITA), next week, then Madrid and La Coruna (ESP) and I will go to London (GBR) with a new horse”, he explained.

Played out

Britain’s Maher and Charles slotted into third and fourth places, and Maher reflected on how his jump-off round played out.

“It would always be nice to have a second go!”, he said. “I planned to do a stride less between the first and second fence but had to change the plan because it didn’t ride as smooth as I wanted. I am very happy and tried my best. I knew Julien is always very fast, but today Gregory rode the perfect round”, he added.

Maher also has his winter season mapped out. “I am going to Verona, and Dallas will then have a break before Geneva (SUI, in December). I had a long break at the beginning of the year so my horses have not been over-jumped, so I am looking forward to doing more indoor shows this winter”, he said. 

He continued, “I don’t really plan to chase the rankings. Being in the top ten gives you some advantages so I look after that a little and I am very lucky at the moment with my horses. It would be nice to get to number one again, but I will not put any pressure on my horses for that, it’s not my main objective”.

Confirmed

Meanwhile today’s winner Wathelet confirmed that London (GBR) in December will be his next stop in the Western European League. “I was not able to get a spot there before, so will go to London and then Mechelen (BEL). I hope to get as many points as possible before the end of the year. I have two or three horses who can jump the World Cup, so the goal is clearly to try to qualify for the Final”, he explained.

And he acknowledged the contribution of the spectators in Lyon who always create an incredible buzz no matter who wins.

“The public in Lyon are amazing and they make a fantastic atmosphere! We do our sport for moments like this!”, he said.

With Ireland’s Richard Howley still heading the Western European League leaderboard after his back-to-back successes in Oslo (NOR) and Helsinki (FIN) the series now moves on to Verona (ITA) next weekend.

So don’t miss a hoofbeat….. 

Result 

Standings

It was a strategic masterclass from reigning champion Boyd Exell (AUS) as the FEI Driving World Cup™ 2023-24 Series got underway in Lyon (FRA).  Throughout the competition, Boyd had such prowess in the large arena at Equita Lyon that even when a ball rolled in his final drive-off, he could stick to his gameplan and still win.

“In the short time that Driving has been here in Lyon, the public have really got behind it.  They remembered it from last year and the year before, and even yesterday, I felt the support. They love the smooth driving, and they reward it – and they love speed!

I had an early ball when one of the leaders nudged it with his nose, but I turned him short and tight – it’s one of those things in indoor driving.  Then we really put the accelerator down and I said, ‘Come on boys – you need to help me now.  I looked after you yesterday so dig deep,’ and they were brilliant.” – Boyd Exell (AUS)  

Boyd was talking about his first round early on Saturday morning when he seemed to be taking it easy, his horses moving at a leisurely pace (by his standards).  As he passed through the finish gates, the clock tallied and his time was the slowest of the seven competitors at 209.37.  But no one watching was fooled by this gentle approach as by the next round, the Australian’s customary speed was back. Ending on top of the leader board with a clear round and a time only score of 162.49, Boyd was ahead of second placed Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) by 7.25.

Taking the third slot on day one was Belgian Dries Degrieck.  Now in his third FEI Driving World Cup™ season, he is more assured and has honed his performance under Boyd’s training. Although he had a costly first round with three balls to add, the board was wiped clean for the drive-off and everyone started from zero, so it was a new competition. With a clear round, Dries finished on his time of 174.31.

Sunday saw the drivers starting in reverse order after the previous day’s placings, so French wild card Anthony Horde opened to the delight of the 7,000 strong home crowd. Still finessing his indoor circuit skills, he shaved time off between his rounds, although the balls rolled, and he had twelve to add to give him a total of 202.35.  

"We really put the accelerator down and I said, ‘Come on boys – you need to help me now.  I looked after you yesterday so dig deep!"

Boyd Exell (AUS) 

Next in was seasoned World Cup campaigner Benjamin Aillaud (FRA), also a wild card.  He improved on his first day’s rounds and produced a smooth clear in a time of 181.78, using the same Lusitano horses that he drives at outdoor events.  

Clearly crestfallen after knocking a ball in the marathon obstacle three, Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) didn’t make day two’s drive-off.  Ending on 179.23, he was 0.06 seconds faster than Belgium’s Glenn Geerts, but the four to add put him into fifth, although both had ended day one in the middle of the leader board with identical scores (175.53).  Watching Glenn’s long limbed Dutch Warmbloods – whose strides appear to cover so much ground – against Jerome’s compact Swiss horses, can be deceptive as they seem to move so differently over the course, yet were neck and neck on time.  

The same top three from day one held their places after the first round on day two, and because only the fastest three went in the drive-off, it was Boyd, Dries and Ijsbrand who entered the arena for a fourth time.  Ijsbrand was first in as they ran in reverse order but went on to produce his most organised run of the event. 

With his stalwart Casper in front, alongside three Lipizzaners, the former World Cup champion kept all the balls in place and although it wasn’t his quickest round, it did secure a second place on the final leaderboard with 168.62.
Next in, Dries was ahead on time by 1.03 seconds but where he gained against the clock he lost on accuracy and knocked two balls to add eight and finish on 175.59. 

But to be on the podium in such a strong field of contenders so early in the series bodes well for the events to come.
Building to a crescendo, the rock music pumping, last to go Boyd and his slick, dark horses made an entrance.  They set out at such speed so that even with the early ball in number three, they had a margin of nearly ten seconds in hand. 

Mistakes are often fuel for Boyd who is at his best when challenged and if there’s a blip, his horses have enough power so that when he asks for more pace, they willingly give it without compromising precision.  

So, it’s an opening ten points for the reigning champion in Lyon as he heads to the next leg in Maastricht (NED) next weekend.  There won’t be the same pressure now that he is firmly on target for another title.  He and Bram Chardon (NED) are the wild cards so although they will go head-to-head, it will be a theoretical clash of the titans as neither will gain points from their places.  But they will gain psychological advantages and be watching each other like hawks to see if there are any chinks in the armour.  

Yet as we saw today, even if things don’t go according to plan, there is so much depth of talent and experience from the whole Exell team that trying to catch - let alone match - them is going be the biggest challenge for the remaining competitors in this exciting series. 

Tune into FEI TV for Leg 2 of the FEI Driving World Cup™ in Maastricht on 10 & 11 November, both competitions at 9.45 pm CET. 

Shane Sweetnam (IRL) may have been born in Cork (IRL), but for more than a decade, he's held a summer residence in Lexington (USA), directly adjacent to the Kentucky Horse Park. That made a win in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Lexington, held in the venue's Alltech Arena, especially meaningful. 

Besting an 11-horse jump-off with his family in attendance, Sweetnam recorded a long-awaited win in the class, which also marked his first World Cup victory. His winning partner was the sensational 10-year-old James Kann Cruz, who crossed the timers of fellow Irishman Alan Wade's short course in an uncatchable 33.41 seconds. 

Defending champion Daniel Bluman (ISR) finished second with Gemma W, marking Bluman's third consecutive year on the podium in the National Horse Show's feature class. Devin Ryan (USA) finished third with Eddie Blue, after the pair held the same position a week ago in Washington (USA).

"To win this class is a big deal. For me, it was always one of the ones I wanted to win."

Shane Sweetnam (IRL)

Sweetnam caught plenty of air in the first round, as James Kann Cruz showed off his brilliant power and scope. In the jump-off, that could have cost valuable time on the clock, but it also allowed Sweetnam to take more risks in his track. The pair returned fourth in an 11-horse jump-off and set themselves apart with a pair of left-out strides and a bold turn back to the combination toward the end of the course. When James Kann Cruz slipped, it left the horse not even a stride to judge the fence. Still, he cleared it with ease.

"I felt that there were a lot of fast riders, good riders behind me. Honestly, when I came out of the ring, I was thinking I still might not have done enough," Sweetnam said. "I definitely wasn't sure I had the win, but I really did as much as I could in the ring.

"We slipped a little bit going into the double, and [James Kann Cruz] had to show how amazing he was. That wasn't planned, but it just shows how talented he is."

Shane Sweetnam (IRL)

James Kann Cruz has always had the makings of a championship mount, and he contributed to a silver medal-winning effort for Ireland at the 2023 European Championships (ITA). Navigating jump-offs at speed has been the next part of the gelding's development.

"Practice makes perfect. I'd say if you watch my rounds now compared to what they were this time last year, the jump-offs are a lot faster," Sweetnam said. "Yes, he does spend a lot of time in the air, but obviously, that's a help. He's a very smart horse. The more he does it, the smarter he gets...He's looking for the next jump, which he hadn't really this time last year. It's still a work in progress.

"I still think there's more room there for us to go to another level," he added.

Sweetnam walked the course with his son Collin, and his wife Ali and daughters Olivia and Lucy were in attendance at the event. All are involved in the sport as athletes or coaches.

"All of us are very keen," Sweetnam said. "It's great to have that, because we have that together. When there's success or when there's ups and downs, we're there together, and we learn from them, and we keep moving forward."

Ryan's consistency moved him to the top of the NAL standings with 30 points, while Sweetnam slotted into second with 28 points. Alise Oken (USA) sits third with 25 points.

The NAL continues in Toronto (CAN) on 11 November 2023.

Results

Standings