Rolling into the early hours of Sunday morning at Jumping International de Bordeaux (FRA), the top ranked drivers in the 2022-23 Series assembled to launch their bid to join the FEI Driving World Cup™ hall of fame.  

After eight qualifying competitions at city venues across Europe, the build up to the finale has been a mesmerizing one.  After a storming season of six wins from six events, on paper Boyd Exell (AUS) seemed the likeliest to clinch the top spot in Bordeaux (FRA), a venue where he has taken the title on five of his record nine occasions, including in 2020.  But even a faultless set of results doesn’t guarantee anything a final, especially when you have high calibre challengers which includes the likes of father and son icons, Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon (NED).  

The competition running order is decided by the qualification rankings, with the host nation’s Wild Card driving first, so it was Benjamin Aillaud (FRA) who set the pace.  Rounding off what has been a positive first season with a new team of horses, he totalled 161.62.  Next in was Dries Degrieck (BEL) who put down a fast time of 139.76 but with eight to add, ended on 147.76.  His time was bettered by Jérôme Voutaz (SUI) (135.88) but with a clutch of penalties, Jérôme slipped behind Dries by the slimmest of margins and ensured a fourth placing for the Belgian.

As the fourth ranked driver, Dutch supremo Koos de Ronde came in next, with the expectation after a cracking season of a slot in the top half of finishers.  Despite a fast and flowing early part of the course, he had a sticky moment in number 6, the first of the two marathon style obstacles, and although he recovered well, had left too much to do and ended the night in sixth on 151.94.

As the competition progressed, things were hotting up at the Parc des Expositions and Ijsbrand Chardon (NED) set the place alight as he produced a blistering round.  Nudging just the one ball to add to his time, he went ahead of Dries by just over 10 points on 137.75.  

Because Bram and Boyd came to the final on equal points, a draw was held to decide who of the two would drive first and it was Boyd who entered ahead of the defending champion.  Trotting into the arena, his lythe horses looked particularly impressive and soon pinged into their full gallop.  At the split they were over 5 seconds ahead of Ijsbrand and with the only clear round of the night, Boyd ended on time only – 127.38.

But with Bram to follow, there can be no complacency.  Although he knocked an early ball, he gained enough momentum as his round progressed to post an even faster time of 126.65, ending on 130.65. It was enough to put him into second and to keep the pressure on his great rival and guarantee that there is a nail-biting climax.

As it’s a final, there was no drive off.  The results will set Sunday’s starting order and 50% of the difference between Boyd’s score and those placed behind him will be carried over.  The finale will have a drive off for the top three after first round. 

Gabor Fintha’s (HUN) course was hailed as an open, horse-friendly one which walked well and superficially seemed to pose few problems.  However, it was a clever design that commanded respect and included a bridge which was negotiated twice, a speed box at number 5 and two obstacles with enough options to ask the right sort of questions.

Coming back into the arena for the prizegiving and some crowd-pleasing showboating, Boyd, Bram and Ijsbrand seemed relaxed and happy.  All had done as good a job as could be asked of them.  All have put themselves in contention to win.  All gave us a magical display which has whetted the appetites for a vintage final on Sunday afternoon – not to be missed!

FULL RESULTS

For further information - FEI Driving World Cup™ - Season 2022-2023 | FEI

On a truly thrilling night of top sport, and in front of a sold-out stadium of screaming spectators, Brazil’s Marlon Zanotelli and the 14-year-old chestnut gelding VDL Edgar M scorched to victory in the penultimate leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League at Bordeaux in France tonight.

A world-class 38-strong line-up of stars always promised a cracking competition, and when almost half of them left course designer Jean Francois Morand’s first-round track in place then it came down to thrilling race against the clock.

And nothing was sure until the very end when Zanotelli pinned young Swiss challenger Édouard Schmitz into runner-up spot with Quno while double world champions, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and the great King Edward, finished third.  

Deciding round

Second of the 17 to go into the deciding round, Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z made a tight inside turn after the second-last fence to set the early target in 37.25 seconds, while Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights were also clear but a little slower when taking the longer route.

Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Mom’s Toupie de la Roque also took the tight inside turn but crossing the line in 38.56 seconds didn’t threaten for the lead before Scott Brash and Hello Jefferson, winners on home ground in London (GBR) in December, then reset the target with a great run that broke the beam in 37.09.

That was immediately dismissed by Schmitz and Quno however. The pair who finished a superb second in Amsterdam (NED) last weekend were super-quick through the first three fences and turbo-charged on the long run down to the following oxer which proved the undoing of many others. There was an intake of breath from the sidelines when, rolling back to the two remaining elements of the triple combination, the 14-year-old gelding rattled them both. But they were still in place as they took that inside turn after the second-last and roared down to the final vertical to go way out in front in 35.72 seconds.

Jur Vrieling’s Long John Silver was never going to be rushed but delivered another lovely clear for the Dutchman in 46.64 seconds. However world champions von Eckermann and King Edward were giving it a good shot when stopping the clock on 36.45 having taken the wider route to the last which put them temporarily in second place. 

Penelope Leprevost and Bingo del Tondou then posted a careful clear for France in 44.01 seconds before, third-last into the arena, Britain’s Harry Charles and Balou du Reventon slotted in behind von Eckermann when crossing the line in a sharp 36.78 seconds. And it seemed that Schmitz was untouchable for the win at this stage. But Zanotelli had other ideas. 

Advantage

“It was definitely a big advantage to start last”, the Brazilian rider said afterwards. Initially Edgar didn’t seem to be going nearly quickly enough, but when he arrived at the third fence in about 15 seconds it was clear his speed was deceptive.

“I’m very lucky to have Angelica there to watch and tell me exactly what to do, she knows Edgar so well and she knows me a little bit too!”, he explained.

His wife, Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli who won the second leg of the series in Helsinki (FIN) last October and who competed tonight for a total of 12 first-round faults, had seen the entire jump-off unfold. 

“We made a plan with the strides and the rollbacks and everything and I just stuck to the plan. Luckily Edgar was amazing today, he’s been so consistent this year, and I’m just delighted with the result. And the public were fantastic!”, Zanotelli said after breaking the beam in the winning time of 35.39 seconds, just 0.33 ahead of Schmitz.

Very lucky

Talking about the 14-year-old Edgar he said, “I’m very lucky that family Gjelsten were able to buy him for the (Tokyo) Olympics and now for this season. He’s just everything a rider wants, he’s careful, he has scope and for me the most important part is that he’s so clever, so sensitive to the rider, so responsive and he’s getting quicker and quicker!”

It’s only a week since Schmitz and Quno finished a sensational second behind Frenchman Julien Epaillard at the previous qualifier in Amsterdam (NED) which boosted him to 16th on the Western European League leaderboard, but he knew he needed more points to guarantee a place at the Longines Final 2023 in Omaha (USA) in April and he certainly got those today.  

“The first goal of the weekend was to get the qualification for the Final and with the points I have now it looks really good”, he said after another second-place finish sent him rocketing up to seventh with a healthy 52 points to his credit.

World champion von Eckermann said, “King will never disappoint me. How he felt today was amazing and the last time he felt like that was a the World Championship in Herning so I am very happy even if I am third today. It is my main goal to keep my horses happy and motivated and King is definitely a very special horse”. There is no-one in the world who argues with that, and today at Bordeaux the horse’s Flemish breeder, Wim Impens, was honoured with a coveted Longines WBFSH Breeder Award.

Within sight

Meanwhile Zanotelli now finds himself with a total of 38 points and within sight of qualification for the Final. He cannot go to the last of Western European legs in Gothenburg (SWE) in three weeks’ time so he won’t be able to add any more points to his tally.

“I’m doing two weeks in Doha (QAT) and I want to give Edgar a little break now. I did a few of the World Cups this season and sometimes I was unlucky and didn’t get enough points but I just hope I have enough now, if not then that’s just the way it is. I have to respect my horses and my plan, but it would be a dream for me to jump in a World Cup Final that’s for sure!”, he said tonight.

The top 18 from the Western European League will make the cut and, as it stands with one leg yet to go, he lies 15th while von Eckermann lies regally at the head of affairs with a massive 102 points followed by Epaillard in second and Deusser in third.

But there’s plenty of room for further adjustment down the line when the Swedish fixture provides the very last roll of the dice on Sunday 26 February.

So don’t miss a hoofbeat…..  

For all the latest information about the LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub HERE 

Stay up-to-date with articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to the Final.

Result 

Standings 

After a spellbinding 2022-2023 Series, the first with a full quota of eight events since the 2019-2020 season, all eyes are on the current FEI Four-in-Hand World Champion Boyd Exell (AUS) to take an unprecedented 10th title in Bordeaux (FRA) this weekend.

From the first event in Lyon (FRA) in late October, Boyd has dominated and although the margins between him and his fellow competitors have varied, he has ended the qualifying rounds on a maximum tally of 30 points and tops the rankings.  Despite one slip up at the last 8th leg in Leipzig (GER) where he finished competition one in third place behind Bram Chardon (NED) and Glenn Geerts (BEL), when it really counted and places meant ranking points, Boyd was untouchable.  

Crediting his supremacy to his fantastic horses, Banjok, Jupiter, Mad Max and Barney, Boyd says that not only are they working better as a team than last season, but all he needs to do is steer and let them get on with the job in the arena.  He is also steadfastly supported by Emma Olsson, his navigator and competition groom on the top step, and long term friend Hugh Scott-Barrett on the bottom step.  Together, their alchemy makes them the team to beat with a record of six wins from six second round drive-offs in Lyon, Maastricht (NED), Stuttgart (GER), Stockholm (SWE), London (GBR) and Leipzig.

Joining the final in second place in the rankings is defending champion Bram Chardon, who held his nerve to win in April 2022.  Another who has enjoyed a storming season, he launched his campaign at the halfway point by winning the 5th leg Geneva (SUI), a feat he matched in Mechelen (BEL) just after Christmas.  He was second in London to Boyd who was a Wild Card so Bram took the valuable 10 points.  The most recent leg in Leipzig was a pre-final showdown between these two titans of the four-in-hand realm, and although Bram won round one, Boyd won round two.  Both are acutely aware of the strengths of the other’s horses, and both know that they have each other to beat as Bram tries to take his third World Cup title and stop Boyd reaching double figures.

Keeping it in the family is Bram’s father, the iconic Ijsbrand Chardon, who arrives in Bordeaux ranked third.  His season also started at the opening leg in Lyon, when he applied the pressure to Boyd and came second, as he did in Maastricht, Stockholm and Leipzig.  Having missed the most recent final, he has clearly enjoyed being back on his customary fast and accurate form, playing to appreciative audience in the big venues, demonstrating that he has no intention of slowing down.  With daughters Edith and Lianne as both his and Bram’s navigators, these strong family ties have helped them achieve a great set of results.

Ten years ago, Koos de Ronde (NED) was crowned World Cup champion, something he would deeply like to achieve again.  As one of the most consistent competitors in the series, on each occasion he made competition two’s drive-off, and each time he came third.  Another who started his season early in Lyon, he drove again in Maastricht, then London, Mechelen and Leipzig.  Koos’ wife Marie is his navigator and they work so well together, especially when the pressure is on.

The next place goes to Switzerland’s Jérôme Voutaz, who is a serious contender for a podium place.  Finishing second in Stuttgart and Mechelen, he was previously a runner up in the 2017 final in Gothenburg and the 2018 final in Bordeaux. A mainstay of the Series, his team of Swiss bay horses are compact and powerful, and like the Lipizzaners favoured by many of the drivers for the World Cup, are well suited to the bursts of speed plus agility needed to negotiate an indoor course.

The sixth qualification slot goes to next generation Belgian driver Dries Degrieck, who was a member of the bronze medal winning team in Pratoni (ITA) at the World Championships.  Making it to his second final, he is another who can be fast against the clock.  Dries just missed out on a drive-off place in April’s final, finishing fourth, and is another driver who could upset the natural order and find himself in the top three.

The host nation can nominate one of their own for a Wild Card entry and in Bordeaux, the allocation goes to Benjamin Aillaud (FRA), who has been a regular competitor this season with a new team of Lusitanos.  He too was at the first event in Lyon and although finished the Series outside the qualification rankings, makes his fourth appearance at a final.

Designing the course will be Hungarian Gabor Fintha, and the President of the Ground Jury is experienced French judge Anne-Marie Turbé who assumed the same role in Geneva and Pratoni.  

The Driving final is held over two days as part of the four day equestrian extravaganza, ‘Jumping International Bordeaux’.  Competition one is late on Saturday night (11.30 pm) and competition two on Sunday afternoon (4.45 pm – local times).  For the final, the accumulative scoring system differs from the qualifying legs as 50% of the difference between the drivers and the leading score is carried over to the next round.  In the second phase, the top three drivers go forward into the drive-off, and their scores from the previous round will count towards the overall total, unlike in the legs where they start each time from zero. 

With legions of fans that famously get behind the drivers during their rounds, at a chic show that attracts big crowds, this promises to be a vintage final and a fitting end to what has been an exciting Series.  Tune into FEI TV for all the live action.

For further information - FEI Driving World Cup™ - Season 2022-2023 | FEI

With less than a month to go before the world’s best equine and human athletes gather in Butheeb (UAE) for the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022, the line-up has been confirmed with 129 combinations representing 37 nations ready to challenge for the 2022 individual and team world titles on Saturday 25 February 2023.

The 18^th edition of the FEI Endurance World Championship, first held in 1986, boasts a remarkably gender balanced field of participants, with 63 female and 66 male athletes entered, and an equally impressive diversity in age range of the participants with 55 years separating youngest and first time World Championship competitor, 18-year-old Constanza Pacheco Diaz (ARG) from Canada’s 73-year old Robert Gielen, who will be taking part in his fourth World Championship!

With numbers reminiscent of pre-covid times, the Championship will see 24 teams compete for the team title, which the Spanish have held firmly within their grip since the World Championship in Caen (FRA) in 2014.

For Spain, a fourth consecutive title would set a new record in the sport, but they will face plenty of opposition from other teams vying the top spot, such as Brazil and France – silver and bronze medallists at the World Championship in Pisa (ITA) in 2021 - as well as other former medallists including the Netherlands, Switzerland, Bahrain, Qatar and host nation UAE, the only other country to boast three consecutive world titles, which they achieved from 2008 to 2012.

From an individual front, all eyes will also be on Spanish and Emirati riders, as they have dominated the field since 2006. Among them, there is Salem Hamad Saeed Al Kitbi (UAE), with his horse Haleh, who will be defending his World title here in Butheeb; Spain’s power couple Maria Alvarez Ponton and Jaume Punti Dachs who have three individual World titles between them; and, their compatriot Angel Soy Coll, who is current European Champion.

The Venue

A successful test event held in December 2022, following the allocation to Butheeb at the FEI General Assembly in November of that same year confirmed that all the systems and footing were on track for a successful World Championship in February.

With an open-house invitation to National Federations (NFs) and teams to experience first-hand the facilities on offer at the Butheeb International Endurance Village (BIEV), the Organising Committee provided a comprehensive overview of what they could expect at the upcoming Championship with the world-class permanent infrastructure featuring state-of-the-art veterinary facilities.  

Alongside the 160 km track which will be run over 6 loops and has been prepared to the highest standard, proper hydration and temperature control have also been optimised with multiple water points throughout the ride for the competitors to rehydrate and cool off, serviced by many of the volunteers and staff that have dedicated their time and expertise to supporting the event.

In addition, the Organising Committee will also be implementing a number of actionable sustainable initiatives in a bid to set a new benchmark for future Endurance events and showcase UAE’s commitment to innovation in sustainable ecology in line with their pledge for carbon neutrality by 2050.

“We are excited to see so many athletes and nations confirmed for this important Championship”, said FEI President Ingmar De Vos.

“Sustainable thinking is absolutely key to event planning today, and I am delighted the World Championship in Butheeb has set its sights on becoming a point of reference for environmental sustainability at Endurance rides in the future.

“Thanks to the concerted efforts of the Organising Committee in Butheeb and the UAE Equestrian National Federation, we will have a fantastic backdrop for our sport with all the necessary infrastructures and requirements to ensure our athletes and our horses can perform at their very best, with safety and welfare a priority throughout.”

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The full roster of countries participating in the upcoming FEI Endurance World Championship are: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Estonia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, and Uruguay.

For the full Master List with the FEI Endurance World Championship 2022 definite entries, click here.

 

The FEI has welcomed today’s announcement by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Governing Board that Para Equestrian has been included in the Paralympic Programme for Los Angeles 2028.   

The result of an extensive review process which started in January 2022, Para Dressage will feature alongside 21 other sports confirmed by the IPC Governing Board when Los Angeles hosts the Paralympic Games in five years. The inclusion of an additional sport, put forward by the LA 2028 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, is still under consideration with Para Climbing and Para Surfing strong contenders. A decision is expected to be made by the end of 2023.

The Paralympic Games will be held from 15 to 27 August 2028, following the Olympic Games which are scheduled to take place from 14 to 30 July. While 2028 will mark the third time that the Olympic Games will be held in Los Angeles after the 1932 and 1984 editions, it will be the first time the city will host the Paralympic Games.

Para Dressage is the only equestrian discipline included in the Paralympic Games, where it has been a regular fixture since 1996. Conducted under the same basic rules as able-bodied Dressage, male and female Para Dressage athletes compete as equals and are classified according to the level of their impairment.

People with similar functional abilities and profiles are grouped into five competition Grades (I to V). The horse has to perform at a walk in Grade I, the trot is added to Grades II and III, and the canter in Grades IV and V.

Each horse and rider combination is required to follow a prescribed pattern of movement, with the only exception being the Freestyle which is specifically choreographed for each horse and is performed to music. Success in equestrian sport is not based solely on technical ability, but also depends on the strength of the emotional bond that exists between the horse and human athlete.

“We are ever so proud to have Para Dressage included in the Paralympic Programme for 2028,” FEI Secretary General and President of the Association for Paralympic Sports (APSO) Sabrina Ibáñez said.

“With its long-standing equestrian tradition, the USA has developed over the years as a country with sustained equestrian excellence on the international stage. And Los Angeles, with its stunning sports backdrop of the Santa Monica Mountains and its state-of-the art competition and training facilities, is the perfect venue for the Paralympic Games.

“But Los Angeles is also a city with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion which is also high on the agenda for our International Federation. Equestrian has always been an accessible sport, and the para community know full-well the immense power of the horse for people with disabilities.

“The Paralympic Games in Tokyo 2020 marked a turning point for our sport with higher than ever scores being reached and an increase in the degree of difficulty of tests. That there was not one single riding school horse present in Tokyo, was itself testimony to the growth and development of the sport.

“We hope that Para Dressage will reach even greater heights in Los Angeles and that the people coming to see Para Dressage in action will leave with some understanding of the passion that drives our sport.”

The FEI was one of the first international sports governing bodies to govern and regulate global para sport alongside its able-bodied disciplines when Para Dressage joined its ranks in 2006. The Para Equestrian Committee was created in 2006 when the governance of Para Equestrian passed from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to the FEI. At the same time, the FEI also created the Athletes’ Committee for all FEI disciplines (able-bodied and para), with 14-time Paralympic gold medalist Lee Pearson becoming its first Chair.

Over the years, there has been more integration of Para Equestrian sport into the FEI Governance and World Championship structures, which has raised the profile of Para Sport alongside the FEI’s other disciplines.

At the 2020 FEI General Assembly, the Chair of the FEI Para Equestrian Committee became a voting member on the FEI Board, ensuring that Para Sports has a place at the top table’s discussions alongside able-bodied disciplines.

Other governance related initiatives included in the FEI’s host bidding requirements, require world and continental championships for para athletes and able-bodied athletes to be held at the same venue. A handbook is currently being created by the FEI to assist Organising Committees with accessibility planning at equestrian Events.

The FEI Solidarity and Para Dressage Departments have worked together to create the FEI Para Dressage World Challenge series, a development programme in place since 1 January 2023. The Series aims to give athletes, who are unable to participate in international events due to financial or geographical reasons, the opportunity to compete in events in their own country. These competitions are in place to help National Federations develop Para Dressage, and close the gap between National and first level international competitions.

While these top-down initiatives have been important to the development of Para Equestrian within the FEI’s structures, it has also had a positive impact on the general attitudes towards disability and inclusion within the equestrian community more generally.

The FEI’s online Para Sport magazine – The Para Equestrian Digest – launched in February 2022 was created for Para Equestrian athletes and the people connected to the sport so they can share, in their own words, their personal experiences and disability stories. The Digest puts the spotlight on an athlete or project in Para Equestrian sport with the aim of increasing visibility for the sport and improving disability awareness and inclusion.

The third-ranked athlete in the world and one of the fastest riders on the planet, Frenchman Julien Epaillard galloped to victory for the third time this season at the twelfth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League in Amsterdam (NED) today.

On an afternoon when Dutch course designer Quintin Maertens’ 13-fence first-round track defeated all but eight of the 36 starters, Epaillard went out in front when third-last to go against the clock with the 10-year-old Donatello d’Auge and couldn’t be caught. There was plenty for Switzerland’s Edouard Schmitz to smile about however when he slotted into runner-up spot with Quno, and huge emotion for Brazil’s Yuri Mansur when he claimed third with the stallion Vitiki. 

Epaillard said, “the World Cup is looking good for me - one more win today and it’s my first 5* win with Donatello d’Auge so it’s really special for the family and the team. I’m very happy!” 

He collected points in every one of the seven qualifiers in which he competed and has now taken over the lead on the Western European League table with a massive 92 points, helped by also grabbing maximum points for wins in Lyon (FRA) in October and Madrid (ESP) in November.

Undoing

The bogey double of white planks to a rustic oxer proved the undoing of 18 combinations in the first round in which the triple combination two fences later also proved highly influential. 

Switzerland’s Alain Jufer was first to go and clear in the opening round and, leading the way against the clock, was foot-perfect once again with the 12-year-old Dante MM who crossed the line in 44.79 seconds to set a good target.

However Great Britain’s Jodie Hall McAteer got off to a difficult start when Salt’n Peppa backed off the first fence and then got into a muddle at the remaining two elements of the triple combination at fence 10 - now three from home - before retiring.

Next in, Yuri Mansur raised the game when going into the lead in 44.42 seconds with Vitiki and when Jur Vrieling, the only one of the nine Dutch riders to make the cut from the first round, hit the first element of fence 10 the Brazilian was still out in front.

After her exciting first round with Equine America Papa Roach in which the gelding miraculously recovered from a mistake in the middle of the triple combination, Norway’s Victoria Gulliksen was very excited going into the jump-off because she had the Longines Final 2023 in her sights and was super-keen to collect those precious extra points she needed. 

“It would be nice to have another clear round but I think I have been geared up so many times and making mistakes because I’m too geared up, so I’m going to try to keep focus and hope for the best!”, she said, before doing just that and coming home clear in 46.91 seconds to her absolute delight.

Pressure

When Epaillard entered the ring however the pressure was really piled on as he galloped the long lines and raced through the tight turns with the greatest of ease to set the new target at 42.04 seconds. 

Second-last to go, Germany’s Daniel Deusser looked set to challenge with the brilliant Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, but the pair found a really deep distance to the first fence which threw them right out of their rhythm as it hit the floor, and although they made a superb recovery their chance was gone and only Schmitz could oust Epaillard from pole position. And he gave it a great try, matching the Frenchman’s time at the midway stage of the track but a little slower to the last to break the beam in 43.44 for second place.

Mansur finished third ahead of Jufer in fourth, Gulliksen in fifth, Vrieling in sixth, Deusser in seventh and Hall McAteer in eighth place.

An honour

“I’m obviously very happy for my second place, being part of a jump off like today is an honour. Of course it’s always frustrating to be only 0.5 seconds behind, but next time I’ll beat the old man!”, 23-year-old Schmitz said with a laugh, referring to 45-year-old Epaillard at the post-competition press conference.

“For me today it worked because of luck, twice the plank and pole rolled but stayed on the cups. It’s horse sport and sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t, there’s not always an explanation”, he said wisely. And he really enjoyed the Jumping Amsterdam experience.

“It was amazing being here, the crowd was excited for everyone, it makes the horse sport even more special. We can thank everyone involved for making this event happen, it takes a village to make horse sport happen and I’m very proud to be part of it today”, he added.

Mansur was thrilled with third place with his great 15-year-old Vitiki. In 2018 the horse broke his off-fore pastern in a fall at Aachen (GER), but the stallion has made an excellent recovery.

“We had such a long and hard story, but the way he’s jumping this season is just unbelievable. This horse is always emotional for me…and it was a very long process to bring him back, and now he becomes what he used to be and he’s so special to me!”, he said of Vitiki who was clearly enjoying every minute of his day today.

Needless to say, so was Julien Epaillard.

A pleasure

“It’s always a pleasure especially with this horse”, he said. “Donatello was always one down in past events but he’s becoming more consistent. This weekend I did a different preparation with two smaller classes and I think it worked. Today he was really relaxed and he made an amazing jump off. The goal is to go to the World Cup Final, so he still needs a little bit more experience before Omaha”, he pointed out. 

With just two qualifiers remaining, at Bordeaux (FRA) next weekend and Gothenburg (SWE) at the end of February, the pressure is intense for those still hoping to join him at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2023.

Epaillard has pinned reigning world champion, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, back to second place on the Western European League standings following today’s result. Deusser lies third ahead of Kevin Staut from France in fourth, Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg in fifth, Great Britain’s Harry Charles in sixth and Victoria Gulliksen in seventh spot, and the top-18 from this qualifying series will book their tickets to the 43rd Final which will kick off on 4 April.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..  

For all the latest information about the LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub HERE 

Stay up-to-date with articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to the Final.

Result 

Standings 

Jose Saavedra Garcia wins World Cup debut

With just three horses remaining in the first round of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Puebla (MEX), it appeared as if there might be a jump-off of 4-fault performers.

Through 17 combinations, there was yet to be a clear effort over Marina Azevedo's (BRA) 1.60m track. The group included to top ranked rider from Mexico, Nicolas Pizarro (MEX); defending champions Manuel Gonzales Dufrane (MEX) and Hortensia van de Leeuwerk; and the current national champions of Mexico, Federico Fernandez (MEX) and Davidoff.

Then Jose Saavedra Garcia (MEX) entered the arena for his World Cup debut and kept all of the jumps up. No one else could replicate the feat, giving the 24-year-old and his 13-year-old stallion Maximus took a memorable victory. 

"From the moment I jumped the first fence, I knew my horse was going to have a great round, so I just had fun."

Jose Saavedra Garcia (MEX)

Gonzales Dufrane finished second (4/76.65), with Saavedra Garcia's coach, Arturo Parada Vallejo (MEX) and Bacot third (4/77.50). 

"I've been riding [Maximus] for about a year, and I'm really excited to win my first World Cup," Saavedra Garcia said. "There were points where things didn't come up just right [on course], but my horse helped me out, and he was incredible."

Saavedra Garcia has hopes to earn a place on Mexico's team for the Central American and Caribbean Games in Santo Domingo (DOM) this summer.

"Since I rode my first round with this horse, I knew we could do something amazing," he said.

Daniel Coyle (IRL) maintains the lead in the North American League standings with 66 points. Conor Swail (IRL) remains second (56 points), and Daniel Bluman (ISR) is third (ISR). The 2022-2023 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League concludes at Ocala (USA) on 19 March 2023.

FULL RESULTS

STANDING

The Netherlands’ Dinja van Liere won today’s eighth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League on home ground in Amsterdam (NED) partnering her double-bronze-medal-winning ride from last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championships, the stallion Hermes NOP.

However it is five-time World Cup champion and longtime legend, the extraordinary German star Isabell Werth, who has moved into pole position on the leaderboard going into the closing stages of this hard-fought 11-leg series. 

Werth set today’s target with a sparkling performance from the 17-year-old Emilio for a score of 86.595. But to the delight of the home crowd, van Liere and Hermes bettered that when putting the winning score of 87.055 on the board when last to go. It was the second victory of the season for this pair who also came out on top in Mechelen (BEL) in December.

“I’m really happy, yesterday he was already great and today again he was really on fire! I’m so proud, he’s getting better and better. The crowd was fantastic today and it really made me emotional!”, van Liere said.

Starters

The 15-strong field of starters included World double-gold medallist Lottie Fry from Great Britain who, partnering the 12-year-old Lars van Hoenderheide who was competing in only his third international competition, posted a mark of 78.335 in the early stages. Dutchman and 2016 series champion Hans Peter Minderhoud then moved the target score up to 81.970 with a test filled with energy from Glock’s Dream Boy, but it was Sweden’s Patrik Kittel who led the way at the halfway stage with Touchdown. 

The light-moving 11-year-old gelding showed super-soft passage, and - in  classic Kittel style - the three-time Olympic rider and showman extraordinaire whipped the crowd into a frenzy of excitement with his final line of extended trot that was greeted with wild applause. When 82.645 went up on the board he went out in front, although there was still a long way to go.

Wide open

Werth blew the competition wide open when rocketing out in front when third into the arena after the break, posting 86.595 for a lovely test with Emilio. The 17-year-old gelding has been showing superb form of late, and he seemed to have an extra air of authority and confidence about his work today, demonstrating fantastic piaffe/passage as he strutted his way to the top of the scoreboard with four more still to go.

Next in, fellow-German Ingrid Klimke then produced a fearless performance from Franziskus FRH that ended with one-handed extended trot to the delight of the spectators for a mark of 84.960, before Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zack edged them down the order. 

Zack has always been super-consistent throughout his career with both Skodborg Merrald and his former rider Daniel Bachmann Andersen, and at 19 years of age continues to deliver his work with the greatest of ease including fabulous passage and canter pirouettes. 

The successful stallion looked rightly satisfied as he swaggered out of the ring after putting 85.220 on the board - a combination-best score and a personal-best for Skodborg Merrald whose smile was as wide as an ocean. Van Liere and Hermes would alter the scoreboard one more time however.

More settled

When the Dutch pair won yesterday’s Grand Prix, Hermes was much more settled. Today the 32-year-old rider had a different horse on her hands. Hermes was strong and sensitive at the beginning of the test, but after relaxing into the loveliest extended walk he seemed to recover his focus. 

After the judges awarded them the winning score of 87.055, Van Liere said “he was very on fire today and very powerful, but it was power I could manage well enough to ride a nice test without making any big mistakes!”

“Yesterday he was really relaxed but today was a lot more crowds and he felt the difference. But now I can manage him better and better”, she pointed out.

As every rider knows, there’s nothing quite like a home win, even if there is a lot of pressure. Their great performances at last summer’s World Championship ensured there was plenty of that for van Liere and Hermes today.

Expected

“The crowd expected a lot but it worked out well and it was really cool at the end. The spectators were so enthusiastic and so crazy! It is so cool to ride here at Jumping Amsterdam! ”, she added.

Second-placed Werth said that the close result made for super competition and a great atmosphere. “I’m completely happy with Emilio, and to be back again in Amsterdam is a pleasure, the public and the atmosphere were fantastic. 

Emilio is in a really good form, since last autumn in Lyon and then Frankfurt where he was great - I’m delighted with him!”, she pointed out. 

Third-place Skodborg Merrard was really pleased with her result too. “I didn’t expect it when I saw the line-up here, my horse really surprised me - he’s 19 years old but still so fit and ready to compete!”, she said of the brilliant Blue Hors Zack. 

Paul Riemens, Chairman of the Organising Committee for Jumping Amsterdam, was a happy man today. “It’s very special to be here. It’s been tough for the last few years, but seeing the faces of the winners and the faces of the crowd today is the payback for the bad years. I’m really proud to be here, so many people behind the scene have worked so hard to make this possible”, he said.

On the horizon

With the Longines FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2023 in Omaha (USA) in April now looming large on the horizon, the battle for one of the nine places available to athletes in the Western European League is really hotting up. But having moved to the very top of the standings after today’s competition, five-time champion Isabell Werth has easily booked her place at what will be her 20th Final.

With three more qualifiers left to run, at Neumünster (GER) and Gothenburg (SWE) in February and ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in March, there is still plenty of time for others to bid for a place, but as it stands this evening Werth is well out in front followed by compatriots Ingrid Klimke and Benjamin Werndl in second and third while van Liere has moved into fourth ahead of Skodborg Merrald in fifth place. Patrik Kittel lies sixth, The Netherlands’ Thamar Zweistra lies seventh, Morgan Barbancon from France is in eighth place and The Netherland’s Emmelie Scholtens and Germany’s Helen Langehanenberg share ninth spot.

Round nine at Neumünster will take place in three weeks’ time, on 19 February.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…..

For all the latest information about the FEI Dressage World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub here

Stay up to date with results, articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to Final. 

Result https://results.hippodata.de/2023/2257/docs/r_d02kuer.pdf

Standings https://results.hippodata.de/2023/2257/docs/fei_dressage_world_cup_wel2022-23_after_amsterdam.pdf

Germany’s Gerrit Nieberg secured a watershed victory in the eleventh leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 Western European League on home ground at Leipzig today. The 29-year-old rider who took the sport by storm when winning the prestigious Aachen Grand Prix last summer showed once again that he’s a real force to be reckoned with when galloping home in a tense jump-off to pin compatriot Richard Vogel into runner-up spot.

Nieberg watched 11 others go before him against the clock, including 25-year-old Vogel who produced a spectacular second round from the fabulous mare Looping Luna who is still only nine years old. Their time of 37.08 seconds looked impossible to beat, but Nieberg had other ideas.

“I watched him on screen and I could see he was really fast, but I had a really good feeling with my horse in the first round so I thought I’d try a bit more and he did an amazing job!”, he said after posting the winning round with the 11-year-old Blues D'Aveline CH.

Track

Frank Rothenberger’s 13-fence first-round track produced 12 clears and six of them were German. Marco Kutscher, double-European champion back in 2005, was first to come home on a zero scoreline second time out with the 10-year-old Aventador S, but his time of 39.76 seconds was blown out of the water by compatriot Vogel who followed him into the ring.

Vogel’s mare, who he describes as “a naturally fast mover”, was spectacular first time out and it all looked like a walk-in-the-park again in round two as she easily forged the lead when well over two seconds quicker. Three horses later, Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki were also clear and pushed Kutscher down the order when crossing the line in 39.34 seconds and although Sweden’s Wilma Hellström and the extraordinary one-eyed Cicci BJN gave another of their exhibition jumping performances to return with a clean sheet, their time of 40.68 seconds didn’t threaten for the lead either. 

Second-last into the arena, Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Vancouver de Lanlore looked fast, but their fault-free run in 38.81 seconds still left Vogel out in front and then there was only one man left to go. Nieberg had his eyes on the prize, and with laser-like focus the pair took every tight turn and scorched down to the last to clinch it. The packed stadium went wild with delight.

Suit him well

The Leipzig arena seems to suit Niebergs well. Riding his other top horse, Ben, he finished a very creditable 13th at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final last year at this same venue, and today’s result has firmly secured his place at the 2023 Final in Omaha (USA) next April.

His father, Lars Nieberg, was twice an Olympic team champion and twice finished second at FEI World Cup™ Finals - in 1995 with the great stallion For Pleasure and in 1998 with Esprit FRH. Yesterday Lars said that if Gerrit could pick up 10 points towards the 2023 Final in today’s competition that would be good but that of course the maximum 20 would be even better. “You see my kid does what I tell him!”, he joked this evening after Gerrit clinched it.

The final result saw Vogel in runner-up spot followed by Schwizer in third and Mansur, Kutscher and Hellström in the next three places.

First time

Talking about the super-talented Looping Luna Vogel said “it was the first time for her jump that kind of course and I didn’t expect to be in the top placings, certainly not second today!” He has been competing in Florida and returned only for this one World Cup show with the intention of returning to the US immediately afterwards. 

But today’s result has left him with a bit of a quandary because he finds himself in tenth place on the Western European Leaderboard and well in sight of a qualifying spot for Omaha if he remains in Europe to compete at some of the remaining three legs. Riding United Touch S he won the fifth leg of the series in Stuttgart (GER) in November, gaining maximum points there so now with a total of 37 he’s not far off the qualification zone as the top 16 riders will make the cut. It’s a bit of a dilemma.

There’s no confusion for Gerrit Nieberg however. “The World Cup Final has always been our main goal and now we are going!”, he said this evening. He is spoiled for choice with either Ben or the brilliant Blues D'Aveline CH to ride.

Talking about the 11-year-old gelding he said “we are a team for 2.5 years now, he did his first World Cup in Helsinki and was second so although he’s quite new on this level he has been very good. He’s a great horse, he always wants to give his best in the ring and he has scope and attitude. But the best part of his character is that when he knows I need him then he tries harder - and then I do too!”

The Western European League now moves on to the third-last leg in Amsterdam (NED) next weekend with more points up for grabs and world champion Henrik von Eckermann from Sweden still heading the standings followed by Frenchmen Julien Epaillard and Kevin Staut in second and third, Germany’s Daniel Deusser in fourth and Nieberg now in fifth place.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat…. 

Result 

Standings 

For all the latest information about the LONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ season 2022/2023 check out the new Series Hub HERE 

Stay up-to-date with articles, interviews, videos and much more while following the action all the way to the Final.

Team Austria had plenty to celebrate after their superb victory in the first leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2023 series in Abu Dhabi (UAE) today. In a third-round head-to-head against Great Britain’s Joe Whitaker, it was Austrian pathfinder Christoph Obernauer who clinched it with a brilliant ride on the 10-year-old gelding Kleons Renegade.

Ireland finished third and the next two teams, Saudi Arabia and the hosts from the United Arab Emirates, clinched the two Middle East qualifying spots on offer for the series finale in Barcelona (ESP) later in the year when lining up in fourth and fifth places respectively, while Syria finished last of the six competing countries.

The 12-fence track set by Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani proved testing, and there were only five clears in the first round. When Austria and Great Britain produced two each of these then they were already on level pegging at the halfway stage, carrying just four faults apiece going into round two.

No mistake

Obernauer had a single mistake first time out but was foot-perfect at his second attempt. However team-mate and Chef D’Equipe, Gerfried Puck, followed his opening clear with a pole down at the penultimate triple combination with the 10-year-old stallion Equitron Naxcel V before Katharina Rhomberg and the bold but brilliant Cuma posted their second clear of the day to pull it right back. Despite a big score from the last-line combination of Bianca Babanitz and Caipidor, the Austrians were now firmly established on an eight-fault two-round tally, and when the British matched that it would come down to a jump-off to decide the result.

Di Lampard’s British side got off to an unsteady start when pathfinder Will Funnell racked up 18 faults during his first effort with the home-bred Equine America Billy Picador, but clears from Tim Gredley (Medoc de Toxandria) and Joe Whitaker (Hulahupe JR) meant that only Donald Whitaker’s four faults with the 10-year-old mare Millfield Colette had to be counted at the halfway point.

And when Funnell made a brilliant recovery with a clear second time out and Donald Whitaker followed suit, then they only had to add one of the four-fault results from Gredley and Joe Whitaker to force a jump-off with the Austrians.

Man on a mission

First to go against the clock, Obernauer was a man on a mission, setting off with a determined run that brought him home through the timers in 33.68 seconds. Joe Whitaker was already down on the clock when hitting the final planks when following him into the ring, the clock showing 34.69 seconds despite a really game run from his handsome 11-year-old chestnut stallion Hulahupe JR as he crossed the line. 

Today’s win has given a big confidence boost to the Austrian side. 

“At last we now have a really good team and we must keep it together - now we have a couple of horses that can jump on the highest level so it’s going the right way!”, Obernauer said. The 36-year-old rider is based at his family’s equestrian centre in Kitzbuhel in the Austrian Tyrol - “a place that is famous for skiing, but not for riding!”, he pointed out with a laugh this evening. 

He has had the 10-year-old Kleons Renegade since he was a four-year-old so the pair know each other very well, and they competed on the Austrian team at last summer’s ECCO FEI World Championship in Denmark. 

“He’s a really fast horse and when I’m riding well he can jump everything. He has plenty of experience but this is the biggest achievement in our career together so far!”, he pointed out. They competed in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League qualifiers in London (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) last month, “so now he has a bit of a break but hopefully we will go to more Nations Cups because we want to qualify a team for Olympic Games (Paris 2024)”, he explained. 

The plan is already made, now it’s a matter of whether they can make it happen….”we need to finish in the top three of the non-qualified Group at the European Championships (in Milan, 29 August to 3 September) I think. And after today - maybe we can do it!”, he said with determination.

Bonus

Team-mate Rhomberg was in the same frame of mind, especially after pocketing the €50,000 bonus for producing the only double-clear of today’s competition.  

“I’m so very happy and proud - for sure this is my best result so far!”, she said. The talented, enthusiastic but hard-pulling Cuma certainly tests her strength in the ring, but it’s clear he thoroughly enjoys his job.

“I’ve had him since he was eight years old so this is our third year together and I only recently started him in big classes. This is the first big Nations Cup for him and now we work pretty well together. Yes he’s very strong and I need a lot of power to ride him but I try my best and so does he - he’s just amazing!”, said the 30-year-old athlete who is based near the Swiss/German border in Austria.

On only her second Nations Cup appearance anchor rider Babanitz had a difficult day with a big number of faults but she too was pleased with the result, while for 49 year old Gerfried Puck today was a day he will cherish for some time to come. 

“I cannot remember the last time Austria won a Nations Cup and it might even be the first time ever Austria has won a 5* Nations Cup - we are really proud of our result today!”, he said. “It was a long journey to get our team here but it turned out great!”, he added.

Result 

Standings