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Not for the first time, Denmark’s Cathrine Dufour and her mighty little chestnut gelding Atterupgaards Cassidy stole Swedish hearts when winning tonight’s tenth leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at the Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg (SWE).
The Danish pair have a particular affinity with this city, taking bronze here in both the Grand Prix Special and Freestyle at the FEI European Championships staged in 2017 and then returning to win the FEI Dressage World Cup™ qualifier in 2018. And today they were unbeatable once more, despite a shaky start in yesterday’s Grand Prix in which they had to settle for third place after a nasty stumble in their first extended trot and an error of course at the end of their test.
“I’ve had him 10 years now and he’s really special for me and my family. I think I owe this horse everything - he kind of created my career and I am really truly enjoying every time I ride down the centreline because he’s 17 years old and you never know what happens. He feels great and is super-sound, but you just have remember to enjoy every single ride!” Dufour said tonight after pinning Germany’s Benjamin Werndl and Frederic Wandres into third.
Sweden’s Paulinda Friberg and Di Lapponia T kicked off the action after the half-time break with a new leading mark of 74.145, but Wandres soared out in front when posting 81.465 with Duke of Britain for a test that oozed power and pzazz. Their coordination with their musical score was superb.
“We used this music for the first time at London Olympia at Christmas and it was good, today is only the second time we do it and when the crowd started clapping on the last line I knew it was not too bad again!” said the rider who finished his performance with extravagant one-handed passage to the delight of the spectators.
Great Britain’s Charlotte Fry and Dark Legend, who posted a personal-best yesterday when claiming runner-up spot in the Grand Prix, also produced some fabulous passage on their way to a mark of 81.030, but then Dufour blew the whole competition wide open. Cassidy sparkled as they collected 9s for extended trot and 10s for canter pirouette, and when 87.860 went up on the board that was always going to be tough to beat.
The penultimate partnership of Sandra Dahlin and Ichi have been making the headlines all week because this is a horse that comes with a fascinating story. The Dahlin family won Ichi’s mother in a raffle at Gothenburg Horse Show 17 years ago, and the 14-year-old mare has done them proud. As Show Director, Tomas Torgersen, said this evening some new riders who have been given an opportunity to compete at Gothenburg Horse Show this year and they have blossomed. Dahlin is one of those, showing tremendous talent when steering her mare into fifth place both yesterday and again today in only the fourth international outing of their career together.
Last man in was yesterday’s winner Benjamin Werndl, and the crowd watched intently as he consistently racked up strong scores with Daily Mirror, but when 86.170 went up on the board he had to settle for second place behind Dufour. He was far from disappointed however, in fact he said he was “super happy” because this week he has made a breakthrough in piaffe which has sometimes been problematic with this horse. “I’m looking forward to the next competitions now. I always said he’s the best horse I ever sat on, the only thing was the piaffe could be better, but if he does it like he did today then who knows what can happen!”
With just one more Western European League qualifier left to run, in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in three weeks’ time, many of the riders are thinking ahead to the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final in Las Vegas (USA) in April. Dufour explained that she won’t compete there as she is aiming both Cassidy and her younger horse Bohemian, who topped the opening leg of the WEL series on home ground in Herning (DEN) last October, at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
But both runner-up Werndl and third-placed Wandres have it clearly in their sights - if they get the opportunity. “I’d like to go to both Vegas and Tokyo! I have two horses so I will have to discuss with our national trainers. If I go to Vegas I will go with Famoso” Werndl said.
But as Wandres explained it’s not just as easy as that. As it stands tonight, German riders hold the top four places on the WEL leaderboard of which just two will be permitted to join their compatriot and defending champion, Isabell Werth, in the battle for the 2020 title. Top of the table ahead of the 11th and last leg is Jessica von Bredow Werndl, followed by her brother Benjamin Werndl, then Wandres and in fourth is Helen Langehanenberg.
“I’m proud to be German but sometimes it’s not so easy in the dressage ring to be a German rider because there’s always a big fight for the three spots for the World Cup Final. And there’s one more show in March so everything is still open and we have to fight until the end. But if I have a chance to go for sure I will take it because it’s a dream for me, especially with this horse. We came into the Grand Prix sport together and this would be something special!” Wandres said.
Result here
WEL Standings here
The FEI has announced new adverse analytical findings (AAF) involving equine prohibited substances. The cases involve *Banned Substances under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping and Controlled Medication Regulations (EADCMRs).
In the following two Endurance cases, the athletes and the trainers have been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horses have been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.
Horse: Blue Diamond (FEI ID 106HE36/JOR)
Person Responsible: Fahad Alkharmani (FEI ID 10072564/KSA)
Trainer: Anas Al Saied (FEI ID 10185797/JOR)
Event: CEI2* 120 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Diisopropylamine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020
Horse: Bouzarika (FEI ID 106RJ34/JOR)
Person Responsible: Sameh Faris Mohammad Said (FEI ID 10040466/JOR)
Trainer: Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed (10014556 /JOR)
Event: CEI1* 80 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Strychnine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020
The trainer in the Bouzarika case, Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed, has been provisionally suspended, both in this and a second case from the same event, from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision.
Horse: ***N/A
Person Responsible: ***N/A
Trainer: Khldoon Mohd Al Sayed (FEI ID 10014556 /JOR)
Event: CEI1* 80 – Wadi Rum (JOR), 13-14.11.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Strychnine
Date of notification: 13 January 2020
*** No PR/Horse Name in cases involving Minors and/or Fast Track Procedures.
In the following Jumping case, the athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. The horse has been provisionally suspended for two months from the date of notification.
Horse: Gucci (FEI ID 106GE04/MEX)
Person Responsible: Jefferson Martins Maquieira (FEI ID 10027611/BRA)
Event: CSI2* - San Miguel de Allende (MEX), 03-06.10.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Boldenone, Boldienone
Date of notification: 22 January 2020
In the final case, the athlete has been provisionally suspended from the date of notification until the FEI Tribunal renders its decision. As the horse was sadly fatally injured at the event, the provisional suspension of the horse is not applicable.
Horse: Snowrunner (FEI ID 105JX73/THA)
Person Responsible: Preecha Khunjan (FEI ID 10089939/THA)
Event: CH-Asian-CCI2*-L - Pattaya (THA), 02-05.12.2019
Prohibited Substance(s): Desoximethasone, Isoflupredone
Date of notification: 22 January 2020
Details on these cases can be found here.
Separately, the FEI Tribunal has issued its Final Decision in a case involving a Prohibited Substance.
A sample taken from the horse Fifty Shades (FEI ID 104ZG11/USA), ridden by Andrea Torres Guerreiro (FEI ID 10114368/COL) at the CSI4* in Tryon NC (USA), 5-10 June 2018, tested positive to the Banned Substance Boldenone and its metabolite Boldenone Sulfate. The FEI Tribunal approved the agreement reached on 17 January 2020 between the FEI and the athlete. Due to prompt admission, the standard two years ineligibility period for the athlete was reduced to 20 months, starting from the date of the sample collection on 9 June 2018 until 8 February 2020. The horse had been provisionally suspended for two months until 22 September 2018.
All the results of the athlete and the horse at the event were disqualified. In addition, all the results obtained by the athlete from 9 June 2018 until 23 July 2018, when the provisional suspension was imposed, were also disqualified. The athlete was ordered to pay a fine of CHF 3,000. Each of the parties will pay their own legal costs.
The Final Decision on this case can be found here.
The parties can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days of receipt of the decision.
Notes to Editors:
FEI Equine Prohibited Substances
The FEI Prohibited Substances List is divided into two sections: Controlled Medication and *Banned Substances. Controlled Medication substances are those that are regularly used to treat horses, but which must have been cleared from the horse’s system by the time of competition. Banned (doping) Substances should never be found in the body of the horse and are prohibited at all times.
In the case of an adverse analytical finding (AAF) for a Banned Substance, the Person Responsible (PR) is automatically provisionally suspended from the date of notification (with the exception of certain cases involving a Prohibited Substance which is also a **Specified Substance). The horse is provisionally suspended for two months.
**Specified Substances
The FEI introduced the concept of Specified Substances in 2016. Specified Substances should not in any way be considered less important or less dangerous than other Prohibited Substances (i.e. whether Banned or Controlled). Rather, they are simply substances which are more likely to have been ingested by horses for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance, for example, through a contaminated food substance. Positive cases involving Specified Substances can be handled with a greater degree of flexibility within the structure of the FEI Regulations.
Information on all substances is available on the searchable FEI Equine Prohibited Substances Database.
Across six continents, horses and riders have been competing in 15 leagues throughout the FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 season. Many of the qualifying series are now completed, with only Western Europe, North America and Central Europe yet to be decided. For some of the top finishers their result will carve a path to the Longines 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA in April. For others, victory in their own region has been their ultimate goal.
Athletes from Uzbekistan dominated the Central Asian League where Gairat Nazarov, who took double-bronze at the 2019 Eurasian Championships in Moscow (RUS), edged compatriot Bekzod Kurbanov at the end of the three-leg series that visited Tashkent (UZB), Almaty (KAZ) and Bishkek (KGZ). There were also three legs in the Longines China League in which athletes from China, Taipei and Hong Kong lined out. The events were staged in Tianjin, Beijing and Chengdu and China’s Jirigala Eerdeng and Tongyan Liu claimed the top two places.
A total of 20 athletes contested the Japan League, and Masami Kawaguchi came out on top ahead of Jun Takada. Third place here went to Eiji Serizawa who collected points at every one of the seven legs of the series.
It was a second consecutive series win for Tegan Fitzsimon in the New Zealand League which concluded last month. The 29-year-old rider won two of the five legs along the way, but it was a close-run affair when she finished just two points ahead of runner-up Brooke Edgecombe who pipped her for pole position at the last leg in Dannevirke.
Chris Chugg, Jamie Kermond and Billy Raymont filled the top three places on the Australian League leaderboard. Chugg won the legs at Tamworth and Sydney, but had to settle for third place at the last round in Boneo where Kermond reigned supreme. However having accumulated 100 points Chugg took the title, and the man who has introduced many super-talented horses to the top end of the sport is planning to bring his winning ride, PSS Levilensky, to Las Vegas.
In South Africa a total of 41 athletes competed in the five-leg league won by Christophe van der Merwe. The 26-year-old topped the opener at Midrand, the third leg in Shongweni and the final in Kromdraai, collecting 75 points which left him well clear of his nearest rival Govett Triggol.
London Olympian, Jose Roberto Reynoso Fernandez Filho, won the South American South League ahead of fellow-Brazilians Flavio Grillo Araujo in second and Karina Harbich Johannpeter in third. There were six events in this series, visiting Sao Paulo, Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Sol de Mayo and Buenos Aires in Argentina. A double of wins, and third place at the leg in Rio, sealed the league title for the rider who took team silver at the South American Games in Quillotta, Chile in 2014.
Just six athletes, all from Thailand, contested the three-leg South East Asian League won by 26-year-old Jaruporn Limpichati who took team bronze and individual silver at the SEA Games in Kuang Rawang, Malaysia in 2017. Runner-up was last year’s series champion, 23-year-old Siengsaw Lertratanachai.
The Arab League is sub-divided, and Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly, individual silver medallist at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2010 in Kentucky (USA), pipped the UAE’s Abdullah Humaid Al Muhairi for top spot in the Middle East Sub-League. The North African Sub-League was dominated by Egyptian riders and Abdel Said, who finished 10th at the 2019 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Gothenburg (SWE) with Jumpy van de Hermitage, was clear winner here when finishing with 63 points ahead of compatriots Mouda Zeyada and Karim Elzoghby who slotted into second and third with 38 points each.
The latest FEI Jumping World Cup™ series to conclude was the Caucasus-Caspian League which drew to a close in Tehran (IRI) last week where Ali Aziznia emerged as league champion by a narrow margin of just one point over fellow-Iranian Radmard Housmand.
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League is also sub-divided and America’s Karl Cook is leading the Western Sub-League while, with one leg still left to run at Ocala in Florida (USA) in early March, it is double series champion Beezie Madden who heads the leaderboard in the Eastern Sub-League.
The last leg of the Western European League takes place in Gothenburg (SWE) this weekend while the Central European League results will be decided at the League Final in Warsaw (POL) in March.
Follow all the results of the FEI Jumping World Cup™ series here
Following concerns raised about FEI Jumping Events in France and Syria where Olympic and Longines Ranking points were on offer, the FEI has investigated events at both Villeneuve-Loubet (FRA) and Damascus (SYR).
The investigation into the three events at Villeneuve-Loubet in December 2019 has established that, contrary to the FEI Rules (Article 110.2.3 of the FEI General Regulations), two competitions counting for the Olympic and Longines Rankings were added at each event after the respective Definite Entries deadlines. The updated Schedules for these three events were submitted to the FEI by the French National Federation and were mistakenly approved by the FEI.
As a result, and in accordance with Article 112.3 of the FEI General Regulations, the FEI has retrospectively removed these additional competitions, meaning that athletes who participated will lose their ranking points from these competitions. The Olympic and Longines Rankings have been updated accordingly.
Additionally, the FEI has established that three of the six events at Villeneuve-Loubet in January 2020 also had two classes counting for Longines Rankings points added after the Definite Entries deadline, again contrary to the FEI Rules. As a result, these additional competitions have been removed and athletes that participated will lose their ranking points for these competitions.
The FEI also reviewed the events that took place in Damascus (SYR) between October and December 2019, and while it was clearly established that there was no breach of FEI Rules and Regulations regarding FEI Calendar entries, the event Schedules or the number of events run, the investigation revealed an irregularity with the prize money at three of the events.
The events held in Damascus on 24-27 October 2019, 31 October to 3 November 2019 and 13-17 November 2019 had total prize money that exceeded the limit for a CSI2* and the Schedules for these events were erroneously approved by the FEI. As a result, the FEI has removed one FEI competition at each of these events in order to bring the total prize money within the specified limit, but this has no impact on the Olympic Ranking for Olympic Group F.
The FEI has also reallocated one of the two Jumping team quota slots from the Olympic Jumping Qualifier for Group F in Rabat (MAR) in October 2019, following adverse analytical findings in two members of the Qatari team, Sheikh Ali Al Thani and Bassem Mohammed. Both athletes tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a metabolite of Cannabis, which is a prohibited substance under the FEI’s Anti-Doping Rules for Human Athletes (ADRHA).
The FEI Tribunal issued a partial decision regarding the disqualification of the individual results of the two Qatari athletes on 15 February 2020. As a result, Qatar loses its team quota place for Tokyo and this has been reallocated by the FEI to Morocco.
The FEI has now confirmed the team and individual quota places across the three disciplines of Dressage, Eventing and Jumping for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, with three nations – Luxembourg (Dressage individual), Pakistan (Eventing individual) and Israel (Jumping team) – qualifying for the Olympic Games for the first time. The new formats have opened the door for more nations to compete at the Games, with Jumping going up from 27 in Rio to 35 in Tokyo, Dressage increasing from 25 to 30 and Eventing rising from 24 to 30. In total, the number of flags has risen from 43 in Rio to 48 in Tokyo.
Latvia’s individual quota slot for Jumping would mean a first Games start after a 32-year absence, having last competed in Seoul 1988. The Czech Republic and Hong Kong, which have both qualified for an individual place in Eventing, are planning to return to the Games for the first time since Beijing 2008.
The deadline to achieve the Minimum Eligibility Requirements (MERs) is 1 June, after which the FEI will confirm approval of the FEI Certificates of Capability to the National Federations. The final athlete/horse combinations for the three disciplines will be announced on 6 July 2020.
The Olympic equestrian events get underway the day after the Opening Ceremony in Tokyo on 24 July. Dressage will be the first discipline to hold its competitions (July 25-29), followed by Eventing (31 July to 3 August) and then Jumping (4-8 August). The competitions will take place at the Bajikoen Equestrian Park and the Sea Forest Cross Country venue.
The 2020 series got off to a galloping start with a home victory for Team USA in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of United States of America at Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Florida (USA) today. But despite fielding a crack four-member side, the hosts were pushed to a third-round jump-off by a relatively rookie British team that consisted of just three riders.
And making today’s competition all the more exceptional was the fact that, in this sport in which men outnumber women by a considerable margin at top level, it came down to a clash between two all-female teams, with America’s Beezie Madden pipping Britain’s Alexandra Thornton in the third-round tie-breaker.
“The British girls were excellent!” said double Olympic gold medallist Madden who piled on the pressure with a brilliant first-to go run with Darry Lou in the jump-off.
There were eight teams in action but only USA, Mexico and Canada were chasing down qualifying points in the North and Central America and Caribbean League series from which two of those three countries will qualify for the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2020 Final in Barcelona, Spain next October. Today’s American winners claimed the maximum 100 points while Mexico collected 80 when lining up second and Canada picked up 70 points when finishing third in a competition filled with plenty of excitement.
The open water was the source of the greatest drama, Israel’s Ashlee Bond having to call it a day with Donatello in the second round when the nine-year-old gelding refused to have anything to do with it after giving himself a fright first time out. And Brazilian pathfinder, Cassio Rivetti, took a real soaking there when his 13-year-old mare, Bacara d’Archonfosse, dumped him in it at their second attempt.
Meanwhile there were impressive firsts for both Canadian 17-year-old Sam Walker (Kelstar du Vingt Ponts) and 22-year-old Israeli rider Teddy Vlock (Volnay du Boisdeville) who collected just four faults in each round on their Nations Cups debut. Israel and Ireland finished joint-fifth while Australia and Brazil shared seventh place at the end of a very eventful afternoon.
Team Ireland, series champions in 2019, shared the lead with Great Britain on just four faults at the end of the first round, but the addition of 16 faults second time out put paid to Irish chances. In contrast, despite having no discard score, the British added just four more when anchor rider Amanda Derbyshire (Cornwall BH), who had been fault-free first time out, lowered the bogey second fence after team-mates Thornton (Cornetto K) and Emily Moffit (Winning Good) both kept a clean sheet.
Now with a total of eight they found themselves on level pegging with the multi-medalled Americans who recovered from single errors for three of their four team-members at their first attempt to squeaky clean runs from Jessica Springsteen (RMF Zecilie), Margie Goldstein-Engle (Royce) and Laura Kraut (Confu) next time out which meant Madden’s services were not required in round two. And Goldstein-Engle was at her gutsy best today, returning to battle despite an unscheduled dismount when her big stallion spooked after going through the finish in the opening round.
Madden set the pace against the clock with a great run from the 12-year-old Darry Lou who broke the beam in 33.11 seconds.
“He does love to gallop! He’s actually really super to ride, he’s not delicate so you can wind him up a bit and let him off and he rises to the occasion - he’s a lot of fun to ride!” she pointed out this evening.
Thornton and the experienced 14-year-old Cornetto K also put in a perfect run, but crossing the line 36.34 seconds they were well short of Madden’s winning time. However British showjumping got a big boost today, Di Lampard putting her faith in three US-based riders - 27-year-old Thornton, 21-year-old Moffit and 31-year-old Derbyshire - who didn’t let her down and finished runners-up behind a superstar American selection.
In the lead-up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games when riders are looking to impress there was plenty to see at this opening leg of the 111th Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ season during which this much-loved series will visit 11 top venues around the world en route to the series decider in eight months’ time.
Result here
Standings in North and Central America and Caribbean League here
Watch highlights here
When Jessica von Bredow-Werndl won the third leg of the FEI Dressage World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League with TSF Dalera BB in Stuttgart (GER) in November she described herself as “over the moon!”. But today she was even more thrilled as she celebrated her 33rd birthday with a superb performance from the 13-year-old mare who pinned reigning champion Isabell Werth and Emilio into runner-up spot as German riders filled the top four places at the ninth leg of the series on home ground in Neumünster.
“This was a Personal Best for Dalera and me! She’s a rockstar, and the cutest horse in the world! She was amazing today - in piaffe and passage she was just breezing along, so I could breathe, relax and enjoy myself. There was such lightness, and it felt so easy and harmonious. I didn’t have to ask her for anything, all I had to do was just lead her through the test”, said von Bredow-Werndl after posting the winning score of 89.640.
Helen Langehanenberg and the evergreen 18-year-old Damsey FRH slotted into third ahead of von Bredow-Werndl’s brother, Benjamin Werndl, who finished fourth with the exciting 11-year-old Famoso, while the first of the visitors to get into the line-up was The Netherlands’ Adelinde Cornelissen who steered Zephyr into fifth place.
It was another of the powerful German contingent, 26-year-old Sonke Rothenberger, who led the way at the halfway stage when putting 79.285 on the board. But series double-champion Cornelissen overtook him when eleventh to go of the 15 starters, with a test that oozed energy and bounce as she racked up some maximum 10s along the way for a mark of 82.150.
Then 2013 champion Langehanenberg put Germany back in charge, starting out with a 9.5 for walk and collecting consistently high marks as she moved the target-score up to 85.220 with Damsey FRH. At 18 years of age it seems this stallion loves his competition outings as much as ever. “He still feels so fresh!” said Langehanenberg who is also targeting the final leg of the WEL series in ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) next month.
However von Bredow-Werndl’s effortless performance with Dalera would be the winning one of the day, the fluency and quiet understanding between horse and rider presenting a lovely picture that saw them pick up lots of 10s and leaving them just shy of the 90 percent mark on a score of 89.640. For the second time this season superstar Isabell Werth had to settle for second place behind her team-mate.
In Stuttgart von Bredow-Werndl and TSF Dalera BB pipped Werth and Weihegold who have won the last three FEI Dressage World Cup™ Finals. And today von Bredow-Werndl did it again, this time with the mare she steered to team gold at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon, USA and to team gold as well as Freestyle bronze at last summer’s FEI European Championships in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. No wonder she has the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in her sights with this horse now.
“I won’t take her to the Final because I have Tokyo in mind, but I’ll bring Zaire to ’s-Hertogenbosch and decide if she will go to Las Vegas”, said the German rider who closely watched her brother, Benjamin Werndl, as he steered his rising star Famoso through a lovely balanced test to slot into fourth place on a mark of 85.165 when last to go.
As he pointed out afterwards, the Neumünster crowd are a bit special, and today’s competition was of the highest level.
“Here you are a bit scared to make a mistake because the crowd is so knowledgeable they will see it right away!”, he joked. “Our sport is getting better and better all the time so the competition is really tough. There are new riders coming up all the time and you think they can’t get better but they do, so it’s really super!” he added. He shared the lead on the Western European League table with his sister going into today’s event, and although she has nudged ahead his 65 points leave him more than comfortable in the race for a place at the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Final 2020 in Las Vegas in April.
Gothenburg in Sweden stages the penultimate leg of the Western European League qualifying series next weekend, with the last leg taking place in ’s-Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands on 14 March.
Result here
WEL Standings here
Watch highlights here
There’s nothing quite like an Olympic year for raising hopes and dreams, and as the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2020 series kicks off this weekend there are plenty of horse-and-rider combinations looking to impress over the coming weeks and months with a view to making that trip to Tokyo. Talent-spotting will be the order of the day for team managers and selectors throughout the early part of the new season, which will take in prestigious events in the Middle East and across Europe as well as North America.
Deeridge Farm in Wellington, Florida (USA) is again the venue for the show-opener of the 11-leg 5-Star series, and hosts the first of the three qualifiers in the North/Central America and Caribbean League next Sunday, 16 February. The action then moves to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for the single qualifier for the Middle East region later this month. Just two countries from each of these leagues will qualify for the annual Final at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain in October.
May is going to be hectic, beginning with round two of the America/Caribbean series, at Coapexpan in Mexico, followed by the first leg of Europe Division 1 at La Baule, France followed swiftly by the second leg at St Gallen in Switzerland a week later. And then it’s back across the pond again, this time to Langley in Canada where the last leg of the North/Central America and Caribbean series will take place as the month draws to a close.
From there the Europe Division 1 teams will continue to battle it out for a place amongst the seven nations from this series that will make the cut to the Final. They will visit Sopot (POL) and Rotterdam (NED) in June and Falsterbo (SWE), Dublin (IRL) and Hickstead (GBR) in July, finishing at the British fixture the day before the equestrian events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games begin. The 10 nations competing in Europe Division 1 this season are Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.
Ireland won the edge-of-the-seat 2019 Final, and the celebrations were noisy because this result also gave them the hotly-contested last team qualifying spot for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. And although only Canada, Mexico and USA can chase down the early-season points in Wellington this coming weekend, the Irish will be out in force again.
There is a super-strong field of runners, with a total of eight teams including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Israel, Mexico and the USA going in to battle. Big names in the mix include the man who led that Irish team to victory, 1998 World Champion and 2004 Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa who has now returned to the saddle to fly the Brazilian flag once again, and two of his Barcelona-winning team-members, Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and Paul O’Shea.
Rowan Willis, who produced a superb performance from his mare Blue Movie to finish individually 12th at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2018 in Tryon, USA will be on the Australian team, while the seven-strong Canadian contingent includes 2008 Olympic champion Eric Lamaze.
Great Britain fields an all-female side that includes Amanda Derbyshire and Emily Moffitt and Team Israel has listed brothers Daniel and Steven Bluman in its squad. The US selection is filled with super-stars including the multi-medalled Laura Kraut and Beezie Madden, but the ones they may all have to fear are last year’s winners, Team Mexico. Manuel Gonzalez Dufrane is the only member of that victorious side listed again this year but the passion with which this country’s riders compete makes them a serious force to be reckoned with, so this opening leg looks set to be a cracker.
The Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of the United States of America will kick off at 13.30 local time in Wellington on Sunday as we set out on the annual journey of top team sport that captures the hearts of spectators all across the globe, highlighting comradeship, horsemanship and a unique kind of national pride.
Play your part…..the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Fantasy Game 2020 season begins this weekend in Wellington and runs all the way through to the showdown in Barcelona in October. The overall winner will be announced at the end of the season and will receive an exclusive VIP trip for 2 to the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ Final 2021, including return flights (with worldwide validity), accommodation and the chance to go behind the scenes, meet the athletes and enjoy the Final’s experience in VIP style.
Check it out here
Check out the series details here
Check out the allocation of events for Europe Division 1 teams here
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat left spectators aghast with his brilliant victory in the 13th leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at Bordeaux in France tonight.
Riding the fiery chestnut gelding Victorio Des Frotard, with which he also posted a superb win in Basel (SUI) as the New Year began, he produced a full-on fearless round in the nine-horse jump-off and couldn’t be caught despite the best efforts of German runners-up Daniel Deusser and Jasmien v. Bisschop and third-placed Belgian Niels Bruynseels with Ilusionata van’t Meulenhof.
The man who held the World No. 1 spot throughout all of 2019, and who reclaimed it this month after compatriot Martin Fuchs snatched it from his grasp in January, can hardly do wrong right now. Tonight everything came up beautifully for the Swiss star and for the brave Victorio whose confidence seems to be growing with every outing. The horse’s gallop down to the final fence was nothing short of breathtaking, and Victorio is turning out to be quite some find for the London 2012 Olympic Games and three-time Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ champion.
“He’s like a thoroughbred when you see him trotting around - you don’t expect much - but in canter as soon as you let him go he has a huge stride! He’s feeling really good now, and this gives me the confidence to push and attack the fences even more”, he said of the horse who he has been riding since the middle of last year.
There were 10 French contenders amongst the 38 starters to take on Jean-Francois Morand’s 14-fence first-round track, but only one of the home runners, Rio 2016 Olympic team gold medallist and 2013 individual European champion Roger Yves Bost, jumped clear to make the cut into the second-round race against the clock. And the home crowd went wild when, second to go, he set the early jump-off target with another brilliant performance from his faithful 14-year-old mare Sangria du Coty, who broke the beam in 32.96 seconds.
Two horses later Portugal’s Luciana Diniz decided to play the percentage game with a beautifully-executed but careful clear from the powerful 13-year-old stallion Chacco Blue ll in 39.08 seconds. But, sixth in to the ring, Stuttgart winner Pieter Devos went out in front with a great run from Apart in 32.23 seconds and now the Belgian rider’s time was the one to beat.
Guerdat did it easily, Victorio answering every call on every turn and jumping like a cat over the double at the halfway stage of the track. And when the Swiss pair landed over the penultimate vertical and Guerdat asked for acceleration he got everything he asked for, and more. The clock showed 30.82 seconds as they cleared the line, and that really put it up to the last two into the ring.
Deusser wasn’t intimidated and slotted into runner-up spot when breaking the beam with his 11-year-old grey mare Jasmien in 31.59, and then Bruynseels was last to try to nudge Guerdat out of pole position. But despite a great run from his 12-year-old chestnut mare, who looked ready to gallop from the second she came into the ring, their time of 31.71 would only be good enough for third place on a night of truly quality sport.
Talking about Ilusionata, Bruynseels said “I have her a year and it took time to get to know her. She has a lot of blood and she's a very special character! Her previous rider told me that he never warmed her up at shows. I tried at the first show where we competed but after two minutes I had to get off! At home she is great to work but at shows she is completely different. Here in Bordeaux is great because we can lunge and ride back at the stables. I only get on her one or two riders before my turn”, he explained.
Deusser confirmed this evening that he is planning to bring Jasmien to the Longines 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA in April. He’s well-qualified, lying fifth on the Western European League table after tonight’s impressive performance. Guerdat still intends to bring Venard de Cerisy to the Final despite all the good results he has had recently with Victorio. “I want to stick with my original plan” said the man who is bidding to become the first-ever rider to win four World Cup titles.
He won the 2019 Final with Alamo, but last month the horse returned to his Mexican owner and will in future compete with Gerardo Pasquel Mendez in the saddle. Talking about the horse he started competing in the autumn of 2017, Guerdat said tonight, “Alamo had a big place in our team and was part of our family but from the beginning I knew he would go back to Gerardo. He was supposed to leave us a year ago, so we got an extra year and that was great. It’s hard to separate from him but I’m happy that I know where he is and I know his groom and rider, that always makes it a little bit easier - but we do miss him!”.
The defending champion won’t be lining out in the 14th and last leg of the Western European League in Gothenburg, Sweden in two weeks’ time but the pressure there will still be immense, with those last elusive qualifying points up for grabs and a lot of hungry riders chasing them down.
Result here
Standings here
Steve Guerdat (SUI), Olympic gold medallist and three-time Longines FEI World Cup™ champion, has regained the number one spot in the Longines World Rankings.
The 37 year old, who topped the leaderboard throughout 2019, had slipped back one place last month below compatriot Martin Fuchs. Guerdat, is now back at the top of the elite list with 3,497 points after claiming victory with Victorio des Frotards in a spectacular win on home turf in Basel (SUI) in mid-January. He is 74 points ahead of Fuchs (SUI) who now sits in second place on 3,423 points.
Guerdat, who also leads the Longines FEI World Cup™ standings, has another major victory in his sights as he looks ahead to the Finals in Las Vegas (USA) in April. As a three-time winner and defending champion, another success will put him in the history books as the first athlete to claim a fourth win since FEI World Cup™ Jumping began back in 1978.
Germany’s Daniel Deusser remains third in the rankings just 29 points adrift of Fuchs, with Ben Maher (GBR) holding onto fourth on 2,988 points.
Peder Fredricson (SWE), Pieter Devos (BEL), Beezie Madden (USA), Darragh Kenny (IRL), Kent Farrington (USA) and Christian Alhmann (GER) complete the top 10 this month.
View the complete Longines Rankings here.
On an afternoon of Dutch delight, Marc Houtzager and the amazing mare Sterrehof’s Dante threw down an extraordinary performance to snatch victory in the twelfth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League series on home ground in Amsterdam (NED) today.
It was at the expense of compatriot Harrie Smolders who, third to go in the nine-horse jump-off, looked to have set an unbeatable target-time when breaking the beam in 35.03 seconds with the 11-year-old gelding Monaco. But, second-last into the ring, Houtzager’s 12-year-old mare seemed to have grown wings as she flew around the course to shave almost a full second off that when crossing the line in 34.05 seconds. Belgian riders Pieter Clemens and Niels Bruynseels lined up third and fourth.
“I never rode such a fast jump-off at this level in my life! The mare was fantastic today!”, Houtzager said.
There were four home-side contenders in the second-round decider and Jeroen Dubbeldam, Sydney 2000 Olympic individual gold medallist and holder of double World and European titles, kicked off with a careful clear in 40.12 seconds with Oak Grove’s Carlyle. Clemens shaved almost five full seconds off that however, finishing with a flyer over the last with the 11-year-old Quintini when next to go.
Then Smolders reset the target with a superb round in 35.03, and it looked like he wasn’t going to be shaken from the top of the tree until Houtzager took his turn. Foot to the floor from the outset, Houtzager’s line to the double, three fences from home, saw him up on the clock and the mare’s relentless gallop over the penultimate oxer and down the long run to the last saw them race through the finish in an incredible 34.05 seconds. Not even the super-fast last-to-go Belgian partnership of Bruynseels and Gancia de Muze could challenge that, crossing the line in 35.33.
“Sometimes the jump-off goes as you planned and sometimes not, but today was my day!” Houtzager added. “I saw Harrie and Maikel go, so I knew I had to give everything and it was a bit of a risk taking that turn into the double, but my mare jumped fantastic and she’s really careful so I didn’t have to worry - to win by one second, that’s a lot! And Harrie said if somebody has to beat me today I hope it’s you - and it was!”, said Houtzager, team silver medallist at the London 2012 Olympic Games and a linchpin of the Dutch Jumping team for many years.
Smolders said today’s competition was exceptional and praised course designer Louis Konickx for his great work throughout the week at Jumping Amsterdam. “The course was brilliant and the biggest thing of this afternoon was to see the crowd enjoying themselves and to feel the atmosphere - it brings us to another level! Our horses are doing things we didn’t even know they could do, that’s what makes this sport and this event amazing!”, he said.
Talking about his winning ride, Sterrehof’s Dante, Houtzager explained that his wife, Austrian international Julia Houtzager-Kayser, competed the mare at 2-Star level before he took over the ride a year ago. “And she has stepped up to 5-Star level so easily”, he said. “We’ve taken her slowly but I knew that today was the day I could take a risk with her. She’s so fast, even in the air, she’s always going forward and she gallops so fast!” he pointed out.
However although today’s result has boosted the Dutchman to eighth place on the Western European League table he doesn’t intend taking Sterrehof’s Dante to the Longines 2020 Final in Las Vegas in April. “Tokyo (2020 Olympic Games) is an option for her along with Calimero, so we won’t do the Final this time around”, Houtzager explained.
His third-place finish however means Belgium’s Clemens has now boosted his points tally and, lying 23rd on the Western Europen League table with a total of 30 points, he’s not far outside the top-18 who will make the cut. “For me it would be a dream to ride at the World Cup Final, so tomorrow I will sit down and make a plan because there are two more qualifiers left so we will see”, he said this evening.
He won’t be the only one eagerly chasing down those longed-for points in Bordeaux (FRA) on 8 February and at the last leg in Gothenburg (SWE) on 23 February.
Result here
Standings here
Watch highlights here
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