Switzerland's Beat Mandli scorched to victory in the FEI World Cup™ Qualifier presented by FIM at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland today, pushing Germany's Rene Tebbel off the top of the Western European League leaderboard after the second leg of the 2006/2007 series.
Assisted by Finland's Aki Yllane, Brazil's Guilherme Jorge, who will design the courses for the series final in Las Vegas, USA next April, presented a first-round track that produced a colossal 17 clear rounds but one of those who failed to make the cut was Saturday's Grand Prix winner, the up-and-coming Daniel Deusser from Germany who joined ten others denied a place in the jump-off by a single mistake.
Newly-crowned World Champion, Jos Lansink from Belgium, was first to take on the clock with the 11 year old gelding Hamilton de Perhet and set the early target when clear once more in 40.28 seconds but it was WEG team gold medalist Gerco Schroder from Holland who the rest were chasing. Second into the jump-off with Eurocommerce Milano, the Dutchman threw down the gauntlet for the remainder of the challengers when racing home in 37.50, and he proved very difficult to catch.
British newcomer, Gemma Plumley, had been a real eye-catcher in the Grand Prix with her chestnut mare Continue B and the partnership returned with just one fence on the floor in 41.07 seconds when next to go. Belgium's Patrick McEntee was clear with Ever Mury Marais Z but not quick enough to threaten the leaders but America's Peter Wylde and Quo Vadis slotted in behind Schroder when breaking the beam in 37.80.
Butterfly Flip is showing a real improvement in form for Malin Baryard-Johnsson but the Swedish partnership had one fence down in the jump-off and when Robert Smith's Kalusha decided he had enough halfway round the track the British rider was eliminated, while Brazil's Bernardo Alves and Top Van't Voorhof collected eight faults and then Norway's Tony Andre Hansen had one down.
British spirits got a real boost however when Ellen Whitaker, the talented 20 year old niece of the legendary Whitaker brothers Michael and John, separated Schroder and Wylde at the top of the leaderboard when bringing the 10 year old stallion Lorcarno home in 37.58 seconds. Switzerland's Daniel Etter and Peu a Peu made a single error but while Germany's Christian Ahlmann (Lorenzo) and French rider Eugenie Angot (Ilostra Dark) both left the course intact there was no alteration to the placings until Mandli came into the ring with just three left to go.
Ideo du Thot has been worked lightly since finishing third at the FEI World Cup™ Jumping final in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia last April although he did complete a double-clear in the German leg of the Samsung Super League in Aachen and was second in the Ascona Grand Prix in Italy over the summer months. Third in last week's Oslo Grand Prix the 10 year old gelding owned by Gloria Theiler is right on form despite his lack of ring-practice however and was under no great pressure when squeezing ahead of Schroder to take the lead by almost a second when the clock stopped on 36.76, and when Belgium's Judy-Ann Melchior (Levisto Z) and last weekend's Oslo winner Rene Tebbel from Germany (Team Harmony Coupe de Coeur) both faulted then Mandli stayed well out in front.
"With 17 clears in the first round it was always going to be difficult to win" the 37 year old Swiss rider said afterwards. "I saw Gerco go early and then I was lucky enough to be one of the last to jump but last week with Principal in Oslo I had a fast clear and was still only sixth so I was a bit surprised today - I've had faster jump-offs" he pointed out. "My horse is very careful and quick off the ground so he's good at jumping indoors and he's in great shape right now - I'm hoping to get to Las Vegas because I have three super horses in Principal, Indigo and Ideo" he added.
His plans for the next few weeks include shows in Hannover, Lyons and Vienna "and Stuttgart, Geneva and Olympia World Cups if I can get in there" Mandli said, having collected his €25,000 winners prize and the Leading Rider of the Show Award.
The next leg of the FEI World Cup™ 2006/2007 series takes place in Verona, Italy on 12 November.
FEI WORLD CUP™ PRESENTED BY FIM:
RESULT: 1, Ideo du Thot (Beat Mandli) Sui 0/0 36.76; 2, Eurocommerce Milano (Gerco Schroder) Ned 0/0 37.50; 3, Locarno (Ellen Whitaker) GBR 0/0 37.58; 4, Quo Vadis (Peter Wylde) USA 0/0 37.80; 5, Ilostra Dark (Eugenie Angot) Fra 0/0 38.23; 6, Lorenzo (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 0/0 39.01; 7, Hamilton de Perhet (Jos Lansink) Bel 0/0 40.28; 8, Ever Mury Marais Z (Patrick McEnee) Bel 0/0 40.70; 9, Peu a Peu (Daniel Etter) Sui 0/4 36.72; 10, Team Harmony Coupe de Coeur (Rene Tebbel) Ger 0/4 37.06; 11, Butterfly Flip (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) Swe 0/4 38.14; 12, Levisto Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 0/4 38.17; 13, Pero-Z Hillock (Linnea Ericsson) Den 0/4 39.25; 14, Continue B (Gemma Plumley) GBR 0/4 41.07; 15, Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 0/4 42.06; 16, Topic Van't Voorhof (Bernardo Alves) Bra 0/8 37.23; 17, Kalusha (Robert Smith) GBR 0/Elim; 18, Exquis Rodenburg's Colorado (Harrie Smolders) Ned 4/0 70.54; 19, Calibra (Lotta Schultz) Swe 4/71.90; 20, BMC Octavia (Jurgen Stenfert) Ned 4/72.05; 21, Carola (Tina Lund) Den 4/73.30; 22, BMC's Skybreaker (Mikael Forsten) Fin 4/73.59; 23, Irish Independent Echo Beach (Cian O'Connor) Irl 4/73.59; 24, Nouvelle (Wout-Jan Van der Schans) Ned 4/73.70; 25, Godsend du Reverdy (Thomas Velin) Den 4/75.51; 26, Pristanna (Daniel Deusser) Ger 4/76.32; 27, Nadir di San Patrignano (Jerry Smit) Ita 4/76.56; 28, Madleen (Niklas Aromaa) Fin 5/80.64; 29, Castle Forbes Libertina (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 8/71.20; 30, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 8/71.92; 31, Controe (Marco Kutscher) Ger 8/75.62; 32, Nelson Z (Richard Davenport) GBR 8/76.82; 33, Le Reve de Nabab (Sergio Alvarez Moya) Esp 12/71.45; 34, Tagerups Agenda (Andreas Schou) Den 12/72.61; 35, Cool Man 2 (Holger Wulschner) Ger 12/76.28; 36, Vici Van't Plutonia Hof (Ludo Philippaerts) Bel 16/73.17; 37, L'Umonia (Raimo Aaltonen) Fin 16/76.41; 38, Nandele (Jukka-Mikael Koivisto) Fin 25/84.53; Equal 39, Spender S (Maria Gretzer) Swe, Arielle (Ville Kulkas) Fin Ret.
FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2006/2007 - WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 1 AT OSLO:
1. Beat Mandli - 31
2. Rene Tebbel - 27
3. Eugenie Angot - 22
4. Christian Ahlmann - 20
5. Gerco Schroder, Judy-Ann Melchior, Piet Raymakers - 17
8. Ellen Whitaker, Ludo Philippaerts - 15
10. Leopold Van Asten, Peter Wylde - 13
12. Daniel Etter - 12
13. Jos Lansink - 10
14. Patrick McEntee - 9
15. Jurgen Stenfert - 8
16. Holger Wulschner - 7
17. Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Maria Gretzer - 6
19. Linnea Ericsson, Richard Davenport - 5
For further information about the FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifier at Helsinki check out WEBSITE www.helsinkihorseshow.fi. Show Director is Tom Gordin, Show Secretary is Hanna Hurme and Press Officer is Kati Hurme-Leikkonen, Email kati.l.hurme@kolumbus.fi or Tel (mobile) +35840 5144753.
The next leg of the series takes place in Verona, Italy from 10-12 November. For details about the Verona fixture visit WEBSITE www.veronafiere.it. Show President is Dott. Claudio Valente, Show Director is Maria Emer Agostini and Show Secretary is Roberta Agostini. Press Officer is Caterina Vagnozzi, Email c.vagnozzi@iol.it, Tel (mobile) +39335 6107070.
2006/2007 FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE:
1, Oslo (Norway) 13-15 October ; 2, Helsinki (Finland) 19-22 October; 3, Verona (Italy) 10-12 November; 4, Stuttgart (Germany) 15-19 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) 7-10 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 12-18 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 18-21 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 25-28 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 1-3 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 8-11 February; 12, Gothenburg (Sweden) 22-25 February; 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 22-25 March. Final - Las Vegas (USA) 19-22 April.
YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES for FEI World Cup™ Jumping riders from FEI website www.feiworldcup.org.
FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 29th season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions will qualify for the Final in Las Vegas, USA which takes place from 19 to 22 April 2007. The title-holder is Germany's Marcus Ehning.
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations.
Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes - horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.
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