FEI World Cup Jumping Update: Oslo

Holland's Gerco Schroder swept to victory with a superb last-to-go effort in yesterday's second leg of the 2005/2006 FEI World Cup Jumping series in Oslo, Norway yesterday but Danish riders Linnea Ericsson and Thomas Velin jointly hold the advantage on the league table at this early stage.

The starting field of 41 was reduced by one when Italy's Oma Bonomelli was forced to withdraw after fracturing a finger, but the spectators at the Spectrum Stadium, located in the centre of the Norwegian city, were kept highly entertained when 16 horse and rider combinations went through to the second-round jump-off. It was always going to be a speedy affair and there would be no reward for quiet, careful clears.

Third to go against the clock Dutchman Leopold Van Asten set the pace with the mare VDL Groep Fleche Rouge when clear in 45.10 seconds but Thomas Velin and Equest Carnute immediately shaved almost two seconds off that target-time. Germany's Pia Luise Aufrecht and Hofgut Liederbach's Ingmar left one on the floor but Holland's Wim Schroder left the course intact to re-set the parameters when breaking the beam with Eurocommerce Montreal in 42.44.

Denmark's Tina Lund and Andante recorded a time of 43.63 seconds while Belgium's Patrick McEntee (Sherry Mury Marais Z) was well off the pace when clear in 47.54. Australian rider Edwina Alexander is establishing a solid partnership with the experienced 14 year old mare Isovlas Pialotta, formerly ridden by Switzerland's Steve Guerdat, but despite a great effort was still trailing Schroder when crossing the line in 44.12 seconds and when Linnea Ericsson and Pero-Z Hillock went through the finish in 47.28 it seemed that Wim had it in the bag.

However, fourth-last to go, Beat Mandli set off at a ferocious pace with the nine year old gelding Ideo du Thot and stole a fractional advantage when clear in 42.41 seconds. That looked impossible to beat, and with single mistakes from both Belgium's Jean-Claude Vangeenberghe (Osta Rugs Tresor) and Norway's Geir Gulliksen (Cattani) it was left to the final two riders to either settle for a place in the line-up with a careful tour of the track or to risk everything and gallop for their lives.

Franke Sloothaak decided to give it a shot with the eight year old Aquino who responded with a great round that was, however, still short of the target when the clock showed 42.69 seconds for the German duo, but then Gerco Schroder headed out and the 7,000 spectators were in for a treat.

His fellow-countryman Jeroen Dubbeldam, went out of contention with a single error in the first round so the 2000 Olympic champion and 2005 European individual bronze medallist watched the jump-off while Gerco prepared in the warm-up ring and then Jeroen came out to give his advice. "I asked him what I should try so that I would be faster" Gerco said afterwards, "but they had gone so quick that Jeroen just said 'try everything' so I did! I was lucky at the double but I kept going and my horse was brilliant". The gelding's time of 41.05 seconds was more than a second faster than that produced by Mandli who had to settle for runner-up spot ahead of Gerco's older brother Wim in third.

This result puts Gerco into joint-third on the leaderboard alongside last Sunday's first-leg winner Heinrich Hermann Engemann from Germany who missed out on a place in today's jump-off with one fence down in the opening round. Pole position is now shared by Denmark's Thomas Velin and newcomer Linnea Ericsson who has been creating a bit of a stir following her third placing in Helsinki last weekend.

Linnea lives in Fredensborg which is also home to Danish royal family members Crown Prince Frederick and Princess Mary who, just yesterday, celebrated the birth of a new son so the town, near Copenhagen, has plenty of reason to celebrate. The 25 year old rider competed in the World Cup series in 2003 but says that she is now more competitive with a new string of horses and she has high hopes for Pero-Z Hillock who slotted into 10th place today. Helped by her mother, Sanni, and her father Christer who acts as her trainer, Linnea runs a farm with 21 horses and she has had Pero-Z Hillock since he was a four year old. "He's always been really good and won the Scandinavian Open as a six year old - he's developing perfectly and I'm very happy with him" she explained.

Her next FEI World Cup Jumping outing will be to Olympia in London in December - "other Danish riders have been selected for the next few competitions" she pointed out today but Gerco Schroder intends taking in as many rounds of the series as he possibly can now that he has won this latest leg.

His next chance will be at Verona in Italy in three weeks time where, with another good result, he could cement his position and make some real progress on the road to the FEI World Cup Jumping final in Kuala Lumpur next April.

RESULTS: 1, Eurocommerce Monaco (Gerco Schroder) Ned 0/0 41.05; 2,
Ideo du Thot (Beat Mandli) Sui 0/0 42.41; 3, Eurocommerce Montreal (Wim Schroder) Ned 0/0 42.44; 4, Aquino (Franke Sloothaak) Ger 0/0 42.69; 5, Equest Carnute (Thomas Velin) Den 0/0 43.28; 6, Andante (Tina Lund) Den 0/0 43.63; 7, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus 0/0 44.12; 8, Cyrenaika FRH (Philippe Leoni) Fra 0/0 45.09; 9, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 0/0 45.10; 10, Pero-Z Hillock (Linnea Ericsson) Den 0/0 47.28; 11, Sherry Mury Marais Z (Patrick McEntee) Bel 0/0 47.54; 12, Hofgut Liederbach's Ingmar (Pia-Luise Aufrecht) Ger 0/4 43.82; 13, Osta Rugs Tresor (Jean-Claude Vangeenberghe) Bel 0/4 45.18; 14, Spender S (Maria Gretzer) Swe 0/4 46.60; 15, Cattani (Geir Gulliksen) Nor 0/4 48.87; 16, S&L Bleeker & 11th (Gerfried Puck0 Aut 0/8 49.87; 17, LB No Mercy (Christina Liebherr) Sui 1/68.06; 18, Kilian (Guiseppe Rolli) Ita 4/64.23; 19, MacKinley (Rolf Goran Bengtsson) Swe 4/64.98; 20, Aboyeur W (Heinrich Hermann Engemann) Ger 4/65.58; 21, Clausen (Holger Wulschner) Ger 4/65.65; 22, BMC Nassau (Jeroen Dubbeldam) Ned 4/65.96; 23, Western Union Equinox de Mourin (Emanuele Fiorelli) Ita 4/66.07; 24, Favoritas (Nina B Johnsen) Nor 4/66.24; 25, Condio (Dermott Lennon) Irl 4/66.34; 26, Sails Away (Sebastian Numminen) Fin 4/66.50; 27, Forsyth FRH (Toni Hassmann) Ger 5/67.10; 28, Olympic Z (Judy Ann Melchior) Bel 5/67.87; 29, Florie du Moulin (James Davenport) GBR 8/63.08; 30, Topic Van-t Voorhof (Bernardo Alves) Bra 8/63.27; 31, Quel homme (Rene Tebbel) Ger 8/64.53; 32, Le Mans (Markus Beerbaum) Ger 8/65.09; 33, VDL Groep Eve des Etisses (Hubert Bourdy) Fra 8/65.10; 34, Imperium (Jonella Ligresti) Ita 9/67.74; 35, H&M Magic Bengtsson (Peder Fredricson) Swe 9/67.68; 36, Nelson Z (Richard Davenport) GBR 10/71.14; 37, Le Reve de nabab (Sergio Alvarez Moya) Esp 12/63.48; 38, ET Royal Volo (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 12/65.26; 39, Gucci (Sofia Kroon) Swe 20/65.28; 40, Corrilino (Stian Oglaend) Nor 25/69.41.
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE - www.feiworldcup.org.

FEI WORLD CUP 2005/2006 LEADERBOARD - AFTER ROUND 2 IN OSLO:

Equal 1. Linnea Ericsson, Thomas Velin - 22
Equal 3. Gerco Schroder, Heinrich Hermann Engemann - 20
Equal 5. Beat Mandli, Piet Raymakers - 17
Equal 7. Philippe Leoni, Wim Schroder - 15
Equal 9. Dermott Lennon, Franke Sloothaak - 13
11. Sergio Alvarez Moya - 12
Equal 12. Edwina Alexander, Sebastian Numminen, Tina Lund - 11
15. Patrick McEntee - 10
16. Holger Wulschner - 9
Equal 17. Eric Van der Vleuten, Leopold Van Asten - 8
19. Emanuele Fiorelli - 7.

At Oslo, Show President is Kjell Christian Ulrichsen, Show Director is Morten Aasen and Show Secretary is Annhild Furfjord. Press Officer is Siri Klevaas - Tel (mobile)             +47 91849703      , email sklevaas@online.no. Website www.oslohorseshow.com.

The next leg takes place in Verona, Italy on Sunday 6 November. Show President is Dott. Claudio Valente, Show Director is Maria Emer Agostini and Show Secretary is Roberta Agostini. Press Officer is Caterina Vagnozzi, Tel (mobile)             +39 335610 7070       or email c.vagnozzi@iol.it. Website - www.veronafiere.it.

For all information about the FEI World Cup Jumping final in Kuala Lumpur (26-30 April) check out the website www.klworldcupfinal.com or contact Press Officer Lo Wai Fai at email waifai@asiapromote.net or Tel (mobile)             +6012 209 0068      . Show Director is Peter Winton, email paw@asiapromote.net.

2005/2006 FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS:
1, Helsinki (Finland) - 6/9 October; 2, Oslo (Norway) - 14/16 October; 3, Verona (Italy) - 4/6 November; 4, Stuttgart (Ger) - 16/20 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) - 8/11 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) - 13-19 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) - 26/30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 19/22 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) - 26/29 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) - 3/5 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) - 9/12 February; 12, Paris-Bercy (France) - 4/5 March; 13, 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) - 23/26 March; 14, Goteborg (Sweden) - 13/16 April. Final Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 26/30 April.

BIOGRAPHIES of riders competing in the FEI World Cup Jumping series are available at http://bios.horsesport.org.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES for World Cup Jumping riders from FEI
website www.horsesport.org.