Cool young Kersten takes last leg in Gothenburg by storm

Swedish superstars Henrik von Eckermann and Peder Fredricson had to settle for the minor placings when young Dutchman, 24-year-old Lars Kersten, stole the show today at the fourteenth and final leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2023/2024 Western European League in Gothenburg (SWE).

Kersten, who is trained by his father, Pieter, set the standard in the seven-horse jump-off against the clock with a brilliant ride on his 12-year-old home-bred mare Hallilea and couldn’t be beaten despite the best efforts of longtime world number one von Eckermann and four-time Olympian Fredricson.

“When you think about the World Cup, then Gothenburg is the first show that comes to my mind. I really had a good weekend, both my horses jumped well and it is probably my best show ever. This stadium with this amazing crowd is quite magical!”, said the young man who, on his very first visit, harnessed the electric atmosphere of the world-famous Scandinavium Arena which was filled to the brim with 12,000 spectators for a fantastic afternoon of top sport.

Questions

Swedish course designer Peter Lundström’s 13-fence first round track asked plenty of questions, with the penultimate line of a tight three-stride distance from the oxer at fence 11 to the vertical at 12 proving the undoing of many. The time-allowed of 77 seconds also posed a challenge for some, but Sweden’s Amanda Landeblad made it look it look quite elementary when opening the competition with a foot-perfect run from her talented chestnut mare For Killy.

Six more would also find the key into the second round in which Landeblad led the way with just a single mistake at the first of the two remaining elements of the former triple combination halfway around the track. And when Frenchman Olivier Robert and Iglesias DV clipped the penultimate vertical to also finish on a four-fault tally the door was still wide open with five still left to go.

Kersten was next, and with a smooth ride that demonstrated the confidence and security of a longtime partnership, steered Hallilea home to stop the clock on 35.44 seconds to set the first true target. Fredricson followed with Catch Me Not S who belied his 18 years when turning on a sixpence and jumping like a buck. But this Swedish pair’s super-tight inside turn to the third fence didn’t give them the advantage Fredricson was hoping for. 

“In hindsight maybe it wasn’t the best decision because I didn’t get the turn right, we had an extra stride and and up-and-down jump and that takes a lot of time so I lost the victory there, but the horse jumped amazing!”, he said after crossing the line in 35.99 seconds.

Spectacular

Dutch lady rider Kim Emmen had produced a spectacular first round with the 11-year-old grey gelding Imagine, but their luck ran out when the first fence hit the floor in the jump-off. And while that was happening there was drama going on in the warm-up ring, with next-to-go Henrik von Eckermann tipped out of the saddle when losing his balance on landing over a fence. 

But anyone who sits on a horse knows that falls are all part and parcel of the job and he quickly remounted, only a few seconds late entering the noisy cauldron of the Gothenburg arena where the fans couldn’t wait to see him and his almighty King Edward once again.

Putting his unscheduled dismount behind him the man who has led the world rankings for a very long time and the extraordinary horse that carried him to team gold at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, double-gold at the World Championships in 2022 and the FEI Jumping World Cup™ title in 2023 set off like they were on fire. But when the clock showed 35.72 seconds as they crossed the line it wouldn’t be enough to oust Kersten from pole position. 

It was a staggering result for the young Dutchman who tomorrow heads for his final session with the Young Riders Academy. 

“I’ve seen Henrik and Peder in so many jump-offs so I know they are capable of being faster than me. But I think I was pretty fast and in the end it showed that it was not that easy to beat me so I’m very, very pleased with my mare. She absolutely gave 100% today!”, Kersten said.

Great season

Von Eckermann said, “my horse jumped really, really well, maybe too well in the jump off and he lost a bit of time. But this is a good way to lose. Of course I wanted to win but with how King Edward jumped you can only be happy. Especially with what is coming this season, the World Cup Final and then Paris (Olympic Games) this summer”.

Fredricson reflected on how things worked out for him today too. “This is the place you want to win if you are Swedish, but it didn’t end up that way today!”, he said.

However he was delighted with the evergreen Catch Me Not S. “I knew this morning when I took him out that he felt very, very good. As Henrik said it is a mixed feeling when your horse is jumping so well - it feels good even if I am not winning. My horse is 18 already so he won’t get many other occasions to win in Gothenburg”, he pointed out. 

And what about his Olympic hopes? “For me asking about Olympics in February is like asking how the weather will be in August! We are building up the horses but there is still a long way to go. It is for sure my main goal this year. I am giving all my horses in the stables a chance now and we will see in the next months how it is going”, he replied. And he complimented today’s winner.

“I wanted to win myself of course but I am happy for Lars. Great rider, great horsemanship, great trainers. It is nice to see the next generation doing so well”, he said. 

Family

For Kersten, today’s victory was as much about his family as anything else.

“We have our own stable back in Holland where we do the sport and a little bit of breeding. It’s really a family business, and my mare is home-bred by my Dad. That makes it even more special, I’ve been working with her for all her life and she has been a big part of my career. To grow together to this level and to win a World Cup in Gothenburg - it’s unbelievable!”, he said.

He father’s training has been complemented by a couple of weeks with German star Marcus Ehning “who was always an idol for me growing up, I really like his style of riding and his horsemanship”, and some coaching from six-time Olympian Jos Lansink. “So I’ve had my influences apart from my Dad, but for sure he had a very big part in this as well”, Kersten explained. 

And he is hugely proud of Hallilea who took everything in her stride today, coping supremely with the oval-shaped ice-rink arena at the Scandinavium.

“I was told it wasn’t an easy ring to ride in, but I found it quite comfortable”, said the Dutch first-timer. “Maybe it fits my riding, I’m maybe a bit of a light rider and I try to stay fluent throughout the turns so actually maybe the shape of it suited me very well. And obviously the horse felt really great as well so it all came together”, he explained.

And he was full of praise for Hallilea who will now have a few days rest before heading to ’s-Hertogenbosch (NED) in two weeks’ time.  

“The moment she turned five I took her over and it’s special for me that we have done this journey together. We already had some very nice placings but almost nothing beats winning the World Cup here in Gothenburg! It feels a bit unreal! To sit in front of these guys (von Eckermann and Fredricson) is not easy and most of the time I will be behind them, so today is a big, big day!”, he concluded.

And today has decided the Western European League qualifications for the Longines Final 2024 which will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 16 to 20 April.

Kersten won’t make the cut but von Eckermann will be back to defend the title he won a year ago along with Fredricson and a host of the world’s best horses and riders, so don’t miss a hoofbeat….

Result

Standings