Latest from Horse & Hound in Henrik-von-eckermann

‘Ready to show everyone what she’s capable of’: exciting mare delights proud connections and King Edward makes long-awaited 5* comeback

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 11 May 2026 17:05:42 +0000

William Whitaker and superstar mare Millfield Quickstep produced a coming-of-age performance to win the 1.50m grand prix at the CSIO3* Longines EEF Nations Cup of Lier, Belgium.

The duo lined up yesterday (10 May) among 13 combinations in the jump-off and won with a 0.2sec margin over Belgian rider Gilles Thomas (Happy Landais), claiming the €15,000 top prize.

“I managed to watch a couple of the earlier riders so I had a rough idea of what I needed to do,” said William, who was drawn eighth for the jump-off. “But I had some quick ones coming after me as well so I just had to be as quick as I could without doing anything too risky.

“There were a lot of turnbacks, so it was all about getting in a good rhythm at the start then just getting your turns as quickly as you could. Quickstep is very with you in those kinds of jump-offs, which makes a massive difference.”

William Whitaker: “Millfield Stud is getting recognition for the years of hard work”

William Whitaker has been riding the 11-year-old mare Millfield Quickstep (Quiwi Dream x San Patrignano Cassini) for the past four years. She is owned and was bred by the Millfield Stud in Yorkshire; Brian Thompson produced the mare through her early years.

“They’ve bred some really good horses and they’re getting recognition for the years of hard work that go into breeding!” William told H&H.

“Brian took her time with her until she was seven, then at that stage I just carried on the same. She’s stepped up a bit every year and now she’s feeling like she’s ready to go out there and show everyone what she’s really capable of. She feels in a very good place, physically as well.

“She’s always had good results through the years, but it’s good to finally get her first three-star grand prix win, so I’m delighted for everyone involved because there’s a lot of hard work that goes in over the years – it’s nice to get a result on the board. It felt very much like a coming-of-age performance; she’s feeling really strong and confident in everything she’s doing.

“I’ve really needed another top horse but you’ve got to be patient; it takes time. It’s great to get the year off to a good start, too,” he said.

Millfield Quickstep: a dream horse

William Whitaker describes Millfield Quickstep as the dream horse to ride and look after.

“She’s a funny one really because she’s so laid back, but it’s all in there, she just keeps it to herself a bit,” he said. “When you see her walking round the collecting ring you think ‘Bloody hell, she looks half asleep!’ then she goes in the ring and just lights up. Utamaro was like that too actually. They just know.”

William was fifth rider for the British team, which finished second to Belgium in Friday’s Longines EEF Nations Cup. The quartet of Jodie Hall McAteer (La Gupardie), Sienna Charles with Stall Zet’s Stardust, Emily Ward, making her senior team debut on Wild Star HF and Harry Charles, debuting the exciting nine-year-old Fighting Phil in a Nations Cup team, finished on a team score of just four faults.

“I was very pleased with all my riders’ efforts, they were focused and rode well on mainly inexperienced horses,” said chef d’equipe Matt Lanni. “This is what this series is for – it tests both the horse and rider to perform and the least experienced horses have the chance to develop. It’s a fantastic series, which allows up-and-coming riders to get into three-star shows, which can prove difficult, and I’m pleased the governing bodies support us and send teams to compete in this series.

“The competition was tight all the way through and the home team Belgium had to jump clear in the final round to beat us.”

Longines EEF Nations Cup Lier results

Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward during the Paris Olympics showjumping individual qualifier. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Welcome back King Edward!

Also making headlines on the international showjumping circuit this week was crowd favourite King Edward. Henrik von Eckermann and his world championship-winning partner made a long-awaited return to the top level at the Longines Versilia Horse Show in Italy. The 16-year-old gelding returned from a year on the sidelines in April, competing at one-star level before stepping up to the top tier in Italy this week, jumping for just four faults in Sunday’s five-star grand prix. Henrik won an early five-star speed class riding the 10-year-old Steely Dan. The Swedish rider forms part of a strong contingent heading for the CSI5* classes at Royal Windsor this week (15-17 May).

Longines Versilia Horse Show results
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‘It will be an exciting journey’: former Irish team rider among Swedish shortlist for World Championships

Becky Murray — Sun, 03 May 2026 14:33:31 +0000

Former Irish team rider Thomas Ryan is among those named on the shortlisted for the Swedish showjumping squad at this summer’s FEI World Championships in Aachen (11-23 August).

In January H&H reported that Thomas had switched nationality, having been based in Sweden since 2019 with his wife Erica Swartz-Ryan. Thomas last rode on an Irish team in June 2024 at a Nations Cup, and under FEI rules he can ride for Sweden in team competitions from June.

At this stage, Swedish national team captain Henrik Ankacrona has named seven riders and 12 horses for Aachen – including reigning world champion Henrik von Eckermann and British-based Angelie von Essen, but he said that the “door is not closed to anyone”.

“It will be about results, form, experience and performing in that arena. Both in terms of riders and horses,” said Mr Ankacrona.

The Swedish showjumping team shortlist for the World Championships, by alphabetical order of surname:

Petronella Andersson with 11-year-old Opaline De W&S

Owner: Stephex Stables

Breeder: Marc Wens Stud

Groom: Bernadett Radnai

Henrik von Eckermann with nine-year-old Steely Dan

Owner: Cyor Stables BV

Breeder: Gerd and Gert Wauters and Van Hoydonck

Groom: Louise Barraud

Henrik von Eckermann with 10-year-old Qasirah Van De Reistenhoek

Owner: Cyor Stables BV

Breeder: Y Ramont

Groom: Louise Barraud

Henrik von Eckermann with 12-year-old Minute Man

Owner: Team Minute Man LLC

Breeder: Dany and Kim Van Lombergen

Groom: Louise Barraud

Peder Fredricson with 15-year-old Alcapone Des Carmille

Owner: Alcapone Group

Breeder: Carole Levallois

Groom: Julia Ring

Peder Fredricson with 12-year-old SV Vroom De la Pomme Z

Owner: SWE SMS AB

Breeder: Geert Baertsoen

Groom: Julia Ring

Angelie von Essen with 11-year-old Voila DK Z

Owner: BXB Competition

Breeder: Stal de Krochten

Groom: Jasmine Price

Wilma Hellström with 15-year-old Cicci BJN

Owner: rider

Breeder: JM Sohlman HB

Groom: Madelen Isaksson

Wilma Hellström with 11-year-old Eleven

Owner: Eyedidit AB

Breeder: Coudelaria Sobreiro Velho

Groom: Madelen Isaksson

Amanda Landeblad with 15-year-old For Killy

Owner: Jacobsbergs Stuteri AB

Breeder: D Dunne

Groom: Josefine Carlsson

Amanda Landeblad with 13-year-old Springfield 21

Owner: Jacobsbergs Stuteri AB

Breeder: U Hannoever

Groom: Josefine Carlsson

Thomas Ryan with 11-year-old Jezebeau BC

Owner: H3K Equestrian

Breeder: Tonia De Paepe

Groom: Brianna Donlon

All the riders have championship experience. Thomas rode for Ireland at the 2009 European Championships and Henrik and Peder were part of the gold medal-winning teams at the Tokyo Olympics and 2022 World Championships. Wilma won team gold at the 2023 Europeans and she was on the squad with Amanda, Petronella and Angelie at last year’s Europeans.

“These are riders with very strong teams,” said Mr Ankacrona. “We have a tradition of fantastic horse owners in Sweden who are very passionate about the sport and championships. They are really on the journey and are also a crucial part of it, just like the grooms.

“It will be an exciting journey all the way to the championship. We will work intensively to ensure that everyone gets the best possible plan. It is a World Championship at one of equestrian sports’ most iconic locations and it is also an Olympic qualifier. A very important championship.”

Mr Ankacrona confirmed that Sweden will send five riders to Aachen; four will form the team and one will be a reserve. Sweden will not have an individual rider.

“Now the form will be sharpened and it’s all about finding the five combinations that we believe will have their peak during the World Championships,” he said.

“You have to perform to be selected, but ultimately you have to be at your best in Aachen in August. That’s the balance that always exists when it comes to championships.”

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Point Break versus King Edward: who is the best showjumping horse in the world according to the data experts?

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 30 Aug 2025 15:30:30 +0000

It’s a question we often ask, who is the best showjumping horse in the world right now? With different rankings, points lists and data to draw on, opinion is often divided. But according to the data analysts at EquiRatings, who produce a rolling ranking list of the world’s best showjumping horses in the world, it’s a close match between Ben Maher’s Point Break and Henrik von Eckermann’s King Edward this year.

Neither horse contested this year’s European showjumping championships and 15-year-old King Edward hasn’t been seen since the CSI5* grand prix at Wellington, Florida, in March, but he holds strong at the top of EquiRating’s list of top ranked horses with an Elo rating of 800.

The Elo rating system is a metric used to evaluate horse quality and consistency and is built on extensive performance data covering international showjumping competitions. The algorithm measures competition field strength, course difficulty and conditions, performance consistency and “predictive capability for future results”.

Point Break: on the ascent as one of the best showjumping horses in the world right now

This year, rising star of the sport, 11-year-old Point Break, entered the rankings for the top 10 highest-rated horses since 2010 with an Elo of 790. He rose to sixth in the standings behind all-time greatest showjumping horse King Edward, as well as sitting second to King Edward in the current rankings.

The Pamela Wright and Charlotte Rossetter-owned stallion has had a busy year, most recently finishing runner-up in the CSI5* grand prix at the London leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour in August, with previous wins in Aachen and Wellington, Florida.

Ben took the reins on Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou Du Rouet), who was bred in Sweden by Nya Appelvikens Ridskola and produced in his early days by Anders Lagergreen, four years ago.

He says of “Bodhi”– named after Patrick Swayze’s character in the 1991 film Point Break – “That bond with your horse is very important. We’ve spent a lot of time, done a lot of travel, a lot of fitness work, competition ring time – it takes a lot to get these horses to this kind of level,” says Ben.

“If I try to push him out of his rhythm, he doesn’t like it at the moment but I think it will come a bit later. Luckily, he’s like a rubber ball and he can turn, so I try to play to his strengths.”

Ben Maher and Point Break in action at Royal Windsor Horse Show this year. (Image credit: Elli Birch)

King Edward continues to reign as an all-time great

While Point Break is in the ascent, King Edward has reigned as one of the greatest showjumping horses in the world for several years, accumulating a wealth of titles, medals and other honours.

“Edward has the capability from I don’t know where, it’s beyond something else!” says Henrik. “He can jump a big fence without any effort. No other horse I’ve ever sat on has given me that feeling.

“He has the whole package, he’s so consistent, we know him very well now and what we have to think about with him; for example he’s a very sensitive horse so he needs to be very relaxed, when he’s tense then his jump gets a bit tense. So that’s what you need to focus on. Otherwise just keep him happy and healthy.”

Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward during the Paris Olympics showjumping individual qualifier. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Coming in third behind King Edward and Point Break in the current rankings of the best showjumping horses in the world right now is Beauville Z NOP, ridden by Maikel van der Vleuten, while the newly crowned European showjumping champion United Touch S (Richard Vogel) has gained enough Elo points to sit in fourth.

Continuing the top 10, we have European bronze medallist Ermitage Kalone (Gilles Thomas) in fifth, followed by Bond Jamesbond De La Hay (Gregory Wathelet), recent Valkenswaard grand prix winner Monaco (Harrie Smolders), Dynamix De Belheme (Steve Guerdat), Donatello D’Auge (Julien Epaillard) and Simon Delestre’s great partner Cayman Jolly Jumper is in 10th.

Ben Maher’s European team silver medal-winning partner Dallas Vegas Batilly is in 12th, while his Exit Remo sits in 25th. The only other British horse in the top 30 is Donald Whitaker’s Millfield Colette, a particular rising star of the past 12 months.

Ben’s Olympic gold medal-winning partner Explosion W shares second position with Daniel Deusser’s Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z in the rankings of the top showjumping horses in the world since 2010.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

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‘Family matters most’: Janika Sprunger on being supported by husband Henrik von Eckermann at the European Showjumping Championships

Becky Murray — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 16:00:50 +0000

Swiss showjumper Janika Sprunger has switched places with her husband Henrik von Eckermann as she competes at the Longines FEI European Showjumping Championships – and he cheers on from the sidelines.

“Now he can understand how I feel all the time,” said Janika, referencing Henrik having the nervous job of watching a spouse in a championship setting.

“He gives me great support, not putting too much pressure on me, but still trying to give me confidence.”

The Europeans are Janika’s first championship in seven years, her last was the World Equestrian Games at Tryon in 2018 with Bacardi VDL, who was later sold. Prior to that Janika was a team regular for Switzerland, including at the 2016 Olympics.

Janika and Henrik welcomed their first child in 2021. Since then Janika returned to competing – while supporting Henrik as he rose to stardom with King Edward. The pair won team gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and won double gold at the 2022 World Championships.

Janika and 11-year-old mare Orelie have got their campaign at the European Showjumping Championships off to a great start. They compete as individuals and have produced two solid clear rounds to this point.

Janika said Henrik helped her with her plan for the second round of the competition today (17 July).

“I had a little bit of a different plan than maybe some of the others; I did one more stride to the double, fence 11AB, and I think it was absolutely the right thing to do,” said Janika.

“I’m so happy he’s here.”

Janika said family and teamwork is the focus for her and Henrik.

“What matters the most is our family, us as a team, trying to do the best we can. We work hard, then when the success comes or when something works out, it’s just extra,” she said.

“The most important thing is always to stick together no matter what. I believe we are a good team, because also you’re both doing it, you understand. It also can be complicated, because one has ‘This plan’ and the other ‘That plan’, but we do the best we can and support each other.”

The European Showjumping Championships were not the original plan for Janika.

“It was not really a discussion for me to come here, I was supposed to go to Falsterbo. It was a bit of a last-minute ticket, which I took with pleasure!” said Janika.

“For me it’s fine to be an individual. I’m happy to support my team and happy to be here and experience the whole thing and try the best I can.”

Janika was full of praise for Orelie.

“She’s very special. You can say I’ve ridden many incredible horses like Palloubet, Bacardi, King Edward. They maybe have that have that little extra – but in my heart Orelie is very top of the list because of where she has brought me again after not being anywhere for many years,” said Janika.

“She has such an amazing character, and what she’s doing for me, I love her to bits.”

To stay up to date with all the news from the European Showjumping Championships as it happens, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website today from just £1 a week. Our reporter Eleanor Jones will be on site throughout

New world number one crowned as leading rider knocked off top spot after 33 months

Jennifer Donald — Tue, 06 May 2025 18:31:32 +0000

US showjumper Kent Farrington has taken the lead in the Longines world rankings, overtaking long-time world number one Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden.

Marking the end of an incredible era in the sport, Kent climbed above the Swedish multi-medallist in the latest standings issued by the FEI on 6 May.

Henrik had climbed to the top spot way back in August 2022. He reigned for the longest consecutive period and held the largest advantage over his rivals (593 points over France’s Julien Epaillard) in the past 14 years.

Kent Farrington has been in flying form this year, most recently landing the Kentucky International CSI5* grand prix on home soil with Greya.

“I’m a big believer in investing in yourself. No one wants it more than me,” Kent told H&H in a recent interview. “It says a lot when I’m going to put everything I have into my own career. I take a lot of risk.”

Ben Maher moves up to number two in the world rankings

Olympic silver medallist Kent Farrington now holds the world number one spot with 3,269 points and Great Britain’s triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Maher has moved up to second position with 3,064 points, while Henrik von Eckermann drops to third.

The reigning Olympic champion Christian Kukuk drops one place to fourth position with 2,928 points with Steve Guerdat of Switzerland holding firm in fifth position.

The next highest placed British showjumper in the Longines world rankings is Scott Brash, a recent grand prix victor in Shanghai, who has climbed back into the top 30 at 27th. Ireland’s Cian O’Connor is another notable mover, joining the world’s elite by slotting into the top 10.

This is the second time that Kent has topped the world rankings – he reached the world number one spot in May 2017, taking over from his team-mate McLain Ward and he held that position for a year before Dutch showjumper Harrie Smolders propelled above him in 2018.

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A hot mare, extra strides and surprises: full analysis of the horse swap class at the Dutch Masters

Pippa Roome — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 11:30:04 +0000

Last night’s horse swap class in ’s-Hertogenbosch was a fascinating showcase of horsemanship and skill from four of the world’s top riders.

Named the HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions, the contest re-created the format previously used in the final of the World Championships. Each rider popped round the 1.45/1.50m course on their own horse, before swapping mounts and all jumping each other’s.

The riders had three minutes to warm up each horse in the main arena, with an upright and a spread fence available, and 2014 world champion Jeroen Dubbledam and Harrie Smolders provided commentary and interviewed the competitors between rounds.

The class was won by home side rider Willem Greve, with Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt second, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann third and Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten fourth.

All four horses went well for every pilot, in a positive showcase for the sport, and the top three riders were tied on four faults after the horse swap section so they had to jump off on their own horses against the clock.

Read on for our horse-by-horse analysis and what the riders said…

Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest

Willem kicked off the horse swap class by jumping Isabel de Rijjcker’s bay 10-year-old mare Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest, a horse he has been riding since the start of this year. The mare knocked the front bar off the oxer out of the double at fence 6b.

“The course is not very easy, it’s light, it’s technical,” said Jeroen. “Let’s see what the rest do, but of course it’s a little painful when you have one down with your own horse – you don’t want that to happen.”

Harrie said that Hadewyn looked comfortable and he expected her to jump clear rounds in the next performances, but she actually faulted in the same line with Philipp and Henrik, taking down the white plank at fence seven, five strides after the double, with both riders.

Philipp explained: “I watched Willem go – he came a bit long and open to the combination and it got a bit short for him. I tried to give her the room she needed in the combination, but it meant I had to squeeze a bit to the oxer out, which made the five strides a bit short. It wasn’t so smooth, that’s why I had the plank down.”

Henrik watched Philipp and said: “I tried to help her with the plank and maybe tried to help her too much and disturbed her instead. I should have trusted her quality and maybe she’d have jumped it better.”

The crowd murmured approval when Hadewyn cleared this line with Maikel, who jumped a clear round with the mare.

Willem said: “My horse was a bit fresh – she jumped best in the last round with Maikel. She gets a bit tense and she doesn’t know this ring but she handled it well.”

Philipp Weishaupt on Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest during the HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions at the 2025 Dutch Masters. (Image credit: TDM/Remco Veurink)

Cupido 130

This nine-year-old was bred by his owner, Madeleine Winter-Schulze, and is relatively inexperienced. He was put into the contest by Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt, but the European individual silver medallist had never ridden him in an international competition before last night; he has been competed by his colleagues from Ludger Beerbaum’s Riesenbeck stable, including Ludger himself.

Willem admitted that he was surprised by how Cupido felt compared to his appearance: “The first impression of Cupido was a big horse and a bit slow, you didn’t expect him to have such a quick reflex – the feeling was very comfortable and careful.”

The chestnut was not an extravagant jumper, but proved extremely neat, conscientious and careful. He also gave good rideability to every pilot and jumped four clear rounds, earning himself one of the two “best horse” sashes.

Philipp was asked whether he wanted Cupido to go clear with his final rider, Willem, or not as it would be better for him in terms of the competition if Willem faulted.

“If he’s clear he’s the best horse of the four here – and that makes me as proud as winning as a rider,” said the German.

There was some good-natured ribbing about the fact Henrik – a former Riesenbeck rider – generally now rides horses with more blood than Cupido and whether he would remember how to pilot an “old-fashioned German horse”, but the world number one showed his skill and adaptability.

Philipp said: “You could see Henrik doesn’t know the horse and he was giving him more room [in front of the fences]. The horse was a bit shy at the first two or three jumps. He felt immediately that he prefers a deeper distance because he’s very careful, so he adjusted to that and gave him a perfect ride after the first couple of jumps.”

Jeroen added: “Three minutes is too short a time to change the horse – that would not be clever to do – so in this situation you want to try to work with the horse, go with the flow, make life easy for the horse, not put too much of your own stamp on the whole thing. It’s really about feeling, feeling what is necessary to do in this moment.”

Calizi

Dufour Stables AG’s 12-year-old mare was the most experienced horse in the horse swap class and has a long-term partnership with Henrik, but she also proved the trickiest ride of the four horses. It was obvious from her initial round with the Swede that she is a very keen mare.

Henrik added an eighth stride in the line from fence two to three and explained that this was a tactical decision.

“She can do the seven strides but she touched fence one and was a bit on the forward one, so I wanted to make sure she waited for me and keep her calm,” he said. “She is always a horse that is more relaxed if you take one more stride at the beginning of the course rather than trying to be a bit long.

“She is usually a bit excited in the first round and then gets less excited, so I think she’ll get better and better.”

Calizi’s next rider was Maikel and though he repeated the eight-stride line from fence two to three, they did not prove a match made in heaven; they had the upright at 4b and the final fence down.

Henrik said: “She’s not an easy horse in that you need to know her a little bit. She’s so sensitive, if you squeeze a little too much in the wrong moment, she really goes forward. Maybe Maikel should have stayed upright a little more and not gone too early [with his body before the fences]. You have to do it with your seat and body as she’s very sensitive to your legs and hand.”

Willem was up next and when he approached the upright in the warm-up and Calizi sped up, he brought her quietly back to walk and turned away before re-approaching. He also spent a little time in the warm-up standing still, stroking the mare and letting her look around.

The Dutch rider also copied Henrik’s eight strides from fences two to three and although the mare still looked feisty at times, the pair went clear.

“Willem did it perfectly and you can see she gets more calm the more rounds she does,” said Henrik.

Final rider Philipp also piloted Calizi to a clear, repeating the eight strides between fences two and three – although he admitted it nearly didn’t come off.

“She was waiting so well I was too far off and had to squeeze a bit. I said to myself not to make the same mistake as Maikel – sit quiet and don’t move – and the feeling was actually very nice,” he said.

Willem said: “I knew Calizi was hot, but she’s very hot! She was a challenge, but you can feel that she has enormous motivation and drive.”

Henrik von Eckermann on Calizi during the HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions 2025. (Image credit: TDM/Remco Veurink)

Lalique

Maikel and his father Eric bred this beautiful nine-year-old mare, owned by Gabriela Roger Ibars of Spain, who previously competed with her. Maikel has been jumping Lalique internationally since the end of 2023.

Lalique equalled Cupido and also received a “best horse” sash as she jumped four smooth clear rounds. She looks like a very gentle mare to ride, with a soft mouth, and was clearly trying hard for all four jockeys in the horse swap class.

Philipp, who was Lalique’s third rider in the horse swap class, added a stride between fences two and three.

“It wasn’t planned, but you have to have plan A and B,” he said. “I was a bit deep, whereas Willem was a bit far off, and the horse was getting a bit scared so I thought I’d give her confidence and add one. Then she almost got a bit too careful in the combination at four – I didn’t know how much leg Maikel was using, so I didn’t squeeze too much – then we got the confidence back at the end. She’s a very nice horse.”

Henrik summed up: “She’s a horse I’d really like to have in my stable – she has a lot of quality and is very careful. It was quite easy on this one and that’s always nice.”

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‘It showed that our sport is beautiful but difficult’ – home side rider wins superb horse swap class

Pippa Roome — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 22:22:22 +0000

Home side rider Willem Greve topped the horse swap class results in ’s-Hertogenbosch tonight, the Dutch national champion beating representatives of the reigning medallists in all three senior championships.

This contest, the HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions, re-created the format used in the final of the World Championships until 2014, where four riders each jump a round on each other’s horses. With the riders warming up each mount in the ring and commentary and interviews by 2014 world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam plus top rider Harrie Smolders, it made for a fascinating evening for the crowd at the Dutch Masters show.

Willem, second-placed Philipp Weishaupt (European individual silver medallist) and third-placed Henrik von Eckermann, the current world champion, all sat on four faults after the initial rounds and had to jump off their own horses to settle the placings.

The winner’s ride was Isabel de Rijcker’s Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest, Philipp piloted Madeleine Winter-Schulze’s Cupido 130 and Henrik put Dufour Stables AG’s Calizi into the competition. Fourth-placed Maikel van der Vleuten, the Olympic individual bronze medallist from Paris, brought forward Gabriela Roger Ibars’ Lalique.

“They were all different, but four really nice horses,” said Willem. “Mine was a bit fresh – she jumped best in the last round with Maikel, but also she gets a bit tense and she doesn’t know this ring but she handled it well.

“I knew Calizi was hot, but she’s very hot! She was a challenge, but you can feel that she has enormous motivation and drive. The first impression of Cupido was a big horse and a bit slow, you didn’t expect him to have such a quick reflex – the feeling was very comfortable and careful. Maikel’s horse was actually very easy.”

In the jump-off, Willem finished in 30.75sec to beat Philipp into second on 31.14sec. Henrik – who is riding in a hand brace after incurring an injury in a fall – took a risk to fence two and had it down for third.

Horse swap class results: the faults

The three riders who jumped off all incurred four faults in the initial rounds on the same horse, Willem’s ride Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest, and in the same line.

With Willem, the 10-year-old mare took the front bar off the oxer out of the double at fence 6b. Philipp cleared the double, but then the mare hit the white plank that topped fence seven, five strides later.

Henrik jumped the mare third and she just had a light touch on the same plank.

“I tried to help her with the plank and maybe tried to help her too much and disturbed her instead,” he said. “I should have trusted her quality and maybe she’d have jumped it better.”

Willem, Philipp and Henrik all went clear on all three of the other horses in the initial rounds.

Maikel was last to jump Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest and the first to go clear on the horse. He was also clear on his own Lalique and on Philipp’s Cupido 130, but his round on Henrik’s ride, the keen grey mare Calizi, scuppered his chances when he had eight faults, knocking the upright out of the double at 4b and the final fence.

Both Cupido 130 and Lalique jumped clear with every rider and they were awarded best horse sashes.

‘Unbelievable publicity’

Summing up the horse swap class, Willem said: “I think it was unbelievable publicity for our unbelievable sport. We saw horsemanship, friendship, colleagues, people were listening.

“From what I heard, Harrie and Jeroen did an amazing job to give some insight, but in a way that not only professionals can understand, but also people at home in the living room, so they could really get interested in how beautiful but also difficult our sport is.

“I think we’ve seen four great horses tonight with four great horsemen and this was unbelievable PR for our sport.”

Check back tomorrow for full analysis of the horses and each round in the class. To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Four of the world’s top riders prepare to swap horses in unique showjumping class

Pippa Roome — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 10:15:15 +0000

Four of the world’s top showjumpers will go head to head in a unique horse swap class tonight (13 March) at the Dutch Masters in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Sweden’s world champion Henrik von Eckermann, Germany’s European individual silver medallist Philipp Weishaupt, the Netherlands’ individual Olympic bronze medallist Maikel van der Vleuten and the Dutch national champion Willem Greve will swap horses and compete over a 1.45/1.50m course, in a class which echoes the previous format of the World Championships.

The horse swap class format was last used in the final of the 2014 World Championships in Caen, France, when Dutch rider Jeroen Dubbeldam triumphed – he was the only rider to go clear on all four horses.

“I had a great feeling with the other three horses – they all wanted to clear these fences,” said Jeroen after the final. “Three minutes [in the warm-up] isn’t long enough to try and change the horse, so all you can do is find its strongest points and bring those forward. It’s great to be world champion but I really enjoyed riding such great horses.”

The other contenders were France’s Patrice Delaveau (who racked up a single time-fault on Rolf-Göran Bengtsson’s Casall ASK for silver), the USA’s Beezie Madden (who had four faults on all three of the other riders’ horses for bronze) and Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (who had four faults on his own Casall ASK and Patrice’s Orient Express HDC and six on Jeroen’s Zenith SFN). Beezie’s ride Cortes C went clear for all four riders.

“It was fun to watch my horse with such fantastic other riders and it was interesting that almost every round looked the same to me,” said Beezie.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

An extract from Horse & Hound’s report on the 2014 horse swap final. Pictures by Peter Nixon and Storm Johnson (Image credit: creditUnknown)

After the 2014 final, the horse-swapping format was removed from the World Championships. The HeadFirst Group Prize – Best of Champions class at 8pm local time (7pm British time) tonight in ’s-Hertogenbosch brings back that format in what should be a fascinating contest of horsemanship and skill.

The riders will start by riding their own horses, with Willem kicking off on Isabel de Rijcker’s 10-year-old mare Hadewyn Van’t Ravennest. Philipp will follow on Madeleine Winter-Schulze’s nine-year-old gelding Cupido, who he hasn’t previously ridden in an international competition. Henrik is next on Dufour Stables AG’s 12-year-old mare Calizi, with Maikel last to go on Gabriela Roger Ibars’s nine-year-old mare Lalique.

The horses then jump the next three rounds in the same order, with the riders swapping mounts between each round.

Other highlights of the Dutch Masters show include the Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday (16 March), in which home side rider Harrie Smolders will try to win a second leg of the valuable Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping, and the final Western European League leg of the World Cup dressage series.

British Paris Olympic medallists will be out in force – Scott Brash (Hello Chadora Lady and Hello Valentino) and Ben Maher (Point Break) compete in the five-star showjumping classes, while Becky Moody (Jagerbomb) and Lottie Fry (Glamourdale) contest the World Cup dressage.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from ’s-Hertogenbosch and other major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘The best day I could ever imagine’: a British rider’s dream result and why is the world number one riding in a brace?

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:16:41 +0000

In this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we head straight to Spain where Great Britain’s Will Fletcher celebrates “the best day I could ever imagine” with the “feisty” mare Iwalinde who “tries her heart out every time she goes in the ring”.

Then at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, a 24-year-old beats an Olympic gold medallist and the world number one to post her first ever five-star success. What a moment!

Read on for all this week’s international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: ‘The best day I could imagine’

Great Britain’s Will Fletcher and 12-year-old mare Iwalinde secured a victorious double on the CSI4* Andalucia Sunshine Tour in Spain this week. They started the week by topping the 1.50m Hipotels Trophy and concluded with victory in the 1.55m Dunas de Barbate Trophy grand prix.

“I can’t believe it,” said Will. “It takes an army and Iwalinde was fantastic – she’s a feisty girl and she tries her heart out every time she goes in the ring. She just gave me the best day I could ever imagine.”

Iwalinde is by VDL Zirocco Blue and Will co-owns her with John Walter. In the grand prix the pair beat French rider Penelope Leprevost (Baloubet De Talma), with Great Britain’s Simon Crippen third on Handsome. Matt Sampson produced what would have been the winning time in the four-way jump-off having taken the reins on Tim Gredley’s championship partner Medoc De Toxandria, but it came at the expense of eight faults.

CSI4* Andalucia Sunshine Tour results

Aimez Moi posts another likeable performance

Sameh El Dahan and WKD Aimez Moi continued their winning form by heading a CSI3* 1.45m classic at Desert Circuit 9 in Thermal, California. Nine riders contested the jump-off and, from penultimate draw, the British rider rocketed to victory.

“She was brilliant. She was very, very quick on the turns,” said Sameh of the 15-year-old mare he co-owns with Joanne Sloan-Allen. “She covers a lot of ground at speed. I didn’t watch anybody else because I know she’s fast. I just stick to my plan and don’t get too distracted with the number of strides that other people are doing.”

Desert Circuit results

Five-star debut success and why is the world number one riding in a brace?

THE $500,000 Bainbridge Companies CSI5* grand prix at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Florida, USA, was won by 24-year-old Belgian rider Emilie Conter riding Portobella Van De Fruitkorf. In a seven-way jump-off she beat Olympic gold medallist Harry Charles (Sherlock) and world number one Henrik von Eckermann (King Edward) to post the first five-star victory of her career.

“I didn’t think I would beat these other riders, but I looked up and saw that I was in first,” she said. “It hasn’t sunk in yet. I’m super happy with my horse and my team for making this happen.”

Emilie revealed she saw a really long distance to the final oxer during the jump-off.

“I heard Helena Stormanns scream ‘Go get it!’, so I took it,” she said. “We’ve come a long way. We took it very slow in the beginning because I always knew she was special. When I first started riding her, she was a bit colder but always had massive scope. When she was younger, she was not so impressed with the small jumps but now the bigger the fences, the better she jumps.”

“There are no words for her,” added Emilie, whose groom Lisa Sorg earned the $500 Double H Farm groom’s award.

Emilie Conter riding Portobella Van De Fruitkorf to five-star victory at WEF. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Runner-up Harry Charles credited WEF for having “nearly as good an atmosphere as anywhere in the world”.

“I didn’t plan on jumping Sherlock in too many of the bigger classes under the lights; he’s still quite green at night, but tonight he jumped better than I could have hoped,” he said of the 12-year-old owned by his father Peter Charles and Stall Zet. “I thought the course-builder did a great job – you saw the perfect amount in the jump-off. I’m very happy with second place.”

Third-placed Henrik von Eckermann has been working hard behind the scenes to rebuild the confidence and turn around the fortunes of showjumping megastar King Edward.

“He jumped a very good indoor season but in the jump-offs that were full speed, I’m a guy who wants to win and pushed a little too much and we lost a little confidence,” said Henrik. “He feels good and is jumping better and better with every show.”

Henrik has also been recovering from a hand injury incurred in a fall which means he’s currently riding with a brace.

“In the ring, adrenaline is going and you want to do it and then afterwards you feel it, but it could have been worse and I’m happy that I’m able to continue riding,” he said. “Emilie did a fantastic job tonight and I’m very happy for her.”

WEF results

Showjumping news: grand prix glory

Closer to home, Jack Whitaker (Equine America Valmy De La Lande) and Mark Edwards (Royale Tale) were CSI2* grand prix winners on the Italian Champions Tour and Jumping Gassin International in France respectively in another successful week for British riders on tour in Europe.

Irish showjumper Darragh Kenny wins WEF’s Adequan WEF Challenge Cup round nine with new ride Zero K in Florida. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Zero is a “misunderstood” hero

Irish showjumper Darragh Kenny won WEF’s Adequan WEF Challenge Cup round nine with new ride Zero K in Florida.

“The first rounds have been pretty good, jump-offs haven’t been perfect,” he said. “I knew it was going to be very fast today, and she has a big stride, so a lot of the lines were connected. I could use her big stride and hopefully not make mistakes.”

Darragh describes Zero K as “very sensitive”.

“She’s special in her own way, but in the ring, she wants to do her best,” he said. “Sometimes she tries too hard, but it’s always in the right way, and that’s what I really like about her. She’s a little tense sometimes but for the most part she’s just misunderstood. She wants to be the best she can.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout major shows such as London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

An emotional reunion as amateur breeder meets his Olympic legend again, 14 years on

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:33:36 +0000

The amateur breeder of the small but mighty horse who became world showjumping champion was deeply moved to be reunited with him, 14 years later.

Belgian breeder Wim Impens paid a visit to Henrik von Eckermann’s Cyor Stables to see King Edward, the Swedish powerhouse who also has team world and Olympic gold to his name.

Mr Impens was given the Belgian breeders’ bonus at the annual “Equigala” in recognition of King Edward’s achievement as the highest-earning horse of the year. This month, Belgian Horse Hub took him to Henrik’s base, where he was “reunited with King Edward and spoke with the man who transformed his king into a living legend”.

A spokesperson for the hub, which is supported by the Flemish government to promote the country’s equestrian network, said Mr Impens’ family’s breeding efforts were “driven purely by a passion for eventing”.

“You dream that one day, one of your horses will truly exceed all expectations,” the spokesperson said. “In 2010, a small and promising colt is born. After 18 months, you decide to sell him. Eleven years later, that same horse wins gold at the Olympic Games.”

Mr Impens said he was delighted to be there.

“I’ve met Henrik before at a competition, where he took the time for a friendly chat,” he said.

“But to be here now, walking around, and seeing King Edward up close again – it really touches me.”

Henrik and King Edward were on the Swedish team that won Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021, finishing fourth individually, and world gold in 2022, when they were also individual champions. They won back-to-back World Cup Finals in 2023 and 2024, and the Longines Global Champions Tour super grand prix in 2021.

King Edward is the ultimate pocket rocket, and Henrik affectionately compared him to a dachshund.

“He has short legs, but a huge heart,” he said. “Because he is very wide, has a very wide canter and has enormous jumping power, it feels like you are riding a gigantic horse.

“He is also extremely sweet and gentle. You almost never find that balance between caution and fearlessness. He always wants to get to the other side, no matter what is in front of him.”

Mr Impens added: “His ‘go’, that unyielding will to devour obstacles, is phenomenal. He is small, but has a strong character, something that many horses from his line share.”

Both agreed that the 2022 Herning World Championships were King Edward’s pinnacle so far.

“At an event like that, you have to perform at the highest level for so many days, and he did it all flawlessly,” Henrik said. “Not a single rail down – it’s unbelievable. But honestly, every day with him is a highlight. He has such a cool personality, even in the stables. We try to pamper him as much as we can and truly enjoy every moment with him.”

Mr Impens said his father saw King Edward’s ultimate moment a week before he died.

“That makes it even more special for me,” he said.

“I sometimes get visits from Swedish King Edward fans. He’s even on a stamp!” he added.

Mr Impens said people now see him as a brilliant breeder, but fewer than 1% of horses will turn out to be as brilliant as King Edward, and that breeding is a gamble.

“That’s why I don’t breed – I don’t have the patience for those odds!” Henrik said. “But without top breeders like Wim, our sport wouldn’t exist. It’s also crucial that young horses have proper training – not too fast or too hard, but with the time and care they need. Otherwise, even the best-bred horses don’t stand a chance.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘I tried to the last, but he turned left and I went right’: heartbreak for medal favourite who fell off in Olympic showjumping final

Eleanor Jones — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 13:13:23 +0000

There was a shock in the Paris Olympic showjumping final when one of the favourites, King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann, came unstuck on course.

The individual world champions and Swedish superstars were clear over fence eight, having survived a moment into the Eiffel Tower vertical at seven when the little 14-year-old gelding appeared to take hold after the water at six. But as they swung right towards fence nine, King Edward went too far, nearly running into a timing marker adorned with the red Paris 2024 logo, at the arena fence.

Henrik did his best but could not stay on board.

“Everything felt really well,” he said. “Out of the first double [fence five], he really kicked off the ground and I felt ‘Wow’.

“I just kept myself calm but got a little bit close to the water, got a high jump on that. I didn’t see the six [strides] because I landed a little bit steep on the water so I really had to get him back for the seven and that made a short jump over the Paris jump.

“Then I had to really go for the five and 99% [of the time] we always go right, it’s easy to go right.”

Henrik said he went too much to the right in an attempt to stay with his horse.

“And somehow, in one second, he went a little bit left then I lost my balance to the right,” he said. “And then, I think, he got a little bit upset from that; he felt that I was not really in balance. And he went a little bit left again and I really tried to get him right but then this thing, the start stand, was there and I couldn’t turn him in front of that.

“I tried to the last but I couldn’t and then of course he turned left and I went right.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘Mission completed’ for Olympic individual showjumping medal contender, as qualifying round proves a challenge

Gemma Redrup — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 13:50:29 +0000

Henrik von Eckermann put the disappointment of incurring four faults in the Olympic showjumping team final at Paris 2024 behind him to notch a clear aboard King Edward in the individual qualifier today (5 August).

The Swedish world number one and his 14-year-old megastar horse are one of the red-hot favourites for an Olympic medal. Henrik reigns as a team world, European and, until last week, Olympic gold medallist and individual world champion, and his hopes of adding individual Olympic gold are still alive.

Henrik’s round was foot-perfect, bar one moment when he ran down a related distance between fences six and seven and ended up very deep, but the scopey King Edward easily got them out of trouble. They stopped the clock on 74.5sec, which is the second quickest of the clear rounds after the first 25 riders jumped. The individual final tomorrow will be run in reverse order, so the fastest clear today will jump last of the 30 combinations who go through from today’s qualifier.

“It was exciting. I mean, I was very delighted in the end that it said clear round on the scoreboard, so that’s mission completed for today,” said Henrik, who went on to explain his slight mistake between six and seven. “I walked it as a nice four for my horse as he has a big stride, but he jumped very backwards over the plank at six so I had to change my mind and go down there on five.”

Mexico’s Andres Azcarraga and Contendros 2 were the first to jump clear, while Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and James Kann Cruz are the fastest of the clear rounds at the first break, stopping the clock on 73.35sec.

“He jumped great and still had a lot of energy,” said Shane of the 11-year-old. “The big thing was that I wanted to be quick enough if that if I did knock one, I’d have still a chance to qualify for tomorrow. But now I don’t need to worry about that and I can take a deep breath.”

New team silver medallist for the USA Karl Cook and Caracole De La Roque were lucky in a couple of places, rattling poles, but they ultimately jumped a clear round in 76.97sec, the sixth fastest so far in the Olympic showjumping.

“It felt really good, she feels like she has more energy today than she had in the team competition – stronger and more powerful, which is a great thing,” said Karl. “I messed up a line across the middle where I added at stride – that was my fault, I just overcooked it. But thankfully, she took care of me and she was awesome.”

Tokyo individual bronze medallist Maikel van der Vleuten picked up four faults coming out of the treble at fence 10 with Beauville, but he clocked the fastest time of the qualifier so far, completing his round in 70.94sec.

“I’m happy but it was unlucky at the same time,” commented Maikel. “The way my house jumped was fantastic and he didn’t deserve that fault, but that happens in our spot and I hope it will be enough for the top 30 for tomorrow.”

Olivier Perreau, who became a team bronze medallist for France on Friday jumped a lovely round but incurred four faults at the final fence aboard Dorai D’Aigully.

The first of the British representatives, riders, Harry Charles and Romeo 88, jumped an immaculate clear round.

After the first 25 riders, eight have jumped clear, which means it looks unlikely many riders who have picked up four faults will make it through to the individual final tomorrow.

Two riders in the first block opted to retire on course. These were Lithuania’s Andrius Petrovas (Linkolns) and Japan’s Eiken Sato (Conthargo-Blue).

There are options throughout this track, designed by Santiago Varela and Gregory Bodo, where riders can opt to go on more forward distances or be more cautious. Obviously the fastest 30 riders with the fewest amount of faults will progress to the final, but riding quickly around this 1.65m track opens many horses and riders up to making mistakes.

Henrik von Eckermann said he had “a bit of a debate” with Santiago Varela about today’s track.

“I said I thought this course looked a bit easier than the first day, but he said it was somewhere in between the first and the second [the two rounds of team competition], so we’ll see who’s right when the scoreboard is finished.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Why isn’t King Edward wearing a browband at the Paris Olympics?

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:50:14 +0000

Global superstars Henrik von Eckermann and the brilliant King Edward continue to take the showjumping world by storm, earlier this year clinching back-to-back World Cup Final titles – the first time for 25 years that a horse has achieved the feat – and this week representing Sweden at the Paris 2024 Olympic showjumping.

But while the all-conquering duo effortlessly scale the greatest heights in the ring, the 14-year-old Belgium-bred gelding (Edward 28 x Feo) is no easy ride and the Swedish rider describes King Edward as “very sensitive”, particularly around his face. Henrik has also revealed that taking off the chestnut’s shoes was a “complete game changer”.

The small but mighty King Edward, who was bred by Wim Impens and has carried Henrik von Eckermann to Olympic and World Championship glory, has been seen in an assortment of different bridles in recent years to help with the gelding’s sensitivity – in Herning there was no throatlash (pictured below), a nose net comes in to use at times, and at both the World Cup Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and here in Paris, they have even dispensed with his browband.

Henrik von Eckermann and the “sensitive” King Edward, pictured without a throatlash en route to gold at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark, in 2022. (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

So H&H caught up with the reigning world number one Henrik von Eckermann to find out more about the unusual tack he’s been using with multi-winning King Edward.

“We tried the nose net because he is extremely sensitive, he doesn’t like anything on his face,” reveals Henrik, 42. “It’s the same with the browband, we’ve tried going without one for a few months because he doesn’t need it and so it’s less on his face.”

Henrik von Eckermann has been riding King Edward without a browband for the past few months. Last week they won back-to-back World Cup titles. (Image credit: FEI/MARTIN DOKOUPIL)

The Swedish showjumper says about their partnership: “It doesn’t help to get nervous or stressed, because the horse feels everything and King Edward is a very, very sensitive horse. We’ve been together so long and know each other so well that I have the biggest confidence in him. He will never disappoint me. It is my main goal to keep my horses happy and motivated and King Edward is definitely a very special horse.”

Equally, King Edward, who is looked after by groom Louise Barraud, clearly has absolute belief in his rider, and we are privileged to be able to watch their relentless clear round performances in this incredible era for the sport.

“He has jumped so many clear rounds and done so many good things – it’s a privilege to ride him,” says Henrik von Eckermann, who also describes him as “such a sweet horse”.

As he sums up, “Edward has the capability from I don’t know where – it’s beyond something else. He can jump a big fence without any effort. No other horse I’ve ever sat on has given me that feeling.”

To stay up-to-date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘He said I don’t want the shoes!’ Top barefoot horse shod for the Olympics kicks off a shoe

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 18:51:43 +0000

The superstar showjumper King Edward clearly decided he wanted to be barefoot for the Paris Olympics – as he kicked a shoe off during the opening round of the team showjumping.

World champions Henrik von Eckermann and the 14-year-old King Edward were first in for Sweden in the Olympic showjumping team competition today and flew round in their usual superb faultless form.

But the fantastic little Edward 28 gelding managed to kick off one of the shoes he does not usually wear; H&H has reported before that Henrik usually keeps him barefoot.

“He kicked it off,” Henrik said. “So probably he said ‘I don’t want to have the shoes again’!”

Henrik said he had King Edward shod in front as the ground at the Olympic test event in Fontainebleau was “very, very solid”.

“That means it’s compact,” he said. “And I felt that maybe I needed a bit of cushion. But today when I was in there, the ground was very good and much, much softer. So in that way I’m not nervous to put him barefoot again.”

Henrik said that the “first track is always” a challenge at such a competition, but the partnership he and King Edward have got them through.

“I know my horse very, very well,” he said. “So you know, but still, you never know. They’re animals, not machines, and you just want to have a good feeling. And you don’t know before you do it, but I’m delighted. He felt really, really good. So there was a nice relief when we went to the finish line.”

Henrik described King Edward as a “genius of a horse”.

“We know each other very well and and I know exactly how to support him and he’s very, very careful,” he said. “For example, to number two, I was a little bit too deep to the oxer, so he went really high. And then he froze a little bit from it because he’s very careful. If I didn’t have that trust that we work with, it would be a disaster, but he knows and I support him and it’s a fantastic feeling.”

He added that Sweden is looking forward to tomorrow’s final, when everyone starts again on a clean sheet.

“So then it’s a new game, then it doesn’t matter how many clear rounds we did today,” he said. “A new game and a tough one.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the Olympic Games, Burghley, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

Reigning champions reveal ‘incredibly charged’ team for Paris Olympics

Becky Murray — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 14:43:47 +0000

All three of the riders – and two of the horses – who won gold in 2021 are named in the Swedish Olympic showjumping team as the country prepares to defend its title in Paris.

Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, also the individual world champions, and Malin Baryard Johnsson and Indiana both jumped off for gold in Tokyo, and have been selected again. The final 2021 team member and individual silver medallist Peder Fredricson has retired the great All In but is in the squad with Catch Me Not S. The fourth combination is Rolf-Göran Bengtsson with Zuccero, who were on the team that won European gold last year.

The Swedish Olympic showjumping team go to Paris as hot favourites, as Olympic, European, and world champions. Sweden has won 11 Olympic showjumping medals including team gold in Tokyo.

Rolf-Göran is the oldest team member, aged 62, and made his senior team debut at the 1995 Europeans in St Gallen. He has contested 19 senior championships and Paris will be his sixth Olympics. The Games will be Malin’s sixth, Peder’s fifth and Henrik’s fourth. The final team of three will be decided at a later date.

Swedish Olympic showjumping team

Rolf-Göran Bengtsson with 12-year-old stallion Zuccero Hv

Owners: Holsteiner Verband and rider

Breeder: Hanno Koehncke

Breeding: by VDL Zirocco Blue out of a mare by Caretino 2

Henrik von Eckermann with 14-year-old gelding King Edward

Owners: Dufour Stables and rider

Breeder: Wim Impens

Breeding: by Edward 28 out of a mare by Feo

Peder Fredricson with 18-year-old gelding Catch Me Not S

Owner: Ebbar Berglöf

Breeder: Krister Svedberg

Breeding: by Cardento 933 out of a mare by Ramiro’s Son

Malin Baryard Johnsson with 16-year-old mare Indiana

Owner: Stuteri Arch

Breeder: Chloe Ruys and Christophe Van Turtelb

Breeding: by Kashmir Van Schuttershof out of a Animo’s Hallo mare

“We are incredibly charged,” said Swedish national team captain Henrik Ankacrona.

“It is a long process towards an Olympics and it is exciting now that we are approaching the championship. We go there to perform and we always aim high. But we know that everyone has to be at their best to make it all the way.”

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(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

British Olympic showjumping team is revealed: who has been selected for Paris 2024?

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Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

A team of British first-timers strike gold, a year-long recovery and King Edward joins the ranks of Milton and Shutterfly

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 14:01:59 +0000

The future of British showjumping looks brighter than ever judging by the wealth of talent on show from the victorious Nations Cup pony team in France at the weekend. At the other end of the scale, we were left in awe after global superstars Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward made showjumping news headlines by producing a swathe of faultless performances to be crowned World Cup winners for the second year in a row.

It’s all happening in this week’s round-up of international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: British pony team first-timers strike gold

Great Britain fielded a high-calibre quartet, the majority of whom were team debutants, for the pony competition at the FEI Nations Cup Youth in Compiegne, France, where they struck gold, winning on a zero score. Hollie Gerkin with Galaxy V, Sophia Rogers (Neil 55), Cate Kerr on Cindy and Aimee Paxton riding Las Vegas topped the podium ahead of Switzerland on a score of six, with Ireland’s James Derwin (Rincoola Babog), Lauren Adams (Slieve Bloom Bella Rose), Annie Boland (K-Little Hero) and Charlie Flynn (HK Zero) in third.

“They are all team first-timers, and they rode and coped very well,” said Great Britain’s chef d’equipe Clare Whitaker. “It is looking promising for the European Championships this year with a depth of choice.”

British riders filled five of the top seven placings in the grand pix with 15-year-old Aimee Paxton finishing second to Mathilda Hansson (Helga TH O), and team-mate Sophia Rogers in third.

Ireland’s children-on-horses squad of Charlie Flynn (Elia), Ted Fagan on Consol, Robbie Sheehan riding Fubalia and Sam Widger (Jerenice Dysenbeeck Z) won the Nations Cup, where Great Britain’s quartet of Rosie Smith (Fruselli), Honey Bowes on Javas El Cid, Ted Bastian-Mason (Chacco Bay) and Lottie Adams with Khaleesi OL finished equal second.

Henry Squibb (Kimba Kasino), Ella Spencer (Gilton Des Islots) and Rosie Smith on Azolette also flew the British flag with individual victories.

FEI Nations Cup Youth results

Up there with Milton and Shutterfly

Henrik von Eckermann’s superstar partner King Edward was elevated to the ranks of such legends as Milton and Shutterfly when he became the first horse for 25 years to win back-to-back World Cup Finals.

“To be here winning two times is something I could never have dreamed of when I was younger,” said the world number one.

Read the full report from the World Cup Finals in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in the shops 25 April.

FEI World Cup Finals results

The brilliant King Edward (Henrik von Eckermann) joins the ranks of Milton and Shutterfly as the first horse for 25 years to win back-to-back World Cup Finals. (Image credit: FEI/MARTIN DOKOUPIL)

Showjumping news: back in the winner’s enclosure after a year-long recovery

Ireland’s Jordan Coyle won the $32,000 Equine Tack & Nutritionals CSI3* 1.45m speed class on the grass Derby field at the Equestrian Village at the Wellington International, Florida, USA – a welcome comeback after a year-long recovery from injury for the mare.

“We’d had Costa for about 10 months with quite high expectations when she got an injury,” said Jordan of the 12-year-old Componist Champblanc x Allegreto mare owned by Elan Farm, who sustained damage to her deep digital flexor tendon.

“Unfortunately, that was it for us. It’s taken exactly one year to get her back to the show ring,” said Jordan of the months of rest, hand-walks and a slow push back to fitness under the watchful eyes of Elan Farm grooms Marketa Churova and Miša Honzova.

“I have to give them 90% of the credit because they did most of the work to get her back and it was a serious job.

“She’s quite easy, so building her back was just about taking our time,” he added. “We did a 1.20m, then a 1.30m and then a 1.40m. I would almost say that she’s a better horse now than she was when we got her.

“We have taken our time because I think she’s a very good horse; she’s mostly careful, but also easy to ride and has enough scope. It’s great to have her back and now we are going to have a bit of fun and not put her under too much pressure.”

Just one Cornetta

And finally in this week’s international showjumping news round-up, we move closer to home and Ireland’s Mikey Pender made his first visit to Chard Equestrian Centre in Somerset a winning one, lifting the CSI2* grand prix with nine-year-old Irish sport horse HHS Cornetta. He beat William Whitaker on Chacco’s Lando into second, with Britain-based Frenchman Gaspard Maksud third on Ballypatrick Tiberius.

“She’s a very talented mare, who wants to do the job as much as I do,” said Mikey.

You can read the full report from the CSI2* Chard in next week’s Horse & Hound magazine.

CSI2* Chard results

King Edward writes his name among showjumping legends with World Cup Final double

Martha Terry — Sat, 20 Apr 2024 19:20:43 +0000

King Edward added yet another jewel to his gleaming crown by successfully defending his showjumping World Cup Final title with Henrik von Eckermann. At the end of three days of jumping in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, King Edward was the only horse to go through the three classes without lowering a single pole. He won the speed class, he won the jump-off class and on the final night (20 April), he won the two-round decider.

As the only pair to finish on a clean sheet, this valiant chestnut was spared of a jump-off as the outright winner. He is the first horse to win back-to-back World Cups since Shutterfly triumphed in 1998/1999, and joins an illustrious list that also includes Milton and ET.

But it was not plain sailing, as Henrik fell off in the warm-up.

“I’ve been second a few times lately and I am sick of that, and so I thought yesterday in the jump-off I will not be second again, so maybe I exaggerated that and paid the price today because it was not as smooth,” said the world number one. “Once again, King Edward has done a championship jumping clear every day, he is amazing, and felt even better than he did in Omaha last year.

“It was a long week, and I feel empty now, like someone has pulled the plug out! It is pressure but I like to be in pole position so I can focus on myself, and not hope the others have faults.”

France’s Julien Epaillard had a fantastic “dress rehearsal” for his home Olympics, with his chestnut mare Dubai Du Cedre, a daughter of former three-time World Cup winner Baloubet Du Rouet.

“My mare has already done the European Championships, and been great in Prague and Geneva, so I came here with the plan to be on the podium but also to get to know her better before the Olympics,” said Julien, who had four faults in both previous classes. “Today the two rounds were superb, really relaxed. She has a lot of energy, which is good when she is with me, and today she gave me her all.”

Peder Fredricson was a trifle unlucky to be third with Catch Me Not S, the 18-year-old stallion whose appetite for these colossal courses has never wavered. Having been runner-up to Henrik in both the previous classes, they knocked a rail in the first round here which dropped them a place.

“I am really proud of him,” said Peder. “He was in good shape coming here and kept his form really well. I double lunged him this morning and could see he was moving great. The first course tonight didn’t suit him as it started with uprights, but the second course you could pick up a good canter straight away and I knew it would suit him.”

How the showjumping World Cup Final played out

Henrik was in pole position for the decider after winning the first two legs. This meant he’d earned the right to jump last of the 27 forward in the first round, and had a two-fault advantage over his compatriot Peder. Julien was lying third, another four faults behind.

The first two riders into the ring, 19-year-old Zain Shady Samir and 22-year-old Stanford student Sophia Siegel elected to retire after a scattering of poles. Designer Frank Rothenberger had evidently set a test. But Saudi rider Abdullah Alsharbatly brought the partisan crowed to their feet as as he jumped the first clear round of the contest. He did notch a time-fault, and it wasn’t until the 12th rider into the ring – Max Kühner and EIC Up To Jacco Blue – that anyone posted a clean zero. This moved Max up from 16th to ninth for round two.

The three British riders were all sitting in the prize money at this stage, with Scott Brash 11th, Jessica Mendoza 10th and Ben Maher sixth. Scott jumped a super-calm clear on a very keen Hello Valentino, clocking a time-fault but moving up to eighth ahead of the final round. Jessica had two down with I-Cap CL Z to drop three places to 13th, while Ben’s delightfully clean round on Dallas Vegas Batilly kept him in sixth.

“She jumped incredible today, and she’s felt great all week, but I’d been hoping for more,” said Ben. “I took a bit of a risk the first day to try to win, and it didn’t quite pay off. Then in the middle day she had an uncharacteristic fault and I was frustrated with myself. This week has been a bit of a fact-finding mission ahead of the Olympics, and we need to work on a few things.”

Once the in-form riders at the top of the order took to the course, the clears quickly racked up, with only one from the top seven faulting, making 10 in total. This was Catch Me Not S, who lowered his first pole of the week, and slipped from second to joint third with Kent Farrington (Greya).

The 18-year-old Catch Me Not S shows spring-heels en route to third place (Image credit: FEI/MARTIN DOKOUPIL)

There was a brief moment of jeopardy shortly before Henrik’s first round when King Edward refused in the warm-up, dumping his rider on the sand. But after some thorough checks, fiddling with his boots and repositioning the saddle, normality resumed. He jumped his usual clear, although a couple of rubs on the uprights hinted that even this extra-terrestrial may be wearying after a long week.

“Horses feel everything and King Edward is very sensitive, so when that mistake happened, I just had to say, ‘don’t worry, we have to stay calm and not let him feel that everything is not as it should be’,” he said. “We have been together so long, and I have the biggest confidence in him. What happened happened, but it’s the zero on the scoreboard that counts.”

The final round

Frank Rothenburger’s second-round track proved even more taxing than the first, with just six clear, including Saudi Arabian rider Ramzy Al Duhami on Untouchable, who sent the 3,000-strong crowd wild.

“I wanted to do this round for the crowd and my country, but I’m so proud of my mare, as indoor arenas are not her thing,” said the 2012 Olympic team bronze medallist. “This is a good boost for us before the Olympics which was the goal. This is the first time since 2012 that I feel really well mounted. She trusts me and gives me everything.”

Neither Ben nor Scott could capitalise on their first-round clears, knocking down two apiece. However, Ben retained sixth, and Scott dropped from eighth to 11th in the final standings. Jessica Mendoza had just the four faults to seal her first World Cup Final with 12th place.

“I didn’t expect it to go this great, it’s been and up-and-down week for everyone,” said Jessica. “I’ve had this horse since he was five and he’s my pride and joy. I’ve always known he’s had a lot of ability, but to go out and prove it is an incredible feeling.”

Scott said he’ll “take a lot of positives” home after Hello Valentino’s efforts.

“He has all the quality, the jumps are no problem but the rideablity has been a problem since day one, it’s a work in progress,” he said. “He just felt a little bit empty towards the end of the course but he’s never jumped this many big jumps in four days.”

Kent Farrington was lying equal third with Peder, but when Kent hit one and Peder went clear, it was left to Julien to keep the pressure on Henrik. Julien duly went clear, leaving Henrik with nothing in hand. King Edward certainly looked a little tired and again rubbed a couple, but he had his game face on, knuckled down and secured a momentous victory in this the 44th edition of the FEI Longines World Cup Finals.

After Patrik Kittel’s dressage win yesterday (19 April), this is the first time that two Swedes have topped the podiums at the World Cup Finals.

A British first-timer, a horse bred in Scotland and the King defends his title: who’s who in the 2024 World Cup Final?

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 06 Apr 2024 17:30:25 +0000

With the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in the Saudi capital of Riyadh fast-approaching (16-20 April), the preparations are currently in full swing for 35 of the world’s leading riders from 19 nations with 42 horses between them. So who’s who among this year’s star-studded field of World Cup Final showjumping contenders bidding for a place in history?

Remarkably, the last British rider to claim the World Cup crown was Nick Skelton in 1995 with Dollar Girl. The three contenders flying the union flag hoping to break that duck are Ben Maher, Scott Brash – both of whom qualified from the Western European League – and US-based British team rider Jessica Mendoza, who gained points from the North American League. Ben will be in action on his top mare Dallas Vegas Batilly while Scott lines up with Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s super Swedish-bred grey Hello Valentino.

Meanwhile Jessica, who turns 26 just ahead of her trip to Riyadh, will be making her World Cup Final debut. She brings 12-year-old gelding I-Cap CL Z, who she has produced right up through the grades and with whom she represented Great Britain at the recent Longines League Of Nations at Ocala, Florida, alongside Ben.

Defending champions hoping to continue the World Cup dream

The defending champions Henrik von Eckermann and the brilliant King Edward will be back in a bid to retain their World Cup crown. After lifting the trophy in Omaha, USA, last year, the Swedish world number one said: “It was always a big, big goal and a dream for me to have my name on that trophy. This is very special.”

Henrik von Eckermann riding King Edward on the way to claiming the 2023 Longines FEI World Cup Showjumping title. (Image credit: Richard Juilliart)

Henrik will be joined by team-mate Peder Fredricson with his 2021 European bronze medal-winning 18-year-old Catch Me Not S, with whom he also finished third in the 2019 World Cup Final.

Former World Cup Final winners Martin Fuchs (Commissar Pezi) and Steve Guerdat (Is-Minka) will represent Switzerland. This will be the latter’s 15th World Cup Final and the 2012 Olympic champion will be bidding for a record fourth victory again this year.

Among the other A-list names in action are another World Cup three-time title-holder, Marcus Ehning for Germany, with a relatively new ride, the 11-year-old Coolio 42, plus Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet on 14-year-old gelding Ace Of Hearts, Julien Epaillard who will be one of the favourites on Dubai Du Cedre, with Kent Farrington lining up for USA. Kent is one of a handful of riders bringing two horses, the 10-year-old rising stars Greya and Toulayna.

World Cup Final showjumping debutant carries the Irish flag

Richard Howley was the highest ranked Irish rider in the Western European League, winning the opening two qualifiers of the series, and he will be Ireland’s sole representative as he makes his debut at the World Cup Final riding 13-year-old Equine America Consulent De Prelet Z, who he co-owns with Sarah Borthwick and his and his wife Morgan Kent’s HK Horses.

“He’s so clever and he’s so smart, so it makes my job easier because he’s so talented,” says Richard of the gelding. “I don’t think he’s even fully found himself yet – I still think he has more to give. So we’re just trying to find a bit of middle ground of consistency and trust in the partnership. I think the world of him, and my owner Sarah Borthwick and myself think this horse could give everything. But we’re just trying to get the best out of him.”

Richard Howley and Consulent Du Prelet Z, owned by Sarah Borthwick and HK Horses, land their second World Cup qualifier in as many weeks, this time in Helsinki, Finland. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

The Arab League is represented by five athletes, with three riders from the host nation Saudi Arabia qualifying with strong performances in the Middle Eastern sub-league. Seasoned World Cup veteran and Olympic medallist Ramzy Al Duhami brings Addressee and Untouchable 32, while 25-year-old Khaled Almobty rides Jaguar King WD and the former Ellen Whitaker ride Spacecake.

Olympic bronze medallist Abdullah AlSharbatly rides 16-year-old Alamo, with whom Steve Guerdat won the 2019 World Cup Final and who later went to Spanish rider Sergio Alvarez Moya before Abdullah took the reins at the end of 2022. The pair have gone on to achieve five-star success, but he also brings 13-year-old Fiumicino Van De Kalevallei, who came from Dutch rider Jur Vrieling last year.

World Cup Final attracts talented crop of young showjumpers

Among the crop of young talents stepping out on the global stage for this year’s World Cup Final showjumping contest are 22-year-old French rider Jeanne Sadran (Dexter De Kerglenn), who enjoyed a successful career on ponies.

Canada’s Mario Deslauriers holds the record as the youngest World Cup winner at the age of 19 in 1984, and the youngest riders in Riyadh later this month will be US teenager Skylar Wireman on Tornado and Egyptian showjumper Zain Shady Samir with London Eye. Both riders are just 19 years old.

Skylar has been riding since a young child, hitting the headlines in 2020 when she won the USEF Showjumping Talent Search Final. Swedish-bred Tornado was sent to her as a sales horse but she bought him with the help of some family friends. Skylar is trained by her mother and 2004 Olympic team gold medallist Peter Wylde, and although she doesn’t normally have a groom – preferring to do everything for her horses herself – she will be supported in Riyadh by groom Alicia Thompson.

Another youngster is Egypt’s 22-year-old Abdelrahman Shousha who brings the 14-year-old Quincy 230.

From Balcormo Stud in Scotland to the World Cup Final

British showjumping fans will recognise the lovely gelding How Easy (by Talan, out of the Quite Easy mare Come Easy), who was bred and produced at Balcormo in Scotland by Sandra Low Mitchell. He went on to compete with Julie Andrews and Robert Murphy, but now competes under the Czechia flag with Sara Vingralkova, 21, a consistent performer at junior and young rider European Championships. The young rider also takes the 14-year-old Belgian-bred gelding Kas-Sini DC.

Sandra’s 91-year-old mother Jacky had originally picked out How Easy’s sire Talan in a catalogue as a three-year-old and has hit the jackpot using him with broodmare Come Easy. Both Sandra and Jacky will be glued to the livestream as they continue to follow How Easy’s progress in Riyadh.

“Mum’s had the thrill of following him the whole way through, we’re so proud,” says Sandra. “They’ll be the babies of the class, but I love the way Sara rides him –How Easy has landed on his feet with her.”

Sandra’s late father Dugald bought How Easy’s grandam in-foal along with another mare at a local auction and her offspring, Come Easy, has produced a string of quality youngsters, including How Easy’s full-sister Mytee Easy LM, currently jumping with Molly Andrews and Julie Andrews.

“How Easy did two shows as a four-year-old and won the four-year-old sport horse at the Highland Show, then we just hacked him about when he was five and let him grow,” explains Sandra. “I registered him when he was six and he immediately won a British novice, but this was just before my hip operation and this horse was too beautiful and sensitive for me to ride at the time – it broke my heart as he was so lovely, but I knew I wasn’t the right person to ride him.

“I kept a share in him but Julie Andrews did the next steps, then Rob Murphy took him to the next level before Sara bought him. He was always beautiful and they all live up to their Easy names.”

History in the making at the World Cup Final?

For Japan, the sole representative Shinichiro Sugiyama rides the aptly named Rising Sun, while from the Eurasian League, Nurjan Tuyakbaev hopes to become the first rider from Uzbekistan to win the World Cup crown. Angelos Touloupis of Greece (Lord Mexx) is among the entries from the Central European League.

This is the first time the World Cup Final showjumping has been held in Saudi Arabia, with a record-breaking 2.6million euros in prize money on offer at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

The first jumping competition begins on 17 April, continuing with round two the following day, with the winner decided on Saturday 20 April. You can keep up to date with all the action with H&H.

A historic backdrop and why a tack change backfired for the world number one

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 18 Sep 2023 17:13:40 +0000

We had a bumper weekend of international showjumping news and results from around the world this week. As Irish showjumper Shane Sweetnam said after helping his country win team silver at the European Showjumping Championships this month when reflecting on Ireland’s success at the recent European youth championships, “The future looks good for us. World domination isn’t too far away!”

This was underlined at this week’s Nations Cup Youth Final in Belgium where Ireland added yet another gold to their growing medal haul and Great Britain added to their collection, too.

Talking of world domination, world champions King Edward and the world number one Henrik von Eckermann were back doing what they do best, this time claiming victory in a sweltering Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Rome.

Read on for this week’s round-up of international showjumping news and results.

Showjumping news: Team gold for Ireland’s pony riders

At the FEI Jumping Nations Cup Youth Final at Sentower Park, Opglabbeek, Belgium, Ireland’s pony team won team gold, with Belgium taking silver and Great Britain bronze. Kian Dore (Sparkling Lackaghmore Joey), Emily Moloney with Lady Crown, Paddy Reape on Fernando and James Derwin (Rincoola Babog) won on a score of four, thanks to a hat-trick of final clears when the team was down to all three scores needing to count.

“There’s no secret, success breeds success,” said Irish chef d’equipe Gary Marshall, adding of the committed investment to training in ponies: “We have a team system at home.”

The British quartet of Izabella Rogers (Neil 55), Georgia Cooper-Hall on Saxton Freedam, Katie Bradburne riding Ardough Boy and Madison Seedhouse (Vaughann De Vuzit) claimed bronze with a team score of 12.

“We were a little unlucky in both rounds with silly four faults adding up but I was pleased with them, Katie was very good on her first trip away,” said chef d’equipe Clare Whitaker.

Ireland’s silver medallists at the FEI Youth Nations Cup Finals. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Ireland’s juniors also won silver (pictured above), where the Netherlands brought home gold after a tense jump-off. This time Eoin Brennan (Eskola M), Stephen Gibbons (Cassius Z), James Brennan (MHS I’m The One) and Coen Williams (Conthanja) flew the Irish flag. They were joined on the podium by bronze medal-winning USA.

The young rider gold went to Sweden, topping Denmark and Belgium on the podium, while the Netherlands brought home gold for the juniors; the Dutch claimed another victory in the children’s competition, with Belgium in silver and Italy in bronze.

Showjumping news: King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann swoop to victory at the LGCT Rome. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Why a tack change backfired for the world number one

In Italy, Swedish world number one Henrik von Eckermann and the world-conquering King Edward triumphed in spectacular style in the €440,000 Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Rome for the second year running. Against the backdrop of the historic ruins of the Circus Maximus, this incredible duo took top spot ahead of David Will riding My Prins Van Dorperheide, with two riders sharing the third step on the podium – Peder Fredricson (Catch Me Not S) and Andreas Schou (I Know), who both stopped the jump-off clock in 42.27sec.

Many will remember King Edward’s uncharacteristically lacklustre performances at the LGCT of London and Henrik believes a tack change may have backfired.

“I had two shows that were not that great with King Edward,” explained Henrik. “I lost a bit of the feeling and there were a couple of things, like I changed to a hackamore, and I just had the feeling that something is not really like it should be. I was almost getting a bit crazy because you know how it should feel, but you don’t really ‘get it’.”

Henrik expressed his delight at getting ‘that’ feeling back in Rome.

“Of course, winning is amazing, but that feeling you get when you are back and the horse is with you 100%, that team is back… that is everything,” he said.

As both Henrik and runner-up David had already claimed their golden tickets to the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs, the slot was bestowed on both Peder and Andreas, which Peder, who has recently returned from a neck injury, said he “certainly didn’t see that one coming”.

“I was very happy about that!” he said.

Henrik von Eckermann dances his way to the top of the podium at the LGCT Rome at the Circus Maximus. (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Tabitha Kyle makes showjumping news with a double of grands prix

Also at the FEI Nations Cup Youth Final in Belgium, 16-year-old Tabitha Kyle won a total of six classes, including the pony grand prix riding Atomic Du Bary, where she also finished third on Gangnam Style II, separated by Ireland’s Senan Reape on Catness 8. She also claimed top spot in the junior grand prix on another owned by TJ Hall, the 15-year-old mare Desterly.

“I couldn’t ask for more, I’m very happy,” said Tabitha, who was joined on the winner’s sheet by team-mate Jennifer Billington and the six-year-old Sualire Z racing to victory in the 1.30m grand prix, Noora von Bulow, who won an under-25 double with Interstar B and Lucky Lisa, where Phoebe Farman and Diara Sue slotted into second place, and multi-winning Izabella Rogers in the pony classes where Ruby Payne also secured a two-phase on Calimero.

Showjumping news: ‘I had a good feeling all weekend’

German showjumper Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 (main image, top) triumphed in the 1.50m speed class at the LGCT Rome, just ahead of in-form Peder Fredricson riding Hansson WL.

“I had a good feeling all weekend but have been a little bit unlucky,” said Christian. “In this class I knew that the oxer of Lugano Diamonds had plenty of risk as the rail fell for a few riders, but I took the risk and it really paid off.”

European champion rolls on to grand prix glory

Just two weeks after claiming the European championship crown, gold medallist Steve Guerdat won the CSI3* grand prix at Samorin, Slovakia, riding Double Jeu D’Honvault as the fastest of four double clears.

Whitakers go close in Saint Tropez

Our showjumping news round-up wouldn’t be complete without a mention for the Whitaker family. The CSI3* 1.55m grand prix at Hubside Jumping, Saint Tropez, was won by Dutch rider Johnny Pals on Zarkava Hero Z with Great Britain’s Jack Whitaker chasing him home for the runner-up spot on the family’s great campaigner Equine America Valmy De La Lande. Jack’s cousin Donald Whitaker finished third in the two-star equivalent riding Ulania 3.

Gredley back in form

Also in showjumping news this week, Great Britain’s Tim Gredley jumped the really promising 10-year-old Imperial HBF to a third-place finish in the CSI2* grand prix at Bonheiden, Belgium, also finishing in the money in the young horse classes with Tres Bien Z.

‘It doesn’t get better than this’: Sweden make history to reign as Olympic, world and European showjumping champions

Jennifer Donald — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 15:19:52 +0000

After a thrilling final decider to the team competition at the European Showjumping Championships at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, Italy (30 August-3 September), Sweden have come out as the new European champions.

Such was their dominance in the third and final round of team jumping, the gold medal was secured fairly early on, leaving their rivals to fight it out for the remaining medals. In the end it would be Ireland who claimed silver, with a real surprise in the bronze medal position as Austria earned a historic first European Showjumping Championships team medal.

Sweden won the gold medal at the World Championships in Herning last year, to add to their Olympic crown from Tokyo the year before. Somewhat surprisingly Sweden had never claimed the European crown, but in Milan, Italy, they conquered all once again, becoming the first nation since Germany 25 years ago to hold the world, European and Olympic titles at the same time.

“I’m lost for words,” said Swedish chef d’equipe Henrik Ankacrona. “It’s the first time Sweden holds the European title in showjumping.

“I’ve been trying to bring up new combinations and to get riders to try new horses and to look long-term. The big goal is the Paris Olympics, so these championships are very important. We knew that if everyone performed their best, and raised the bar a bit even, we could be on the podium, but to be here in the gold medal position is unbelievable.

“To be European, Olympic and world champions? I didn’t even realise, someone just told me about that. But it certainly doesn’t get much better than that.”

European Showjumping Championships: Swedish dominance

In the final day’s competition on Friday (1 September), Swedish pathfinder Henrik von Eckermann and Iliana, opened with four faults which would be the drop score because three clears then followed, from Wilma Hellstrom (Cicci BJN), Jens Fredricson on Markan Cosmopolit and Rolf-Goran Bengtsson riding Zuccero.

Despite just one penalty separating the top four teams coming into this medal decider, Sweden’s team total score of 9.51 ended up nearly nine points clear of Ireland, with Austria climbing up the leaderboard to finish third after both Switzerland and Germany both dropped out of contention. Great Britain finished in ninth place.

“We were having so much fun,” said Wilma Hellstrom. “Uliano Vezzani builds very fair courses – for sure the jumps are bigger today than yesterday. But that was absolutely amazing. My mare felt like she was jumping 1.40m. She was just playing around. I didn’t feel any pressure, I was actually feeling very kind of zen for some strange reason. Even when Henrik had one down I said ‘OK, I have to do this’. We know each other so well and I just had to go in and do my job. I have no words for this horse, she does everything for me, it gives me goosebumps.”

Jens Fredricson, who also leads the individual standings with Markan Cosmopolit, said: “That was just amazing. I’m so happy, this was a real team set-up.

“It is always a surprise when you win – you always you try to do your best, but you can do nothing about the other riders. So if the other riders were better than us, then they would have won. But this time we were the best.”

A remarkable plan for Team Sweden

Jens continued: “Championships are always unpredictable. I wasn’t worried that [final rider] Rolf would lose his concentration if we told him we’d already won gold, but actually he asked so he also knew and he did amazing. This is just great.”

Sweden have set out a remarkable plan looking ahead to the Paris Olympics and will surely be the ones to beat again next year.

“I think one thing that is so good about the Swedish team is that we each have a very early plan for our horses,” revealed Jens, who was part of the gold medal-winning team at last year’s World Championships alongside his brother Peder Fredricson.

“Even as far back as November, I knew what shows we were going to this year and that I was doing three teams – Rome, La Baule and Aachen, fantastic shows and I knew I was going to have my horse in the best form for these European Showjumping Championships. So that’s one thing we have – the best horses have a certain plan and we stick to that. I think that’s a very good thing.”

After a rest day on Saturday (2 September), the European Showjumping Championships conclude with the individual final on Sunday (3 September) where the top 25 individuals will jump in the first round, with just 12 going forwards to the individual medal decider.

Horse & Hound has a team of reporters covering all the European showjumping action. To keep reading on our website after five articles, readers will need to buy a subscription. Visit horseandhound.co.uk/join to buy a Horse & Hound website unlimited subscription or, for great value, visit magazinesdirect.com for a combined magazine and website subscription. If you are already a magazine subscriber, the cost to upgrade your subscription to include full website access is minimal – call 0330 333 1113 to find out more.

‘I don’t think anyone is surprised, but we have a good feeling’: meet the overnight leaders of the European Showjumping Championships

Jennifer Donald — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:10:28 +0000

A brilliant and quick clear on the opening day of the European Showjumping Championships at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, Italy (30 August-3 September) has propelled Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit into the gold medal position in both the team and individual rankings.

The Swedish rider and this brilliant 12-year-old gelding were part of the gold medal-winning squad at last year’s World Championships, alongside Jens’ brother Peder Fredricson.

They started their European campaign with an eye-catching clear in 71.98sec, half a second faster than his nearest rival, Martin Fuchs on Leone Jei for Switzerland, who were silver medallists at the 2021 European Showjumping Championships, while Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Zineday finished in the bronze medal position on day one in Milan.

“I had a good plan.” explained Jens. “I could feel I could get a good rhythm the whole way round and he was really motivated and relaxed.”

The Swedish squad are the reigning Olympic champions as well as the world champions, but have yet to win the European title. Remarkably, all four team riders finished in the top 12 from a start list of 85 in the first qualifying competition for team and individual athletes.

European Showjumping Championships: super Swedes dominate

Henrik von Eckermann, saving the brilliant King Edward for next year’s Olympic Games, posted the second-fastest round of the day but with four seconds to add, on the exciting mare Iliana, to finish the day in sixth position. They were one place above the oldest rider at these championships, 61-year-old veteran and former European champion Rolf-Goran Bengtsson on Zuccero.

Such was the squad’s brilliance, Wilma Hellstrom’s outstanding clear with the one-eyed Cicci BJN ended up being the drop score.

“We have a good amount of experience now in championships and being up there,” said Jens, 55. “We have learned a lot in the last year. So I don’t think anyone is surprised in the team being in the lead, actually. We have a good feeling – but we know it’s just the start. It’s like when you go in a slalom, there are bends on the way down.”

Sweden lead Switzerland and Germany in the team rankings, with Ireland in fourth and Great Britain placed 10th going into Thursday’s team jumping competition.

‘Heart of a lion, mind of a professor’: brilliant mare hits the big time

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 19 Jun 2023 16:02:56 +0000

When Shane Breen won last year’s Queen Elizabeth II Cup at the Royal International with the stunning grey mare Haya, we were instantly smitten. But now she’s proved she’s competitive at the highest level, finishing second in her five-star grand prix debut – to the mighty combination of Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, no less.

Closer to home, there was an emotional victory for Billy Twomey and the “freakishly” talented stallion Chat Botte ED, who was owned by the late Sue Davis, in the CSI3* grand prix at Bolesworth International. Read on for all this week’s international showjumping news and results.

‘It took the best combination in the world to beat us!’

The €480,000 Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Stockholm was won by home hero Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, but chasing them home just 0.06sec slower was Shane Breen riding his 2022 Queen Elizabeth II Cup winner Haya, who was making her five-star grand prix debut. Marcus Ehning and Stargold finished third.

Shane described the stunning grey mare as having “The heart of a lion, the mind of a professor”.

“I’ve been riding her a lot in speed classes, so I knew she was pretty quick,” said Shane. “But I thought to get on the podium would be amazing, to win would just be another dream. To come second, I am absolutely over the moon.

“It took the best combination in the world to beat us!”

Scott Brash and Hello Mr President also secured a win at the five-star show.

LGCT Stockholm results

British victory at Spruce Meadows

Team GB rider Amanda Derbyshire landed the 1.50m RBC Capital Markets Cup 1.50m class at Spruce Meadows riding the stallion Otto BG.

“It’s a whole different ball game out there in the international ring,” said Amanda. “It very much reminds me of Aachen and Hickstead – big famous rings – and it’s very special to ride in them.”

Second-placed Conor Swail also secured a 1.45m win of his own with Gamble, who has a 42% top-10 strike rate in 1.40m-plus classes, while his countryman Darragh Kenny braved the rain to win with Chic Chic, as well as the CSI2* grand prix on Vancouver Dreams.

“It was a great day, I haven’t been to Spruce Meadows in probably four or five years and it’s a fantastic facility,” said Darragh. “The rainy weather didn’t bother me.”

Spruce Meadows results

Nations Cup thriller

The defending champions in the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup series, Belgium, won in Sopot, Poland, just beating first-round leaders Argentina, who are bidding for Olympic qualification, by one point. Germany and Switzerland finished third and fourth, separated only by time.

“The most nervous of all today was me,” said chef d’equipe Peter Weinburg. “They kept their nerve and produced brilliant round after another and that’s how we won.”

Sopot results

Showjumping news: ‘Luck was on my side’

Shane Sweetnam won the $100,000 CSI3* 1.50m Lugano Diamonds grand prix on the Split Rock Jumping Tour with the fastest of only two double clears round Alan Wade’s track with new ride Gilona AO.

“Today, luck was on my side, so I knew what I had to do and I was able to execute it,” said Shane.

A poignant Bolesworth victory

Ireland’s Billy Twomey won the CSI3* Cavago grand prix at the Bolesworth International with the “freakishly” talented 15-year-old stallion Chat Botte ED, owned by the late Sue Davies.

“He is an outstanding jumper who’s always been freakish over a fence,” said Billy of his breeding stallion, who finished ahead of countryman Jonathan Smyth on Mulvin Lui, with Guy Williams third on Ernie Of Greenhill Z for Great Britain.

“It’s an emotional win. Bolesworth is only 20 minutes from Pewit Hall, where Sue used to live. I sometimes pick up my phone and have to stop myself from trying to call her, as I always called her after a win. She was a huge supporter of mine for 22 years, which is almost unheard of in our sport.”

Bolesworth results

You can read all the showjumping news, including the full report from Bolesworth International, in this week’s Horse & Hound magazine, in the shops Thursday 22 June.

World number one wins World Cup title as British riders suffer disappointment

Nancy Jaffer — Sun, 09 Apr 2023 08:00:41 +0000

World number one-ranked Henrik von Eckermann looked the odds-on favorite to win the 2023 Longines FEI World Cup Showjumping finals in Omaha, Nebraska, but realising his destiny turned out to be no sure thing.

The 2022 world champion won the initial speed leg of the cup on Wednesday 5 April with the marvellous King Edward, but Great Britain’s Scott Brash was right behind him. He and Hello Jefferson finished their round in 59.23 seconds, just missing the leader’s mark of 59.09 seconds.

The victory gave Henrik 41 points, one more than the number of riders in the competition, while Scott had 39. The other British rider, Harry Charles, was 17th overall on Balou du Reventon, after adding three seconds for a downed rail to their original time of 60.21 seconds.

But things changed dramatically on the second day, when King Edward had an uncharacteristic rail and didn’t make the jump-off. In retrospect, Henrik thought jumping one less round turned out to be a blessing, leaving the horse fresher for the final two-round competition two days later.

Germany’s Richard Vogel won the second leg with United Touch S, while Harry made a marvellous comeback with Balou, a stallion he began riding only at the end of last year. Finishing second put him in a tie for seventh overall, within sighting distance of a possible podium finish. It didn’t go as well for Scott, who missed the jump-off with three rails down.

Meanwhile, Henrik had dropped to third place, as Andreas Schou of Denmark (Darc de Lux) and Switzerland’s Pius Schweizer (Vancouver de Lanlore) ended up tied for first in the overall standings.

The top 30 came back on Saturday night (8 April) to determine the placings. The field was cut to 20 after the first round over a clever route designed by Bernardo Costa Cabral and his team, who put together a completely different challenge for the second round. Harry had 12 penalties for the evening, putting him ninth overall, while Scott ended up 11th with a total of eight added to his penalties from the two previous days. Andreas and Pius each had a total of 12 penalties for the evening to take them out of contention for the podium.

It appeared after the first round that Henrik might have to wait another year for his destiny, after dropping a rail, but he went clear in the second round to take the top spot on the podium. The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders took the second spot after earning only four faults for the evening with Monaco. The USA’s Hunter Holloway had eight faults in the first round of the night with the spicy Pepita con Spita, but went clear over the second course to finish third.

During the presentation, Henrik kissed the trophy as he realised a dream he had had since childhood.

“When I was very young I always went to the Gothenburg Horse Show (in Sweden), and watched the World Cup,” Henrik said. “It was always a big, big goal and a dream for me to have my name on that trophy. So for me, it’s very special.”

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Scott Brash sets Britain’s World Cup dreams alight

Becky Murray — Thu, 06 Apr 2023 14:04:26 +0000

Scott Brash is keeping Britain’s World Cup dreams alight as he lies in second place behind world champions Henrik Von Eckermann and King Edward.

Last night (5 April) the opening round of the showjumping World Cup final took place in Omaha, USA. 40 starters from 19 nations tackled Bernardo Costa Cabral’s 13-fence track.

Scott Brash and his Tokyo Olympic and World Championships ride Hello Jefferson were seventh to jump and went into the top spot, with a time of 59.23sec. Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Tobago Z looked like they might threaten Scott’s lead, but the pair had to settle for second place. It was last-in Henrik Von Eckermann and King Edward who closed the evening on top, stopping the clock on 59.09sec.

“I’m very happy with Jefferson, I thought he jumped fantastic”, said Scott of the 14-year-old gelding. “He’s amazing, he’s capable of winning anything. I’ve always believed in him and it’s just about things going right on the day. So far, so good.”

“He’s a quick horse but he gets tense so I try to do the round that’s comfortable for him. I was very happy with the first half and then just at the end he got a little bit keen, he lost his relaxation a bit, but he jumped the last good and hopefully we can keep him settled for tomorrow.”

Henrik made use of being the last rider to jump.

“It was an advantage to watch a little bit to see how much risk you really need to take without getting too crazy,” he said.

“I got my plan done. Scott’s horse is completely different so I just did my plan that suited my horse. To the triple bar [fence 6] I could do one less, he did nine, I did eight, so I knew there I’d have a bit of time, and on the other ones I kept the pace going. We did nine to the last when many did 10. These small things meant that I was in front.”

Harry Charles is the only other Brit competing in the showjumping World Cup final; he lies in 17th on Balou du Reventon. Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Brooklyn Heights are in 18th, and Daniel Coyle and Legacy are 25th. Last year’s winner Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei are 22nd, after having two fences down.

The jump-off class takes place this evening (6 April), and the final two-round competition on Saturday (8 April).

‘This means the world’: Whitaker’s thrilling start to 2023 and Ehning versus von Eckermann – who won this week

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:53:56 +0000

Showjumping results are coming in thick and fast from all over the world as the sport returns to full throttle and 2023 couldn’t have started better for British showjumper Joe Whitaker. The world champion Henrik von Eckermann is also back in flying form while Harry Charles debuts a new ride and Scott Brash maintains his winning ways.

Here is your weekly round-up of some of this week’s international sporting action, plus showjumping results.

‘This win is up there as number one’

Joe Whitaker landed the biggest win of his career when heading the Al Shira’aa Longines Diamond Tour FEI Jumping World Cup grand prix at the CSI4*-W Al Shira’aa International in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Sunday (15 January). In an 11-strong jump-off, he and Jessica Crane’s 11-year-old Hulahupe JR rocketed home over 1.5sec quicker than runner-up Billy Twomey riding Chat Botte ED.

“This win is up there as number one,” said Joe, who landed his first grand prix with Hulahupe in July last year. “He [Hulahupe] is my best friend. He is an amazing horse, and he has the heart of a lion. He wanted to jump the fences more than I did today. I am lucky to have him.

“I saw Billy Twomey go, and he went around to number two, the wall, but he absolutely put pedal to the metal everywhere else, so if you wanted to win you had to come inside it. It was a really difficult turn, so my mind was purely on that turn and then try to be as fast as I could everywhere else.”

“It’s a big gamble coming here [to the UAE] with the worry of travelling and the size of the fences, but it’s an amazing show. I’m absolutely delighted to be here and to get a result like that means the absolute world to me,” added Joe, pictured in action, below.

Taking third on the podium was Portugal’s Duarte Seabra riding Dourados, with Jessica Burke fourth on the Liam Nicholas-owned Nikey HH. The fifth double clear was produced by Tim Gredley riding Medoc De Toxandria.

Al Shira’aa International World Cup results

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

One stride proves crucial between Henrik von Eckermann and Marcus Ehning

World champions Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden and the brilliant King Edward (pictured below) landed their second Longines FEI World Cup qualifier of the 2022/23 series in Basel, Switzerland, after a thrilling seven-way jump-off which came down to fractions of a second. The world number one flew home 0.06sec quicker than his nearest challenger Marcus Ehning, on Stargold, who is bidding to compete at his 20th World Cup Final.

“I was very worried about Marcus, but my luck was that he went six strides to the double and I got there in five,” said Henrik, who was following up on his success in Verona in November and is targeting the World Cup Final in Omaha, USA, in April.

Henrik and the 13-year-old gelding were drawn second against the clock over a shortened track that featured two long runs and a crucial rollback to planks at fence 11.

“It wasn’t easy, especially after the long run to the previous jump when you picked up speed and then of course had the turn-back and then the combination [double], and you also had to get the angle right to that combination,” said Henrik, who also won the previous day’s prestigious Golden Drum competition on Calizi. “So there were a few things you had to think about, but it was good sport!”

Taking third in the World Cup was Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer, who gave it his all with Vancouver de Lanlore.

Four legs now remain in Europe and Henrik tops the leaderboard, with Harry Charles the highest ranked Brit in fifth.

Longines CHI Classics Basel World Cup results

BASEL - Longines CHI Classics 2023VON ECKERMANN Henrik (SWE), King EdwardLONGINES FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Basel presented by J. Safra SarasinInt. jumping competition with jump-off (1.60 m) - CSI5* Competition counts for the LONGINES RANKINGSBasel, St. Jakobshalle15. January 2023© www.sportfotos-lafrentz.de / Stefan Lafrentz (Image credit: Stefan Lafrentz)

Inpulss seizes the opportunity

Ireland’s Jessica Burke was another CSI4* winner at the Al Shira’aa International Horse Show riding Inpulss. Friday the 13th proved lucky for this pair as they came home quickest in the 1.40m Bolesworth Elite Auction gold tour two-phase. Joe Whitaker was back in the money here, finishing fourth and fifth with new ride Dream Roller and Icaterina.

There was an impressive Breen Equestrian one-two in the seven-year-olds with Michael Duffy winning on Geniale Star Kervec, just ahead of Shane Breen riding Be Stakkato.

Al Shira’aa International Horse Show results

A ‘magic night’ for Darragh Kenny in week one of WEF

Ireland’s Darragh Kenny landed the CSI3* grand prix during week one of the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) in Wellington, Florida, riding his top-string stallion Volnay Du Boisdeville, who he’s been riding for 18 months.

“He’s an incredible horse and he’s better when he’s fresh,” Darragh said of the 14-year-old Winningmood stallion (pictured above) owned by Teddy Vlock, who was celebrating his birthday that night. “You can trust him at the jumps and he’s very fast in jump-offs.

“For me, the hardest two jumps were the third last and second last, so I just had to be a bit careful there, but he was jumping brilliantly. He was flying,” said Darragh, who was the trailblazer in the jump-off, winning in a time of 37.58sec ahead of last-drawn Carly Anthony of USA riding Jet Blue, with Laura Kraut third on grand prix debutant Dorado 212. “It was a magic night in the end.”

Vlock Show Stables’ groom Alejandro Suarez was also recognised in the prize-giving, receiving the $500 groom’s award.

WEF week one showjumping results

Swail wins, despite ‘slowing it down’

Conor Swail of Ireland returned to his winning ways in 2023 when landing the $145,100 CSI3* Whittier Trust grand prix at Desert International Horse Park on Sunday (15 January). When the early jump-off competitors all faulted, last-drawn Conor had only one option with Theo 160 (pictured above).

“There were two very fast four-faulters and two eight-faulters so my strategy was to go around clear,” he explained. “I thought my horse was jumping well enough this week that we could gamble on slowing it down and just trying to jump a clean round.”

The 11-year-old Christian 25 gelding, bred by Jenny Abrahamsson and owned by Team Philippaerts, was jump-off ready.

“He dove a little right on me over fence one; he was probably waiting for me to do a sharp turn or something,” said Conor. “That wasn’t really the plan. It was just about trying to get home safely. Thankfully it went to plan apart from that first jump there.”

Theo 160 has been on a great run but “wasn’t himself for a period of time” said Conor.

“He was still trying hard but he had lost a bit of confidence and a bit of stride. We went through the basics of how healthy he was feeling and did some exercise and training at home. We got the vet to look at him and got him going again, and off he went. Normally Theo is not my number one horse but it was his job to be number one this week and he really stepped up. He had a fabulous week.”

Brash steers President to success

Great Britain’s Scott Brash returned to the winner’s enclosure, claiming top spot in Friday’s 1.45m Land Rover prize two-phase at the five-star show in Basel, Switzerland, riding Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s 14-year-old Hello Mr President.

Longines CHI Classics Basel results

Harry Charles finishes in the money with new ride

British team rider Harry Charles made an eye-catching show ring debut with new ride, Ann Thompson’s 17-year-old stallion Balou Du Reventon, and finished in the ribbons on the Spring MET (Mediterranean Equestrian Tour) in Oliva Nova, Spain. Harry also took fourth to Gudrun Patteet (Sea Coast Naturele Van Het Reigershof) in the silver tour grand prix with a smart double clear performance on Sherlock. Stephanie Gunn (Quianti) and Rosie Gunn (Jagerbomb) were also bronze tour winners, while the former also claimed victory with five-year-old Quickstep and finished second overall.

Spring MET results

‘He got himself out of trouble’: even a mistimed buck can’t stop this speedy winning duo

Jennifer Donald — Sun, 11 Dec 2022 09:41:53 +0000

Saturday night’s speed class at the CHI Geneva was action-packed, with Conor Swail’s Vital Chance De La Roque losing his bridle and running free. Even the brilliant winning performance from Conor’s team-mate Shane Sweetnam wasn’t without incident.

Shane and his outstanding partner, the 13-year-old grey gelding Alejandro, rocketed out of the starting blocks to clear the first three fences, but almost came unstuck at fence four – a lofty oxer off an acute turn-back from an airy vertical.

“When I was rolling back, he wasn’t really looking and he gave a little buck and that put us in trouble,” Shane told H&H.

The gelding managed to paddle his way over the huge oxer – without touching a single pole in the process.

“He got himself out of trouble! After that, he got it back together and really finished strong,” said Shane.

The pair powered round the snaking track, which featured three sets of doubles, in the show’s vast indoor arena and Shane punched the air in delight on seeing he’d soared into the lead in a time of 63.13sec, beating long-time leader Henrik von Eckermann on Glamour Girl by just 0.17sec.

Shane Sweetnam: ‘It’s on the bucket list’

“It’s on the bucket list to win a five-star class in Geneva,” said Shane Sweetnam. “I’ve won in Aachen, La Baule, Dublin, a lot of places, but never here. This is only my second time in Geneva, but last time I was in this class I had the fastest time but with one fence down, so I didn’t have luck that day but I definitely had a bit of luck today.”

Paying tribute to his Tokyo Olympic partner Alejandro, who has been a multi-winner for Shane over the years, he said: “He’s been brilliant and he’s had a fantastic year – he’s come back strong and nearly everywhere he’s gone he’s been in the money.

“He’s finished now, so he’ll have a break till February in Florida – he’s deserved it,” said Shane.

The highest placed British rider was Ben Maher, who finished eighth with a nippy round on Enjeu De Grisien.

‘He’ll go down in history’: incredible duo prove again why they’re the best in the world

Jennifer Donald — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 08:32:40 +0000

The reigning world champions Henrik von Eckermann and his tremendous gelding King Edward proved unbeatable once again to win the 21st running of the IJRC Top 10 Final at the CHI Geneva in Switzerland on Friday night (8 December).

“This is a very special win for me,” said Henrik, who, with his gallant partner, the 12-year-old King Edward, will surely go down in showjumping history as one of the all-time greats and received a standing ovation from the appreciative sell-out Swiss crowd.

“This class was my focus after the world championships, it’s been a target for many years. But this horse really deserved to be up there with all these good horses [past winners include Explosion W, Hickstead, Hello Sanctos, Baloubet Du Rouet and Shutterfly] because he’s absolutely one of them. He’s an historic horse and I’m just honoured to be able to ride him.”

Ten of the world’s leading riders lined up for the 21st Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in this prestigious five-star event and anticipation rippled through the crowd as each rider in turn was introduced to the crowd before one of the greatest showdowns in the sport commenced.

Course designers Louis Konickx and Gerard Lachat built two testing tracks which snaked round the vast Palexpo arena for the 10 contenders in the IJRC Top 10 Final. Run in reverse order of their world rankings, USA rider McLain Ward opened with a snappy clear on Contagious, just quarter of a second inside the time. They’d made it look easy but then Frenchman Kevin Staut followed with an eight-fault round on the 13-year-old Toulon mare, Visconti Du Telman.

Dual Olympic individual silver medallist Peder Fredricson and the lofty grey Catch Me Not S looked to have taken the track all in their stride, but a glance at the clock revealed a crucial time-fault. Would that prove costly as the competition unfolded?

“He’s a quick horse with a slow rider!” smiled Peder afterwards.

We then had two clears in quick succession from Brazillian rider Marlon Zanotelli and the tail-swishing Like A Diamond Van Het Schaeck and Simon Delestre with the Hickstead-sired Cayman Jolly Jumper.

Ben Maher: ‘A bit unexpected’

“A bit unexpected” was how Great Britain’s sole representative Ben Maher described relatively new ride Exit Remo’s stop at the treble combination. Ben was last year’s winner when riding Explosion W, but he came home with a 31 fault-total with a rail added at the Rolex double, proving how quickly the time faults rack up after a refusal nowadays.

Faults followed for Harrie Smolders (Monaco), who tapped an airy vertical on a tight turnback, while there were groans as the phenomenal winning pair of Julien Epaillard and Caracole De La Roque came home on eight faults, before home rider Martin Fuchs (Conner Jei) also collected four.

As the number one ranked rider, Henrik was last to go in round one and King Edward looked better than ever, clearing each fence by at least a foot, giving us our fourth clear in round one.

Round two of the IJRC Top 10 Final accelerated into a brilliant finale, with tension building as riders jumped a slightly shortened course of nine fences in reverse order from the previous round and, with live interviews held with each rider after every round, the insight for spectators was superb.

Ben Maher and Exit Remo returned to tackle the new obstacles with real class and posted a spotless clear, to finish on their first round score.

“We came through that [first round upset], he’s a horse for the future and hopefully Explosion will be back in the team with these horses next year,” said Ben.

Julien Epaillard returned carrying his eight faults from round one, with the mare Caracole fighting for her head round a midway bend, as she so often does, and the pair met the distinctive “cow” fence too deep and had four to add.

Kevin Staut, a former winner and competing in this class for the 10th time, added a clear to his eight faults from round one, taking all the inside turns, and then Harrie Smolders replicated his quick clear to take the lead with a four-fault total on Monaco and put the pressure on his higher ranked opponents.

Peder Fredricson: ‘You have to risk it all to win’

Martin Fuchs dropped down the leader board with a tally of 12 faults in round two before the striking pair of Catch Me Not S and the world number 11 Peder Fredricson trotted into the arena, bidding for another clear.

“Of course I was a bit disappointed with my time-fault in the first round, but going into the second round I was really nervous to get a time-fault there also, because sometimes when you want to go slow you can easily add up to three time faults with this new rule [one fault per second],” said Peder and, having survived a lucky rub at the penultimate vertical, he nailed another clear, this time within the 60sec allowed.

“I knew it was possible to be on the podium with one fault – in a competition like this everyone wants to win, you have to risk it all to win and when your risk, a pole can easily fall down.”

The contest all came down to the final three riders on a zero score. McLain Ward set off with the bright chestnut Contagious at a great pace but just toppled the third fence from home to slip behind Peder.

“It was rider error, I should have just trusted my horse,” said the dual Olympic team gold medallist.

Henrik von Eckermann: ‘I thought, oh no I’m going to be second again’

Then came the familiar silhouette of the little chestnut King Edward with his tall jockey Henrik perched forward in the saddle as they rocketed off from the first fence and pinged over the fences. Henrik, who finished second in the class last year, set the target of a double clear in 48.42sec , but the Swede was left thinking his run to the final oxer was too slow, leaving him vulnerable to the final two competitors.

“It all went according to plan except the last line,” he explained. “I wanted to do seven strides but I got a bit close to the vertical at the second last and I didn’t see the forward strides so I had to wait for another one and it felt like for ever.

“I thought ‘Oh no, I’m going to be second again.’ But luck was on my side today.”

Pressure told as IJRC Top 10 Final debutant Marlon and Like A Diamond gambled everything, but they met the vertical two from home off an acute bend on a tricky stride, and the mare was in two minds whether to take off, then put down, crashing through the fence for four faults.

“I tried to be competitive but that’s the sport,” Marlon reflected.

It all came down to Simon Delestre with the huge striding Cayman Jolly Jumper. They flew round the track, but despite an absolute flyer to the last, the pair finished nearly a second slower than their Swedish rivals and a well deserved victory went to Henrik von Eckermann with his phenomenal partner King Edward.

“The owner couldn’t be here last year so for him to see this today is fantastic,” said Henrik, who as well as reigning as the world number one for the past five months, was crowned world champion and married his long-time partner Janika Sprunger in an unforgettable year. “He’s an incredible horse.”

Runner-up Simon Delestre reflected of Cayman Jolly Jumper, with whom he has contested Nations Cup and the world championships: “This is his first year at this level, his first time in Geneva, and he just keeps on improving.”

Third placed Peder Fredricson added: “It was a fantastic competition, good sport, top horses and it was really exciting to the last rider.”

King Edward rules again and a teenager enjoys an ‘I beat John Whitaker’ moment

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 16:06:32 +0000

The reigning world champions Henrik von Eckermann and his equine superstar King Edward made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure this week after the 12-year-old gelding “struggled to return to good form” after a post-World Championships break. Meanwhile a Liechtenstein teenager enjoyed an “incredible” five-star win, beating the legendary John Whitaker no less. Great Britain’s James Smith and Irish showjumper Bertram Allen are also among this week’s grand prix winners while Israeli rider Daniel Bluman ends up risking it all in the heat of a World Cup jump-off, and his gamble produces handsome rewards.

Here is H&H’s weekly round up of the past week’s international action from the world of showjumping, plus showjumping results.

King Edward reigns once again: ‘He’s a genius’

Swedish rider Henrik von Eckermann and the brilliantly talented 12-year-old gelding King Edward triumphed in the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier presented by Scuderia 1918 in Verona, Italy, in a seven-strong jump-off. Taking second with the only other double clear was last-drawn Gerfried Puck of Austria riding the relatively inexperienced nine-year-old Equitron Naxcel V. Great Britain’s Harry Charles took third with his Olympic partner Romeo 88, having clocked the fastest time but with the final fence falling for four faults.

“We gave King Edward a bit of a break [after the world championships] and we struggled to get back to the good form we had,” said Henrik, the double gold medallist there and current world number one. “Verona was normally not in my plan but I felt he needed one more show because he did just four classes in three months and I have two big shows coming up. So I thought I’d take him here to get him going a little bit more and today he was fantastic again!

“King is a genius horse – he proves it again and again.”

Gerfried Puck said: “I’m really proud to be second to a horse and rider combination like King Edward and Henrik, and I hope my horse in the next years will be just as famous – he has all the potential for the future.”

Third-placed Harry Charles added: “When you get into the jump-off and come so close it’s a bit gutting but that’s how it goes. I’ve got some points on the board and I’ll try to build on that.”

Talking about leading the under-25 world rankings, 23-year-old Harry added: “That’s not as cool as Henrik being world number one, but maybe one day my turn will come!”

Showjumping results from the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier in Verona

Grand prix victory for James Smith, deputising for injured Laura Renwick

British rider James Smith landed the CSI3* grand prix to conclude week four of the Vilamoura Champions Tour in Portugal. Riding the injured rider Laura Renwick’s home-bred Arkuga, he won the €25,000 top prize after a competitive 15-way jump-off. US showjumper Cathleen Driscoll claimed second on the 12-year-old Arome, while Joe Whitaker took third on Hulahupe JR. James’s success sealed a profitable week for British riders with Izac Ketteridge (Chapon VD Heffinck Z and Z7 Canya Dance), Helen Rees and Henry Squibb (Alothain De Blondel) among the CSI3* winners, while Ireland’s Trevor Breen triumphed in Saturday’s 1.45m jump-off class on Home Farm Equestrian’s ex-eventer Gonzalo.

Showjumping results from the Villamoura Champions Tour

Billy Mexico daughter lands two-star grand prix

Over in Peelbergen, the Netherlands, the CSI2* grand prix was won by Ireland’s Bertram Allen who said he was “delighted” with the 10-year-old Billy Mexico daughter Emmylou. The pair only teamed up at the start of the year and have recently posted some eye-catching five-star results.

Showjumping results from the CSI2* Peelbergen grand prix

Showjumping results: Denis Lynch rides the winning round in Verona

Ireland’s Denis Lynch also claimed a five-star win in Verona, Italy, riding the 16-year-old GC Chopin’s Bushi to victory in the Selleria Equipe winning round.

“In the deciding round I had a good starting spot and the performance of Bushi, who is a particularly experienced horse, was really brilliant,” said Denis, who topped a field of 46 competitors over Uliano Vezzani’s clever tracks.

In second was Harrie Smolders (Uricas VD Kattevennen) with Steve Guerdat third on the nine-year-old stallion Double Jeu D’Honvault.

Showjumping results from Jumping Verona

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Liechtenstein teenager enjoys an ‘I beat John Whitaker’ moment

At the CSI5* Jumping Verona in Italy, 19-year-old Liechtenstein rider Jennifer Hochstadter earned the runner-up spot in Friday’s opening class, then went one better on the final morning to win the Volkswagen accumulator with her 10-year-old Tinka’s Boy gelding CSIO Bel (pictured above). She was almost a second quicker than her nearest rival, who just happened to be British legend John Whitaker on Sharid.

“It’s really incredible,” she said. “John is a legend of the sport. I knew he scored the time to beat and I’m so happy to have succeeded.

“Bel is a very special horse for me, because he gives me everything every time. I managed to win the second competition I rode him in, in September 2020 in Saint Tropez. Before that, he was ridden by Simon Delestre, whose father Marcel is my coach, and Simon is very valuable for my growth.”

Showjumping results from Jumping Verona

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup NAL, Lexington Horse Park, KY (USA)Daniel Bluman (ISR) and Ladriano Z, on final fence in jump off in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2022/2023 North American League - Lexington, KY USA (Image credit: SHANNON BRINKMAN)

‘My plan was not to take a big risk, but I just did!’

Israel’s Daniel Bluman headed the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier in Lexington, USA, having claimed he did not wish to take a big risk to the third fence in the jump-off, a spooky wall, but his competitive spirit took over and handed him victory with long-term partner, the 14-year-old Ladriano Z (pictured above) over his six rivals.

“Jump number three was a very, very difficult fence in the jump-off, because my horse looks at the wall,” he said. “My plan was not to take a big risk, but then I just did!

“You see the people in the crowd – the kids having fun and cheering. Many years ago, we were those kids watching the National Horse Show and cheering for the riders we liked. It’s always cool when people show up and the class turns out to be an exciting one, like it was tonight.”

The win was especially poignant as the horse missed a year of competition due to injury.

“We weren’t really sure what was going to happen with his career,” said Daniel. “Last year, this was the first grand prix [back] that he jumped, and he finished third, and since then he’s had a pretty good run. He doesn’t show that often. He’s been second multiple times and third, but tonight he won. I’m really happy that he gets to put his name [in the history books] at a prestigious horse show.”

Showjumping results from the National Horse Show, Lexington

Home-bred soars to victory in Maastricht

At the CSI4* Maastricht grand prix, Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten triumphed with his home-bred 10-year-old mare Elwikke, a winner in London earlier this year. Best of the British riders in the grand prix was William Funnell riding Equine America Billy Picador, who just picked up four faults in the jump-off.

Showjumping results from the CSI4* Maastricht

Stardust teams up with a new member of the Charles family

In the 1.50m CSI3* grand prix on the Autumn MET Tour in Spain, the winner was France’s Alexa Ferrer riding Arka de La Hart Z, with Great Britain’s Sienna Charles claiming the runner-up spot with the former top ride of her brother Harry, Stardust. The pair only teamed up a matter of weeks ago and have produced some exceptional performances already.

Showjumping results from the Autumn MET Tour

A ‘big pony with a big heart’, a historic dead heat and a rider without a stirrup – who won showjumping ribbons this week?

Jennifer Donald — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 17:01:28 +0000

The summer season is reaching a crescendo across the Atlantic, with a string of top level shows in Canada and USA at the moment with showjumping results coming thick and fast, but there’s plenty of action in Europe too. This week we saw a rare tie for top honours in a five-star grand prix, a rider having to improvise with a fast plan B after losing a stirrup in a jump-off, an oversized pony finding the winning formula and the return of Ben Maher’s World Championship star Faltic HB in a nail-biting jump-off.

Here is your weekly round-up of international sporting action from the world of showjumping over the past few days, as well as this week’s showjumping results.

Who needs two stirrups anyway?

In the final CSI5* class at the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) of Rome at the Circus Maximus, Christian Ahlmann and the stallion Solid Gold Z (pictured below) triumphed – despite the rider losing a stirrup en route and having to improvise during his jump-off round. Christian executed a miraculous rollback after his foot slipped out of the stirrup at the third fence from home.

“I had to do one or two extra strides than I planned,” said the German rider, who still bolted home 0.91sec faster than runner-up Malin Baryard-Johnsson of Sweden riding the brilliantly named Harley Davidson in a six-way jump-off. “He is an unbelievable horse, an unbelievable fighter and I’m so pleased everyone can see how special he is.”

Showjumping results from the 1.50m jump-off class at the LGCT Rome

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

A historic dead heat and incredible winning streak for Matt Sampson

Very rarely will a top-level grand prix result in a dead heat, but at the Continental CSI5*/2* tournament at Spruce Meadows, Canada, Ireland’s Paul O’Shea and British rider Matt Sampson shared the spoils after both riders stopped the clock on exactly 38sec in Sunday’s Friends of the Meadows grand prix presented by Rolex (pictured below). A field of 20 combinations representing eight nations tackled Anthony D’Ambrosio’s track with seven making it through to the jump-off. Riding Imerald Van’t Voorhof, Paul set the lightning-quick target for Matt to chase and he and the great mare Ebolensky flew off in hot pursuit, posting the exact same time. This was the first time in Spruce Meadows history that there were two winners of a five-star grand prix.

“We love Spruce Meadows, to be able to jump in the big grass fields before next week [CSIO5* Masters tournament] and have this result builds confidence,” said Matt. Paul added: “This is a big grand prix in itself, I’m very happy to be here and to have this opportunity ahead of next week.”

This win was the icing on the cake for a jubilant Matt, who is enjoying an incredible winning streak, having also claimed victory this week in the 1.45m CSI2* grand prix with Rachel Evison’s Curraghgraigue Obos Flight, a 1.40m on Evora BJX and Thursday’s 1.50m class riding Fabrice DN, with several other placings too. Well done Matt!

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Spruce Meadows Continental tournament showjumping results

The secret to one “quirky” multi-winning horse? A ‘support human’

US showjumper Kristen Vanderveen landed the speed stakes at the Hampton Classic Horse Show on a big-striding horse with “a quirky personality”, Bull Run’s Prince of Peace.

“It’s great to be back at the Hampton Classic,” she said. “My plan was actually to go all-out on my second horse, Faustino, but today it paid off to stay a little conservative. Prince of Peace is also a really fast horse, so I didn’t have to go all-out with him.”

“He’s quite the character,” she said of the 13-year-old Holsteiner gelding. “He’s taken me a bit of time to figure out. He’s got a quirky personality, so he’s a little special in the barn. He always likes to have his groom with him; we call it ‘needing his support human.’ But he’s won many classes over the years and been great. He’s done speed classes and grands prix, and it’s nice to have a horse that I can use in both divisions.”

Hampton Classic results

Faltic HB is back!

One of the heroes of Great Britain’s bronze medal-winning squad from last month’s World Showjumping Championships, Ben Maher’s ride Faltic HB, was back in action this week, competing at the LGCT of Rome. Ben and the Oakingham Stud’s stallion blitzed round clear in 43.35sec to finish a very close second to victor Christian Kukuk riding the impressive stallion Mumbai in Saturday’s grand prix. The victorious German rider picked up one of the last remaining golden tickets to this year’s prestigious LGCT Super Grand Prix at the Prague Playoffs in November.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Taking third after a thrilling 12-way jump-off was Marlon Zanotelli riding Like A Diamond Van Het Schaeck, just ahead of world champion Henrik von Eckermann with his potential superstar mare Iliana. The recent LGCT London winner, Pieter Devos and Mom’s Toupie De La Roque finished fifth while another Brit, Jodie Hall McAteer rode another brilliant double clear with Salt’N Peppa (H&H‘s Spotlight star in this week’s magazine, in the shops 8 September) to finish seventh.

“This means everything to me,” said Christian, who is based at the stables of Ludger Beerbaum. “I have put enormous effort into this sport and all the horses, especially Mumbai, over the past 10 years since I started at Ludger’s and I always dream about winning one of these LGCT grands prix.

“I just realised that the breeder of Mumbai is here and it is her birthday – I think the day was just made for us. My groom has always said ‘I want to win one of these grands prix and I want to be in Prague for the Super Grand Prix’ and I said ‘I will try my best’. Today it worked out – it means a lot to us.”

Ben Maher has closed in on leader Christian Ahlmann in the championship standings; now just six points separate the two contenders as they head to the next round in New York this month before the final in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in October.

LGCT grand prix of Rome results

“Big pony with a big heart” jumps to victory

At the 2022 Hampton Classic Horse Show at Bridgehampton, NY, Amanda Derbyshire triumphed in Friday’s CSI2* grand prix qualifier riding Gochman Sport Horse LLC’s Wonder If (main image above).

“I’ve had ‘Juicy’ since the start of Florida this year,” said Amanda of the 10-year-old British-bred Cevin Z mare, formerly produced by Emma McGlynn. “She’s the most awesome horse. She’s literally a big pony with a really big heart. She’s been nothing but perfect since we got her and is the nicest, friendliest horse. Every time you go into the ring, you know she’s going to try for you, and it’s such a good feeling to have. Even though she’s little and doesn’t have the biggest stride, she makes up for it by being really fast and economical over the jumps. The owner, Becky, was also here to watch today, and it’s just amazing. She’s my biggest supporter, and I will always be grateful to her.”

Sunday’s $410,000 Hampton Classic five-star grand prix was won by Karl Cook with Kalinka Van’t Zorgvliet.

Showjumping results from Hampton Classic

“What a horse”

At the CSI3* Bemer Riders Tour at Lier, Belgium, Great Britain’s Robert Whitaker was in the money, claiming a victory in Friday’s 1.50m grand prix qualifier riding Caroline Blatchford’s 13-year-old Evert after a quality field of 13 jumped off against the clock.

“What a horse,” said Robert, who went on to finish 10th to Frenchman Mathieu Billot (Darling De L’Angevine) in the 1.55m feature class and also finished in the money at the show with Vermento.

Showjumping results from CSI3* Lier

London Knights win GCL of Rome

The duo of Mike Kawai and Sam Hutton helped GCL team London Knights to their first podium of the season at the Rome leg on Saturday (3 September).

“This feeling is actually amazing because I have always wanted to be on top of the podium in the GCL and to win the class feels incredible – we finally did it!” said Mike, who is trained by Jan Tops and rode Goldwin, a former mount of Laura Kraut, in Rome.

Sam, who was riding the London stallion Oak Grove’s Laith at only their second show together, added: “We really stuck together as a team. Abdel Said was there helping us and it was a great feeling. We are going to be fighting for a top-four finish that is for sure. When I walked it I thought it was quite a difficult course, and everyone was jumping it really well early on but I think it was the pressure of the teams that got to everyone.”

Berlin Eagles have now taken the lead in the GCL Championship with just two stages to go.

GCL results from Rome

Auction purchase is proving profitable

Israeli showjumper Daniel Bluman took top honours in the $74,000 Hampton Classic CSI2* grand prix riding Cachemire De Braize.

“Cache has been with us for about three years,” said Daniel of the 10-year-old Selle Français gelding. “He came out of an auction a few years ago, and I’ve been working with him since. He’s got a lot of talent, and he’s definitely fast. He’s had almost 10 international wins. He’s a very good horse, very competitive, and has his own way of going.

“[Course designer] Alan Wade of course did a good job, but we don’t expect anything less from him. It was a difficult track for the two-star level, but Cachemire is a five-star horse. He’s done a lot of four-star grands prix, so he’s really at a level where he has experience and scope to spare. He gave me a really, really nice first round, then was great for the second. I knew I had to lay it out in the second round because I had some fast riders coming, and Karl Cook had already had a good jump-off. I just focused on my plan, and it worked out.”

Hampton Classic results

Ebanking at Adam Botham yard, Chimenys near Moreton-in-Marsh in Gloucestershire in the UK on the 25th April 2022 (Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Botham’s quick-fire treble in Rome

Fresh from success at the London leg of the LGCT, Adam Botham rode Barbara Hester’s Harvey to victory in Friday’s CSI2* two-phase at the LGCT in Rome. Warwickshire-based Adam quickly made it a winning double, jumping Barbara’s great stallion Ebanking (pictured above) to victory in the 1.40m equivalent, then the duo returned the next morning to take the red ribbons for the speed class by an incredible margin of nearly 2sec.

Another British rider who finished in the ribbons in London, Izac Ketteridge, chased home Adam and Harvey in the opening two-phase to finish second riding Z7 Caretina and then followed up with a victory double in both Saturday’s 1.30m speed class and Sunday’s jump-off class riding Carron Nicol’s impressive 11-year-old Galerius.

Ireland’s Shane Breen was another victor in Italy’s capital this week, winning the opening CSI5* two-phase with Z7 Ipswich.

LGCT Rome showjumping results

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Frank Rothenburger’s second-round track proved even more taxing than the first, with just six clear, including Saudi Arabian rider Ramzy Al Duhami on Untouchable, who sent the 3,000-strong crowd wild.

Neither Ben nor Scott could capitalise on their first-round clears, knocking down two apiece. However, Ben retained sixth, and Scott dropped from eighth to 11th in the final standings. Jessica Mendoza had just the four faults to seal her first World Cup Final with 12th place.

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