The all-conquering Swedish show jumper Peder Fredricson has taken the title of 2021 LGCT champion after a thrilling battle which came down to the final grand prix of the season on Saturday night (23 October).
The Swedish sensation has recently been crowned the new world number one, he won an Olympic team gold medal and individual silver at the Tokyo Olympics, claimed individual bronze at the European Showjumping Championships and he can now add the prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) champion of champions title to an illustrious list of achievements from a vintage year.
Peder had been pitched into a showdown against Ben Maher at the 15th and final leg of the LGCT at the X-Bionic Sphere stadium in Samorin, Slovakia, as the only two riders with enough points to lift the title and with Great Britain’s Olympic champion bidding to land an LGCT championship hat-trick.
However, in an uncharacteristically high-scoring day at the office for Ben and his Olympic gold medal-winning partnerExplosion W, the pair came home with 12 faults, passing the mantle on to Peder and his Tokyo partner H&M All In. They in turn went on to pick up eight faults in Saturday’s LGCT grand prix of Slovakia but had earned enough points to remain top of the overall standings and lift the LGCT championship for the first time.
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“It feels good, I’m very happy!” said Peder. “I will certainly remember 2021 – it’s been a fantastic year. I have some amazing horses and I’m very grateful for the owners who have kept them for these championships and that they won this overall prize.
“It’s one thing to win one competition but to win this overall title proves you have to be good all season,” added the new LGCT champion.
It was Peder’s team-mate, Henrik von Eckermann with the all-conquering King Edward, who claimed victory in Saturday night’s €300,000 Longines Global Champions Tour grand prix of Slovakia after a thrilling five-way jump-off.
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“He’s sensational,” said Henrik, paying tribute to the gallant King Edward after his winning round. “I’m also really happy with my performance but my horse deserved this.
“He has everything – quality and mentality, and he’s careful,” added Henrik, who catapulted up the leader board to finish second behind Peder in the overall standings, with Olivier Robert third for France and Ben Maher dropping to fourth.
The season concludes with the big-money Prague Playoffs which will host the GCL Super Cup and Super Grand Prix next month, where Ben Maher and John Whitaker are among the riders lining up for top honours.
Don’t miss the full report and more from the new LGCT champion in this week’s issue of Horse & Hound, out Thursday, 28 October.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
