The FEI World Cup Finals kicks off in Leipzig, Germany, today (7 April) with British riders in action in the first round of both the showjumping and dressage finals.
Round one of the World Cup Jumping Final begins at 2.35pm (1.35pm BST), with three Brits in action. Jack Whitaker will be the first British rider into the arena at the Leipziger Messe, riding his father Michael’s 13-year-old grey gelding Equine America Valmy De La Lande. He will be the 17th rider to go, and the last before the break, with his uncle John Whitaker the 19th to ride. John is gunning for a record-equalling third World Cup title, having last won it back to back in 1990 and 1991 on the great Milton. In 2022, he rides his own and Clare Whitaker’s 14-year-old gelding Equine America Unick Du Francport.
The final British rider into the arena will be Harry Charles, who will be the 32nd rider to jump, aboard Stardust, the 12-year-old Chacco-Blue mare owned by Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein and Pembroke Holdings. Riders are able to swap horses across the three-round showjumping final, and Harry also has his Tokyo Olympics ride Romeo 88 waiting in the wings in Leipzig.
Two Irish showjumpers will also be in action: Conor Swail is 29th to jump riding Count Me In, with Denis Lynch 31st to go riding Cristello.
Other favourites for the World Cup jumping title include 2019 champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, who will follow Harry Charles into the arena as the 33rd rider, on the 13-year-old chestnut gelding Victorio Des Frotards. He is followed by his compatriot Martin Fuchs, the penultimate rider, on board Chaplin. Other ones to watch include Germany’s Marcus Ehning, seventh to go, on Calanda, the USA’s McLain Ward, 11th to jump, on Contagious, and the Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders, 14th to ride, on Monaco.
Find the World Cup showjumping round one running order here [PDF download]
World Cup Dressage times: when does Lottie Fry ride?
The World Cup Dressage Final also begins today, with the short grand prix serving as a qualifier for the grand prix freestyle on Saturday night, from which the winner will be decided. Lottie Fry is Britain’s sole dressage representative out in Leipzig, and will be the seventh to go in the class, riding her own and Van Olst Horses’ 14-year-old Zucchero gelding Dark Legend at 7.48pm (6.48pm BST).
The defending champion, Germany’s Isabell Werth, takes to the arena at 8.41pm (7.41pm BST) with the 17-year-old Don Schufro mare Weihegold OLD, winner of the past three World Cup Finals. The World Cup Final will be the last competitive outing for this stellar mare, who will be retired after the show.
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Germany’s golden girl of 2021, the Olympic and European champion Jessica von Bredow-Werndl, will be last into the ring for the short grand prix, riding the 15-year-old Easy Game mare TSF Dalera BB at 9.21pm (8.21pm BST).
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