Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2015/2016 – The Series Of Legends Lives On…..

The FEI World Cup™ Jumping series celebrates its 38th season as the 2015/2016 Longines-sponsored Western European League gets underway in Oslo (NOR) this weekend.

The race for this title is always guaranteed to produce the best of top-quality sport, and reigning Olympic champion, Steve Guerdat, was only the third Swiss rider to claim the treasured trophy when victorious at the thrilling 2014/2015 Longines Final in Las Vegas (USA) last April.

One of the reasons the world’s leading competitors want to hold this coveted award in their hands is because it places their names amongst the legends of the sport. The list of champions includes so many of the greatest horse-and-rider partnerships of all time, including back-to-back winners Ian Millar and Big Ben from Canada and John Whitaker and Milton from Great Britain. Both of these men were riding horses of exceptional ability and enormous character, and their relationships with their equine buddies has been an inspiration to the generations who have attempted to follow in their revered footsteps.

Holds the record

There are four riders who have claimed the FEI World Cup™ Jumping title on three occasions, and Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa holds the record for a consecutive hat-trick of wins, all achieved with the same stallion, the brilliant Baloubet du Rouet, who proved unbeatable from 1997 until 1999. Austria’s Hugo Simon, who remains very active in the sport today, was the first champion back in 1979 with Gladstone, and added two more titles with ET FRH in 1996 and 1997.

American riders, who dominated the series in the early years, have made a significant comeback in recent times, but the two remaining three-time champions, Germany’s Marcus Ehning and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, will undoubtedly be challenging throughout the qualifying rounds ahead of the 2015/2016 Final which returns to Gothenburg in Sweden for the 14th time.

A total of 15 Leagues are taking place across the globe, stretching from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South East and Central Asia and China, across North and South America, the Middle East and on to Caucasia and Central and Western Europe. In all, 108 qualifying events will have been staged before the 2016 Final begins at Gothenburg’s Scandinavium Arena on 23 March next year.

Rapid-fire affair

It’s a rapid-fire affair in this season’s Western European League, with eight of the 11 qualifying legs taking place over the next 10 weeks, beginning with the opener in Oslo on Sunday 18 October.

It was Dutchman Jur Vrieling, on a roll with VDL Zirocco Blue following The Netherlands’ domination at both the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy (FRA) and the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2014 Final in Barcelona (ESP), who claimed the honours at the Norwegian fixture 12 months ago when he pinned Germany’s Marco Kutscher and Cornet’s Cristallo into runner-up spot.

The early rounds of this series tend to attract a world-class field of starters attempting to rack up points in order to avoid the intense pressure of chasing qualification later in the season, and the defending champion, Steve Guerdat, did just that last year when finishing third in Oslo with his Olympic gold medal winning ride, Nino des Buissonnets. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum took fourth spot on that occasion with the fabulous grey Fibonacci who, a year later, is considerably more experienced and one of the most exciting horses in the sport right now.

Jur Vrieling is back on the Oslo startlist again this year, and it really is a sparkling line-up with world number one Scott Brash joined by his British counterparts Joe Clee and Jessica Mendoza, who did a great job to secure runner-up spot for their country at the 2015 Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final in Spain at the end of last month. Guerdat will be there again, hoping to collect more of those valuable points that put him on the road to success last season, and with Patrice Delaveau, Simon Delestre, Penelope Leprevost and Kevin Staut lining out for France, and Ludger Beerbaum, Marcus Ehning, Hans Dieter Dreher and 2014 champion Daniel Deusser in action for Germany, it looks set to be a rip-roaring opening competition.

Guerdat Steve, (SUI), Albfueren S Paille
Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final III round 1
Las Vegas 2015
© Hippo Foto – Dirk Caremans
19/04/15

Season continues

The League continues with the second leg in Helsinki (FIN) on 25 October followed by Lyon (FRA), Verona (ITA), Stuttgart (GER) and Madrid (ESP) in November, and London Olympia (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) in December. Leipzig (GER) gets the New Year off to a start and then there are only two further legs remaining, at Zurich (SUI) later in January and Bordeaux (FRA) in early February 2016.

The FEI World Cup™ Jumping series has produced many of the greatest talents ever seen in the sport, and the Western European League has been the breeding ground of legends. With the dawning of another Olympic year only a few short months away, there is great anticipation of exceptional sport over the coming months as skill, accuracy, courage and stamina are tested in the demanding confines of Europe’s finest indoor arenas.

Don’t miss a hoofbeat! Watch it all LIVE on http://www.feitv.org

Louise Parkes

FEI European Championships Aachen 2015: Dutch Snatch Gold In Final-Round Team Thriller

Jur Vrieling, Gerco Schroder, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jeroen Dubbeldam with Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens celebrate team gold
The reigning world and Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ champions from The Netherlands clinched team gold at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2015 in Aachen (GER) today. Lying second as the day began, they produced another of their trademark foot-perfect performances to put the result beyond doubt when the leading French squad faded to fifth. And it was the host nation who slotted into silver medal spot ahead of the surprising Swiss who moved up four places to take the bronze.

The result of today’s competition also decided the last three Western European qualifying spots for the 2016 Olympic Games. Switzerland, Great Britain and Spain finished best of the non-qualified eligible nations and are on their way to Rio.

It was a rip-roaring thriller from start to finish, with course designer Frank Rothenberger presenting a massive track that produced spectacular jumping and the best of great sport.

None of the 13 individuals who opened today’s action managed to leave all the poles in place, but they showed that the imposing fences were very jumpable. And once the team action got underway it turned into a ding-dong battle between the major contenders, with the Swiss making an incredible come-back thanks to two clear rounds. Only 10 fault-free results were registered, and when the Dutch added just a single time fault to their tally they were already looking good before last-line rider, Gerco Schröder, took his turn.

Hugely influential

The black wavy planks at fence four was one of the bogeys of the track, and the massive triple combination that followed was also hugely influential, with the opening triple bar enticing horses down to a tall vertical and often leaving them very deep at the final oxer element. And the difficult four or five-stride distance between the big 1.80m-wide oxer at fence eight and the following planks claimed a large number of victims.

Many horses showed better form than they had all week, however, and the fifth-placed Swiss began their climb to the medal podium with an opening clear from Romain Duguet and his mare, Quorida de Treho. Ukraine lay ahead of them as the competition began and Cassio Rivetti’s clear with Vivant got them off to a great start. That pattern continued with a fault-free run for British openers Ben Maher and Diva, Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with the fabulous grey, Fibonacci, and Dutch double world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam with SFN Zenith NOP.

When Penelope Leprevost’s Flora de Mariposa hit the bogey wavy planks the French began to look a little vulnerable. And the British couldn’t improve their situation with single errors from Jessica Mendoza (Spirit T) and Joe Clee (Utamaro D’Ecaussines). Germany held firm with another clear from Christian Ahlmann (Taloubet Z), but the Dutch stayed out in front when Maikel van der Vleuten and the always-reliable VDL Groep Verdi cruised home once again without incident.

The French meanwhile were in rapid decline, paying a high price for Simon Delestre’s (Ryan des Hayettes) mistake at the final element of the triple combination and the double-error from Jerome Hurel (Quartz Rouge) at the wavy planks and the second element of the double of water ditches, one fence from home.

Wide open

By the time Jur Vrieling entered the ring, the door was wide open for the Dutch if the third-line rider could produce a clear round. But he winced when he saw a single time penalty on the board after an otherwise perfect tour of the track, because if Ludger Beerbaum’s four-faulter with Chiara could be discounted by a clear from Daniel Deusser then the Germans had the advantage and all the pressure would be on the final Dutch duo of Gerco Schröder and Glock’s Cognac Champblanc.

You could hear a pin drop when Deusser entered the Soers arena, but there was a huge groan when Cornet D’Amour left the oxer at eight on the floor. The home side would now finish on a final score of 12.40, while the Dutch were already home and hosed with their total of 8.82, Gerco Schröder’s eight-fault effort having no effect on the end result.

The Swiss meanwhile came with a late run. Duguet’s opening clear was followed by nine faults from Martin Fuchs (Clooney) and four from Janika Sprunger (Bonne Chance CW), but it was the clear from Paul Estermann and Castlefield Eclipse that would secure the bronze on a final total of 18.23.

Magic formula

Magic touch

Dutch Chef d’Equipe, Rob Ehrens, who has led his country to great glory in recent years, was asked this evening if he has a magic formula for success. “There is no magic formula, in our small country we just work really well together and it only takes half a minute to call riders and get them in position for nations cups or championships. It’s a great honour for me to work with four of those amazing riders, with their amazing horses and the amazing people behind our team. And we have four more riders banging on the door at home. I’m a happy coach! To perform like this in Aachen, well we hope you will make more Championships in Aachen!” he said.

Double world champion Jeroen Dubbeldam, talked about the way the competition unfolded today and the pressure of being first to go for his side. “All four rounds were important, all four were in a difficult place in every round and had the pressure, my job was to go clear and keep up the spirit, to give the inspiration to keep going. It was a really tough course today. There were already three or four clears before I came in and that put pressure on me. I felt a lot of pressure, but my horse gave me an amazing feeling and the confidence for a clear round, and that gave the spirit to the rest of the team”, he said.

The Netherlands’ (L to R) Jur Vrieling, Gerco Schroder, Maikel van der Vleuten and Jeroen Dubbeldam with Chef d’Equipe Rob Ehrens celebrate team gold at the FEI European Jumping Championships 2015 in Aachen, Germany. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Tried hard

Asked how he felt about his team’s silver medal finish, German Chef d’Equipe Otto Becker said, “at first I was a little disappointed, but we tried hard and the team did great, all four horses and all four riders, there was not one bad round. It was a big fight and we tried very hard. I agree with Rob (Ehrens), there should be more championships in Aachen, but without the Dutch!”, he added with a laugh.

“Last year in Caen (Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 in Normandy) and in Herning (FEI European Championships 2013) the competition was really close, but it couldn’t have been closer than in these last few days”, Ludger Beerbaum said. “There were emotional ups and downs. To be careful of your fences every moment and not get distracted by other things. It’s hard when you don’t make it, all four of us over three days had really good rounds, but we must accept the situation, there are days like this, and congratulations to the Dutch!”, said one of the world’s most popular and respected horsemen.

The individual scoreboard underwent a major shake-up today, with Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya shooting up from fifth to the gold medal spot ahead of Ukraine’s Brazilian-born Cassio Rivetti in silver and the reigning world champion, Jeroen Dubbeldam, in bronze. Switzerland’s Romain Duguet lies fourth while Frenchwoman Penelope Leprevost has dropped from first to fifth ahead of Sunday’s individual medal-decider in which riders carry their faults from the previous three days of competition.

Louise Parkes,

Ariat Signs Exclusive Licensing And Sponsorship Agreement With The FEI

Ariat International®, the US-based leader in Western and English footwear and apparel, today signed an exclusive licensing and sponsorship agreement with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) at the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Las Vegas.

Working alongside the FEI, Ariat will develop a new co-branded product collection to launch at the prestigious Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Gothenburg (SWE) in 2016, with a share of the sales proceeds going to FEI Solidarity. The product range will also be available for purchase on-site at the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European and North American League qualifier events from 2016 to 2018, as well as at Ariat retailers and online in Europe and North America. Additionally, this new three-year partnership includes a supporting sponsorship of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals starting in 2016.

Ariat was the first company to bring athletic shoe technology to equestrian sports and is now one of the leading brand of equestrian footwear and apparel in the world. The US-based company now operates across the US, Europe and Australia. Ariat also sponsors top equestrian athletes from a variety of disciplines, including Beezie Madden, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Jur Vrieling, Tina Fletcher, Shawn Flarida, Mary King, William Fox-Pitt, Chester Webber, Gina Miles, Phillip Dutton, Boyd Martin, Will Simpson, and Hannah Selleck.

Ariat International, the US-based leader in Western and English footwear and apparel, today signed an exclusive licensing and sponsorship agreement with the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) at the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Las Vegas – pictured left is Beth Cross, founder and CEO of Ariat International and right is Lisa Lazarus, Chief of Business Development & Strategy at the FEI. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

“The FEI is revolutionizing equestrian sports on a global basis, bringing every discipline to the highest level of competition,” said Beth Cross, founder and CEO of Ariat International. “Ariat is proud to partner with the FEI as the official equestrian footwear and apparel supplier. We offer the most innovative performance footwear and apparel for the world’s top equestrian athletes, making our partnership with the FEI a terrific match. Our goal is to work together to continue to grow the sport globally.”

“The partnership with the FEI represents a perfect opportunity for Ariat International to extend its visibility and brand awareness by engaging with our global equestrian fan base,” said Sabrina Zeender, FEI Secretary General. “With Ariat’s additional sponsorship and a share of the proceeds from the sale of the new product ranges going back into the sport via FEI Solidarity, this is a win-win situation.”

“We Give Horses Wings” – Vegas Horse Party Takes To The Air

A hugely valuable cargo was loaded onto the Qatar Airways B777 chartered freighter aircraft departing Schiphol Airport in The Netherlands at 05.55 CEST today (Saturday 11 April). “We estimate there’s about €150 million worth of horses on the flight,” says Tim Dutta, the man in charge of transporting many of the world’s elite equine athletes from Europe all to the way to Las Vegas, USA for the FEI World Cup™ 2015 Finals (15-19 April).

“Horses are just like you and me,” says the man whose company banner reads We give horses wings. “Some fall asleep before departure and snooze most of the way, and others start praying from the minute they take off and don’t stop until they’ve landed! But the majority of them are like seasoned CEOs, they’ve flown so many times that they just take it all in their stride.”

Established
Dutta has been in the horse transportation business since the Dutta Corporation was established in 1988. “Over 26-plus years it has grown into a global venture, flying 5,000 horses a year, most of them sport-horses,” he explains. “We are the largest player in the US and we transported horses for the Pan American Games in Guadalajara and for the World Equestrian Games in Kentucky where we worked with Martin Atock from Pedens in the single biggest air transportation of horses ever.

“There’s a group of companies involved in air transportation of horses, and we work well together. We are all horseman first – this job needs to be done by horsemen, and all our staff are also experienced horse people,” he points out.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

Supervision and comfort
There were a total of 40 horses on the flight departing from Schiphol, and they were looked after by a team of 10 grooms, under the supervision of world-famous Dutch veterinarian Jan-Hein Swagemakers who works with the German Jumping team. “Jan-Hein is very experienced. He’s been to Hong Kong, Kentucky and many of the Global Champions Tour events and he supervises the health and well-being of all the equine passengers with the help of grooms from Germany, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Ireland and Russia. These are grooms who work for riders who will compete in Las Vegas, and there is also one further groom who works for me and whose job is to be Jan-Hein’s assistant,” Dutta says.

Each horse is allocated “a stall and a half”, which is a generous amount of space in the cargo hold, “and we like to keep them together by country. There are two horses per box and it’s a business-class service. We pay attention to each horse’s little idiosyncrasies and requirements – do they like wet hay, or not? Do we use sea salt to encourage them to drink?

“I like them all to have a haynet so they can at least pick at it during the flight and have something in their belly. Some grooms like to feed them a bran mash mid-flight, but others don’t eat much at all. I like to give them carrots. Horses see them as a treat and associate them with feeling good and being rewarded so it helps them to settle. The grooms are there to help them with their comfort and safety, but I like the horses to have some quiet time too, they need that. So when the aircraft is at cruise then they are left alone for a while, to have a snooze and relax, without being bothered by anyone. If the weather disimproves, the grooms go back to them right away.”

The company that carries the top equine athletes from Amsterdam to Las Vegas 8,564km (5,333 miles) away is Qatar Airways. “Qatar Airways Cargo is proud to transport some of the world’s most admired horses,” Ulrich Ogiermann, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo says. “We have a wealth of experience transporting star-performing horses around the world, and strive to provide our equine travellers with the same five-star experience as our human passengers, even offering a five-star horse hotel in our home base Doha.

“On board the freighter we provide first-class jet stalls and dedicated product management and support, so the horses are experiencing Qatar Airways’ globally renowned hospitality and comfort.”

Quicker than their riders
It’s a long day for the equine passengers, but many of them will be getting to Las Vegas much quicker than their riders, despite having to be at the airport several hours before take-off. In all, they will spend 11 hours and 20 minutes in the air.

“Their equipment has to be scanned for security and then clear customs, and with around 25,000lbs (almost 12,000kg) of gear – tack, blankets, boots etc – a total of 11 pallets were loaded on the flight as well,” Tim Dutta explains.

The horses get a health-check and, just like their human counterparts, are identified by their passport before boarding. If a horse shows any indication of distress, colic or signs of fever, it is not allowed on board. “Animal welfare comes first, and if there is anything wrong with a horse, the ultimate decision about whether it will be permitted to travel lies with Dr Swagemakers. Fortunately today all the horses were in top form and were allowed to board without a problem.”

Each section of stalls is weighed to get the balance right for the flight. “Most of the time two horses weigh much the same, but sometimes the Dressage horses can be up to 100 kilos heavier than the jumpers.”

On landing there will be another ID check, passports will be examined and bloods taken and sent off to a laboratory in Iowa for testing for diseases, including Glanders and Equine Infectious Anaemia (EIA). Once that’s completed the horses de-plane and will be transported to the stabling area at the Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas where they will go into quarantine until the test results come back from the lab 42 hours later.

Double Olympic champion and Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title holder Valegro, who competes for Great Britain in partnership with Charlotte Dujardin, and his groom Alan Davies smile before boarding their flight to Las Vegas, USA (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Passenger list
The passenger list for flight QR 8197 reads like a “who’s who” of the sports of Jumping and Dressage. Defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser’s Cornet D’Amour, was delighted to be sharing a flying stable with Marco Kutscher’s Cornet’s Cristallo, whom he knows so well. He was also hoping for a chat with Marcus Ehning’s Singular La Silla. Cornet D’Amour wanted to fill his mates in on what he’s been up to lately, and give them a few hints about how to handle the small arena in Las Vegas. No doubt he’s been studying videos of previous Finals at the Thomas & Mack and has a few ideas up his sleeve about how to bring that coveted trophy back to Germany again this year. Singular La Silla however appreciates travelling in peace and was one of only two horses not sharing a stall. The other loner was Dutch rider Jur Vrieling’s stallion VDL Zirocco Blue.

Tim Dutta says he wonders if the horses might like to get in the mood with Elvis music playing in the background while they’re in the air but this early in the morning they were not all fans. However the arrival in Las Vegas of Charlotte Dujardin’s Valegro, the Dressage world-record breaker who has claimed every possible accolade, including the Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage title for his British rider, is likely to create as much excitement as the return of The King himself.

Viva Las Vegas indeed!

Facts and Figures

Flight details
Qatar Airways Flight QR 8197 ex Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands
Aircraft type: Boeing 777 freighter
Business Class
Departure – 05.55 CEST (local time in The Netherlands), Saturday 11 April 2015
Arrival – 08.15 PDT (local time in Nevada), Saturday 11 April 2015
Length of flight – 11 hours 20 minutes
Temperature inside the aircraft during flight: 17°C (62.6 degrees Fahrenheit)

Passenger List
40 horses representing 17 countries – Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, France, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
Includes defending Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping champion, Daniel Deusser’s Cornet d’Amour (GER) and defending Reem Acra FEI World Cup™ Dressage champion, Charlotte Dujardin’s Valegro (GBR).
24 geldings, 9 stallions, 7 mares.
26 Jumping horses, 14 Dressage horses
Estimated value of equine cargo – €150 million.

Passport
Full ID, places travelled to and up to date with all required vaccinations etc.

Check-in Baggage
11 pallets of equipment including tack, blankets, boots etc
Weight – approx 25,000 lbs (almost 12,000kg)
Sun shades (optional)

Carry On
Headcollars and ropes
Blankets
Boots or bandages (equivalent of flight socks)
Toys (occasionally)
Earplugs

Onboard dining
120 pre-packed haynets
Water ad lib – sea salt optional
Oat bran for mash
Mixed feed
Carrots
Apples

Flight attendants
10 professional grooms
1 world-class veterinarian

Louise Parkes

Guerdat Gallops To Second Longines Victory At Last Western European League Leg In Gothenburg

Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, produced a brilliant performance from the 12-year-old mare, Albfuehren’s Paille, to record his second victory of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at the final qualifying round in Gothenburg, Sweden today. In a desperate battle for those chasing the last remaining points that would earn them a place at the Longines Final in Las Vegas, USA in April, it was Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson who lined up second with Casall Ask while Germany’s Marco Kutscher clinched third with Cornet’s Cristallo ahead of The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and Zirocco Blue NOP in fourth place.

Guerdat had no fears about qualification when earning his place in the 13-horse jump-off, as he was already lying third on the league leaderboard as the day began. However his result today has boosted him to the top of the Western European League table, demoting young Irishman, Bertram Allen, to second place.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

Found the key

Course designer, Spain’s Santiago Varela, set them a tough first track, but 13 of the 39 starters found the key.

The triple combination took its toll, as did the oxer at fence eight and the vertical at fence 11 which was three from home. The final two fences however proved particularly interesting as riders had to negotiate the Longines double, a 1.80m-wide triple bar followed by a vertical, and then take a careful left-bending line to the final oxer which often came up on a difficult stride.

It was Italy’s Francesco Franco who led the way against the clock with Banca Popolare Bari Cassandra, but it was third to go, Belgium’s Judy-Ann Melchior and her lovely grey mare, As Cold as Ice Z, who set the early target with the calmest of clear rounds in 47.62 seconds. This time always looked beatable, but Varela’s jump-off track was inviting to those prepared to take more risk, and Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer was almost two seconds faster when faulting at the very last with Toulago when next into the ring.

Olympic silver medallist, The Netherlands’ Gerco Schroder, looked set to go well out in front until also lowering the final fence with Glock’s London, but Guerdat and Paille made no mistake. There’s always excitement in the air when the Swiss rider sets off against the clock, and this 12-year-old chestnut mare seems to relish the pressure, lowering her head as she picks up speed and galloping home to really put it up to the rest of them when breaking the beam in 43.13 seconds.

Couldn’t better that

And try as they would, the remaining seven couldn’t better that. Home-side hero, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, came closest when next to go with his great stallion Casall Ask who crossed the line in 43.49, and although Kutscher’s turn to the penultimate oxer was superb, the talented 12-year-old Cristallo was fractionally slower when clear in 43.89 seconds.

Vrieling also left all the fences intact as did Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (Cantinero), but with their times not challenging for the lead only last man in, Kevin Staut from France, looked like threatening Guerdat. Staut’s great 16-year-old mare, Silvana, has competed at five FEI World Cup™ Jumping finals during her long and sparkling career, but when the penultimate oxer hit the floor they would have to settle for seventh place today.

After another extraordinary Longines season however, the Frenchman sits third on the Western European League table which he has continuously dominated in recent years, and he is well on the road to Las Vegas.

Olympic champion, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, pictured with Casper Gebeke, Longines Sweden country manager, after winning the twelfth and final qualifying round of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League with the mare Albfuehren’s Paille at Gothenburg, Sweden today. (FEI/Roland Thunholm)

Winning horse

Talking about his winning horse, Guerdat said this evening, “she arrived at my stables 10 months ago having already jumped quite successfully with another Swiss rider, Alexandra Fricker. It took a while to get to know her, but she jumped clear in her very first Grand Prix and this is her first very big win with me”.

Looking ahead to Las Vegas, he said, “I’m not exactly sure which horse I will take, but Paille would be my first choice because she’s been very good during the entire indoor season and I’d like to save Nino for the Championships this year. Nino would be my second choice for Las Vegas though”.

His Longines season has certainly been a spectacular one. From nine starts he earned a massive 77 points, but it wasn’t all plain sailing as he only collected points from five events beginning with third place in Oslo (NOR), victory in Helsinki (FIN), third again in Stuttgart (GER) – all with Nino – a 10th place with Paille in Verona (ITA) and then his win today with the same chestnut mare.

Make the cut

A total of 18 riders qualify for the final from the Western European League, and one to lose out today was The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders who collected 56 points on the US circuit but needed to add some Western European League points today if he was to make the cut.

As defending champion, Germany’s Daniel Deusser is automatically qualified even though he has finished in tenth place, while the results for America’s Lucy Davis and Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander, who finished fourth and sixth respectively in the WEL series, are transferred to their own regional leagues. Bengtsson today confirmed that he will not travel, so that opens the door of opportunity for Belgium’s Jos Verlooy who currently lies in 24th position.

For further information on the 12th leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series in Gothenburg, Sweden today, check out website http://www.gothenburghorseshow.com

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2014/2015 will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15 to 19 April. For details of the event visit http://www.worldcuplasvegas.com

Ireland’s Bertram Allen clinched his second victory in the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Bordeaux, France riding Romanov. (FEI/Pierre Costabadie)

Result: 1, Albfuehren’s Paille (Steve Guerdat) SUI 0/0 43.13;

2, Casall Ask (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 0/0 43.49;

3, Cornet’s Cristallo (Marco Kutscher) GER 0/0 43.89;

4, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) NED 0/0 44.38;

5, As Cold as Ice Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) BEL 0/0 47.62;

6, Cantinero (Henrik von Eckermann) 0/0 49.74;

7, Silvana HDC (Kevin Staut) FRA 0/4 43.75;

8, Glock’s London NOP (Gerco Schroder) NED 0/4 44.93;

9, Casello (Douglas Lindelow) SWE 0/4 44.98;

10, Toulago (Pius Schwizer) SUI 0/4 45.98;

11, VDL Groep Arera C (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 0/4 46.09;

12, Fair Light van’t Heike (Edwina Tops-Alexander) AUS 0/4 48.76;

13, Banca Popolare Bari Cassandra (Francesco Franco) ITA 0/4 52.65.

Facts and Figures:

The Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden hosted the 12th and last qualifying leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League today.

Course designer was Spain’s Santiago Varela.

13 fences on today’s course, time-allowed 75 seconds in first round.

7 of the top 10 riders in the Longines rankings participated.

13 horse-and-rider combinations qualified for the jump-off, including three from the host nation.

Winner was London 2012 Olympic champion Steve Guerdat from Switzerland riding the 12-year-old mare Albfuehren’s Paille.

Gothenburg has a long link with the FEI World Cup™ Jumping series. The first Final was staged in the Swedish city in 1979 when Austria’s Hugo Simon came out on top.

The FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final has been staged in Gothenburg 13 times during the 37-year history of the event.

The Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg stretches 69 metres in length but only 39 metres in width.

18 riders from the Western European League qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 which will take place in Las Vegas, USA from 15-19 April.

Quotes:

Steve Guerdat SUI: “This is only my third time to compete in Gothenburg, and both of the other times I was competing in World Cup finals. My last time to be here was in 2013 when I finished second in the Final”.

Henrik von Eckermann SWE: “I knew I couldn’t catch Steve but I wanted to do my best for the crowd, in the end I had to stay realistic for my horse and I’m very happy to finish sixth!”

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE: “my horse has been very consistent and I’m very proud of him today. It would have been very nice to win in front of the home crowd today – it was a very good course”.

Marco Kutscher GER: “I was lucky in the first round because we touched a few rails but they stayed up! In the jump-off I wanted to do one stride less between the first two fences, but I had to change my mind after we started”.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League – Standings after Round 12 at Gothenburg (SWE):

1. Steve Guerdat SUI – 77
2. Bertram Allen IRL – 71
3. Kevin Staut FRA – 65
4. Lucy Davis USA – 62
5. Marco Kutscher GER – 59
6. Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS – 57
7. Harrie Smolders NED – 56
8. Marcus Ehning GER – 53
9. Mikael van der Vleuten NED – 51
10. Daniel Deusser GER – 50
11. Douglas Lindelow SWE – 49
12. Jur Vrieling NED – 46
13. Hans-Dieter Dreher GER – 44
14. Rolf-Goran Bengtsson SWE – 42
15. Simon Delestre FRA – 41
16. Martin Fuchs SUI – 40
17. Geir Gulliksen NOR – 38
18. Penelope Leprevost FRA – 38
19. Sergio Alvarez Moya ESP – 37
20. Luca Maria Moneta ITA – 36
21. Pius Schwizer SUI – 34
22. Gerco Schroder NED – 34
23. Reed Kessler USA – 33
24. Jos Verlooy BEL – 33
25. Patrice Delaveau FRA – 33
26. Judy-Ann Melchior BEL – 32
27. Roger-Yves Bost FRA – 30

Longines Live Timing Jumping application: available free for download from The App Store (iPhone) & Android Markets. Combining precision and performance, this is a detailed and exclusive application designed especially for Jumping fans – follow live results, see latest Longines Rankings, view competition schedules, obtain exclusive information and alerts on your favorite riders and get all the latest FEI news.

Louise Parkes

Furusiyya 2015 Series Gets Off To A Flying Start With Six-Nation Contest In Florida

Ocala in Florida, USA joins the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping circuit when the 2015 season gets underway this Friday 13 February. The first leg of the series, which has revitalised and reinvigorated the sport of team Jumping since Furusiyya took up title sponsorship in 2012, has attracted six countries and a sparkling line-up of riders including a crack squad from the host nation.

And, just three years after the introduction of a new format for this much-loved competition which originated over a century ago, pre-season excitement is at an all-time high as horse-and-rider combinations from 45 nations prepare to participate in 20 thrilling qualifying legs all around the globe.

Staged a year ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series will be a valuable testing ground for athletes and horses and, once again, competitors from six regions will battle it out ahead of the Final which will be held at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP) in September.

First event

Ocala presents the first competition in the three-leg North America, Central America and Caribbean League. Organised by the New York-based events management company HITS, Inc., the Florida fixture will feature teams from Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, USA and Venezuela, but only the Canadians, Mexicans and Americans will be eligible for qualifying points in their region.

And the home runners promise to be a tough act to beat, headed up by super-star Beezie Madden whose packed trophy cabinet includes multiple Olympic and World Championship medals. The 51-year-old rider, currently number 12 in the Longines Rankings, brings the horse with which she won the 2013 FEI World Cup™ Jumping title, Simon, and will be joined by Laura Kraut, Lauren Hough, Georgina Bloomberg and Todd Minikus.

It is always a big battle between the Americans and Canadians in this league, and with 2008 Olympic gold medallist Eric Lamaze, and the extraordinary 11-time Olympian Ian Millar in action, the Canadians are unlikely to be a push-over.

The competition gets underway at 13.00 local time, and promises to get the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping 2015 series off to great start.

Team USA won the Challenge Cup at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final 2014 in Barcelona, Spain today (L to R) Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland with Margie Engle, Beezie Madden, Lauren Hough and McLain Ward. (FEI/Dirk Caremans)

Single qualifier

The second leg will take place in Abu Dhabi (UAE) a week later, and this single qualifier for the Middle East region is open to teams from Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar and the UAE. The remaining two leagues, Europe Division 1 and Europe Division 2, get underway in April and May respectively.

Lummen in Belgium launches the premier Europe Division 1 league, and once again this will be contested by teams from 10 countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. And of course all eyes will be on the Dutch, who swept to victory at the 2014 Furusiyya Final just a few short weeks after claiming gold at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in Normandy (FRA). Dutch riders have been on a roll for some time now, and it will be fascinating to witness the strategy of their popular Chef d’Equipe, Rob Ehrens, who will be hoping to follow through with another strong result this year while also thinking ahead to the Olympic challenge of 2016.

Most competitive

Europe Division 2 is also an eight-round affair, but what makes this the most competitive league of all is the high-octane pressure of trying to finish as one of the top two nations from a start-list of 16 ambitious countries. Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine will all be battling it out through heated afternoons from the outset at Linz (AUT) until the final leg at Arezzo (ITA).

The leading country at the end of this series will be promoted to Europe Division 1 for the following year, but while the second-placed team will earn a place at the Furusiyya Final in Barcelona only a top-eight finishing spot there will allow them to also earn promotion.

Allocation of teams to Europe Division 1 and Europe Division 2 events has been finalised, and you can check out the detail at this link http://goo.gl/EUDnnX

Sweden, France, Belgium, Ireland and Italy will all be hunting down early points at the opening leg of Europe Division 1 in Lummen on 1 May, while The Netherlands will begin the defense of their title at the second round in La Baule (FRA) two weeks later.

This week, however, Ocala in Florida will set the stage for another much-anticipated season of top-quality and thrilling team sport.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION! Riders from around the globe in Barcelona for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final draw inspiration from the iconic Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc, home of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Diving Finals, with its magnificent city backdrop. [L-R], Simone Coata (ITA), Alexander Zetterman (SWE), Andres Rodrigez (VEN), William Whitaker (GBR), Julia Hargreaves (AUS), Ben Asselin (CAN), Pedro Vennis (BRA), Margie Engle (USA), Simon Delestre (FRA), Paula Amilibia (ESP) and Dirk Demeersman (BEL). (Jude Edginton /FEI)

Facts and Figures:

The FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series celebrates 106 years of team competition in 2015.

The forthcoming season comprises 20 qualifiers in as many countries.

A total of 45 nations will compete in the qualifying rounds.

Qualifying events will take place in four regions – Europe Division 1 & Europe Division 2, North America, Central America & Caribbean and Middle East.

There will be eight qualifying legs in Europe Division 1 and 2, three in the North America, Central America & Caribbean region and a single event in the Middle East.

The Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping Final will once again take place at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona (ESP), venue for the Jumping events during the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.

A total of 18 teams, plus the home team if not qualified, will compete at the Final which will take place from 24 to 27 September 2015.

A total of six nations will compete at the season-opener in Ocala (USA) – Canada, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, USA and Venezuela. Only Canada, Mexico and USA will be competing for qualifying points.

The 10 teams qualified for Europe Division 1 this season are Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.

Watchmakers, Longines, are the official timekeepers for the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup™ Jumping series.

Furusiyya finalised a 16 million Euro four-year sponsorship package with the FEI in November 2012.

Louise Parkes

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015: Guerdat Leads Swiss Victory Roll At Second Leg In Helsinki

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 – Round 2, Helsinki, Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014:2015

Olympic champion, Steve Guerdat, led a Swiss victory gallop at the second leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League in Helsinki, Finland today. A new venue presented a real challenge for both horses and riders due to restricted space. But the 32-year-old, and the gelding with which he claimed individual gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, the enigmatic Nino des Buissonnets, used that to their advantage and left the result beyond doubt with a superb run when second-last to go against the clock.

Last man in was Martin Fuchs, and the 22-year-old steered PSG Future into runner-up spot ahead of Pius Schwizer in third. The Swiss were understandably buoyant at the end of the day. “We Swiss are in good shape right now!” said Schwizer this evening.

New venue

As the 30th Helsinki Horse Show moved to the Helsingin Jäähalli, the city’s oldest indoor ice rink, course designer, Frenchman Frederic Cottier, had to be at his creative best. Guerdat explained, “the arena is quite tight, the length is ok but if it was three or four metres wider then it would be easier. The fences came up really quickly for the horses and riders, but the courses got better every day and we got more used to it. Today’s was the best course of the weekend, and this was definitely the best class” said the man who is now heading the Western European League leaderboard, and well on the way to qualification for the series Final in Las Vegas, USA next April.

Making the cut into the jump-off was not an easy task as there was no room for adjusting stride patterns throughout the 12-fence track. Once riders committed themselves to going on a certain distance they had to stick to their decision even if the fences didn’t come up right, and Italy’s Franco Francesco was eliminated for a fall when the line he took to the penultimate oxer left him too far away, and his grey mare, Banco Popalare Bari Cassandra, decided to slam on the brakes.

With 15 through to the timed round however the 7,000 spectators were guaranteed an exciting battle, and it more than lived up to expectations.

Copybook tour

Great Britain’s Yasmin Pinchen had produced a copybook tour when posting the first clear of the competition with her bay mare Ashkari, but it all went wrong for the 21-year-old Londoner at the second fence on the jump-off track. Riders needed to make a sharp turn to this vertical if they were to be in with any chance of a good placing, but the British pair met it all wrong and racked up a total of 23 faults.

Going later in the draw was an advantage as riders could work out where time could be saved as they moved on to the oxer at fence three and swung left-handed to the planks at five which had taken a significant toll in the first round. From there it was on to the water-tray oxer at six which had also proven influential before a roll-back to the first two elements of the former triple combination. Once that was behind them there was only the final Longines fence, changed from an oxer to a vertical this time around.

Third to go, it was young Brazilian star, Marlon Zanotelli, who set the early target with a great round from Extra van Essene in 36.18 seconds. And his lead wasn’t threatened by a nice, but cautious, clear from Finland’s Anna-Julia Kontio and the elegant grey, Fardon, or by French 23-year-old, Alexandre Fontanelle, who, however, was most impressive with breaking the beam in 39.27 seconds with Prime Time des Vagues.

Five-stride distance

Norwegian veteran, Geir Gulliksen, was the first to attempt a five-stride distance instead of six from the second to the third fence with the hard-pulling Edesa S Banjan, but his time of 37.66 seconds still left Zanotelli out in front. However when, four horses later, Schwizer did the same he swept way into the lead with his stunning eight-year-old Sixtine de Vains who stopped the clock on 35.33. Now it was a matter of who could beat that, and although Frenchman Kevin Staut, with another eight-year-old Ayade de Septon et HDC, gave it his best shot as did Germany’s Christian Ahlmann with Cornado ll, it took last week’s winners, Jur Vrieling and Zirocco Blue, to oust the Brazilian from pole position when crossing the line in 35.78 seconds.

The Dutchman’s chances of doing a back-to-back double were instantly dashed however by Guerdat’s super-smooth run with Nino who was in his element as he soared home in 34.96 seconds. And when fellow-countryman, Fuchs, gave chase with PSG Future and sealed runner-up spot when crossing the line in 35.10, there were big smiles all round in the Swiss camp.

Very happy

“I’m very happy! When I saw Pius I knew we would have a Swiss win and I did what I could but I’m very happy with second place!” said Fuchs afterwards.

Talking about the challenge of riding in today’s relatively small arena, Guerdat joked, “Switzerland is a small country so we are used to small things!” And discussing the jump-off, he pointed out that his ride was more difficult than it appeared. “When I saw Pius go, I thought I can go faster than that if I don’t fall asleep! But when I was riding it then it seemed quite far from fence to fence and it felt quite slow. But Nino is so quick, there were not too many options and I could still add a stride from 2 to 3 and be quick enough” he explained.

With 35 points already on the Western European League leaderboard, the Olympic gold medallist has only a little more to do in order to guarantee his place in the Las Vegas start-list next April. He intends to pick the last few points he needs over the next few weeks.

“Next week I will take Concetto Son to Lyon (FRA) and I will change horse for Verona (ITA) the following week. I’ll go back on Nino for Stuttgart (GER) but I won’t be taking him to the Final. I want to save him for one more championship” he explained.

Swiss riders filled the top three placings at today’s leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series at Helsinki in Finland led by Olympic champions Steve Guerdat and Nino des Buissonnets. (FEI/Tapio Maenpaa)

Result: 1, Nino des Buissonnets (Steve Guerdat) SUI 0/0 34.96; 2, PSG Future (Martin Fuchs) SUI 0/0 35.10; 3, Sixtine de Vains (Pius Schwizer) SUI 0/0 35.33; 4, VDL Zirocco Blue NOP (Jur Vrieling) NED 0/0 35.78; 5, Extra van Essene (Marlon Zanotelli) BRA 0/0 36.18; 6, Cornado ll (Christian Ahlmann) GER 00 36.57; 7, Ayade de Septon Et HCD (Kevin Staut) FRA 0/0 37.24; 8, Edesa S Banjan (Geir Bulliksen) NOR 0/0 37.66; 9, Prime Time des Vagues (Alexandre Fontanelle) FRA 0/0 39.27; 10, Fardon (Anna-Julia Kontio) FIN 0/2 41.11; 11, Sea Coast Forlap DC (Daniel Deusser) GER 0/4 35.90; 12, Gotha FRH (Henrik von Eckermann) SWE 0/4 35.97; 13, Casello (Douglas Lindelow) SWE 0/8 36.50; 14, Connery (Luca Moneta) ITA 0/12 36.48; 15, Ashkari (Yasmin Pinchen) GBR 0/23.

Facts and Figures:

Helsinki, Finland presented the second leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League today.

The event took place at a new venue, Helsingin Jäähalli, Helsinki’s oldest indoor ice rink.

The city of Helsinki has hosted the FEI World Cup™ Jumping series for 29 years.

The show this year celebrated its 30th anniversary.

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League series takes place over 12 rounds, with riders counting their best six results.

The Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Final will be held in Las Vegas, USA from15-19 April 2015.

Today’s course designer was Frenchman Frederic Cottier who also designed the tracks for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ 2014 at Normandy, France.
40 horse-and-rider combinations competed.

1 elimination – for Italy’s Francesco Franco for a fall from Banca Popolare Bari Cassandra at the penultimate fence in the first round.

15 qualified for the second-round jump-off against the clock.
The winner was Switzerand’s Steve Guerdat partnering Nino des Buissonnets, the horse with which he won individual gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Swiss riders filled the top three places – Martin Fuchs lined up second with the 10-year-old PSG Future and Pius Schwizer finished third with Sixtine de Vains.
The youngest horses in today’s competition were both 8-year-olds and both qualified for the jump-off.

Schwizer’s third-placed Sixtine de Vains is only 8 years old.
Fourth place went to The Netherlands’ Jur Vrieling and VDL Zirocco Blue who won the opening leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Oslo, Norway last Sunday.
After two rounds of the Western European League, today’s winner Steve Guerdat, who finished third last weekend in Oslo, now heads the Western European League leader board with a total of 35 points.
In the Western European League, a total of 40 points is usually sufficient to qualify for the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final.

Quotes:

Steve Guerdat SUI, talking about the Swiss working as a team in Helsinki – “it’s great to be able to talk together and train together, and it’s great to have a team on site and not to be on your own”.

Anna-Julia Kontio FIN – “I was very happy with both of my rounds. My target was to finish in the top 10 and I made it! Yesterday in the Grand Prix my horse got nervous in the jump-off and we had two fences down. Today I wanted two clear rounds and I’m happy. I’m also happy that Martin (Fuchs) got something to bring home!”

Steve Guerdat SUI – “It was a fantastic course and a great arena. The Organising Committee did a great job, and the atmosphere was even better than it used to be”.

Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League – Standings after Round 2 at Helsinki (FIN):

1. Steve Guerdat SUI – 35
2. Jur Vrieling NED – 33
3. Marlon Zanotelli BRA – 21
4. Kevin Staut FRA – 21
5. Pius Schwizer SUI – 18
6. Marco Kutscher GER – 17
6. Martin Fuchs SUI – 17
8. Christian Ahlmann GER – 15
9. Douglas Lindelow SWE – 14
10. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum GER – 13
11. Bart Bless NED – 12
12. Geir Gulliksen NOR – 9
13. Alexandre Fontanelle FRA – 8
13. Edwina Tops-Alexander AUS – 8
15. Anna-Julia Kontio FIN – 7
15. Linda Heed SWE – 7
17. Daniel Deusser GER – 6
17. Gregory Wathelet BEL – 6
19. Henrik von Eckermann SWE – 5
19. Penelope Leprevost FRA – 5

Louise Parkes