America’s Rich Fellars created a huge sensation when finishing second with Flexible, a horse who has achieved success against the most incredible odds, while Heinrich-Hermann Engemann and Aboyeur W slotted into third to under-pin his utter reliability when the chips are down. “We have seen extraordinary sport over this weekend” said FEI First Vice-President Sven Holmberg this evening. “I’ve been to many World Cup finals over many, many years and this was the hardest ever” - few of the riders would disagree……

Course-designer Rolf Ludi presented two more fascinating tracks on the final afternoon. They asked huge questions about the rider’s ability to be accurate and the horse’s willingness to stretch themselves to their limit, but when it comes to limits Shutterfly does not seem to have any at all…..Meredith left the 15 year old gelding with a lot to do at the triple combination in today’s opening round but the horse just opened up his jump a little more to bring her home clear. Shutterfly was relaxed and it all looked so very easy - “he’s been in a great mood here all week and he wasn’t nervous at all. He enjoyed working in the warm-up ring which was very quiet and he reflected that in the ring” she pointed out later.

The first two of the 24 starters retired in the opening round, Judy-Ann Melchior and the adorable stallion Levisto Z after hitting two elements of the treble at fence eight and America’s Todd Minikus and Olinda after lowering the narrow vertical at fence six. These were just two of the traps in the cleverest of courses, the former approached off a left-hand turn after a big oxer and the latter following the triple bar that would put an end to Kuerten’s dominance. In the lead after the first two legs and having won the Grand Prix with Quibell on Saturday night the Irish rider looked like a runaway train that just couldn’t be stopped. But as all top riders are only too aware, including the eventual winner, show jumping is an entirely unpredictable affair and the World Cup format leaves absolutely no room for error…..

Fourth to go, Belgium’s Patrick McEntee produced the first fault-free round with Ever Mury Marais Z and when the Swedish duo of Helena Lundback with Madick and Rolf-Goran Bengtsson with Ninja La Silla did likewise the packed stadium went wild with excitement. However they were all lying a distance off the main contenders, carrying double-figure points when the results of Thursday’s Speed and Friday’s Jump-Off classes were calculated.

Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat did his chances no harm however when, lying ninth, he left the course intact with Tresor and Engemann then kept a clean sheet to hold on to his seventh place on the leaderboard. He began to move up as Ludger Beerbaum fell victim to the middle-element of the treble with All Inclusive NRW and the defending champion, Beat Mandli from Switzerland, left two on the floor with Ideo du Thot. Fourth-last to go however Michaels-Beerbaum piled on the pressure when foot-perfect and when the following three got into trouble she was in the driving seat. The relatively novice 10 year old Esplanade began to show her lack of experience when collecting 12 faults for America’s Peter Wylde, Fellar’s stallion hit the vertical at six and then Kuerten lost her grip with a mistake at the same spot on the track. Standing off the previous triple bar, the Irish rider’s mare Castle Forbes Libertina landed short and hit it and then found the three-stride distance to the following vertical just too long and crashed through that too, although the partnership recovered their equilibrium quickly to finish without further incident. The die was cast however, and there would now be no way back……

The second-round track was shorter with just nine fences but the questions were still big ones and course-builder Ludi admitted afterwards that he might have been a little kinder with the distance to the very final fence. This asked for either three very forward and long, or four short and snappy strides from the previous big oxer and, time and again, the riders just couldn’t master this one. Not until Wylde returned to show the huge promise of this amazing mare Esplanade who has come out of the blue to sparkle at this World Cup final, going clear this time out. Mandli mastered the last distance too but Guerdat, now lying sixth, kicked out the final vertical as did Beerbaum when both attempted the distance on three strides while Kuerten, now fourth, slipped further down the order with a frustrating mistake at the very first fence. With just two coming after him, Fellars chipped in an extra stride on the last line and Flexible showed exactly how he earned his name when snapping up and over to hold his position with a clear round.

An error at the first element of the double at fence three hampered Engemann but, last in, Shutterfly was like a piece of precision equipment and the crowd rewarded the German partnership with a huge roar as the horse and rider executed the last distance to perfection on four strides. It just looked simple in the end….but Meredith insisted these were some of the toughest days jumping she had ever experienced, and she was very glad to slay the dragon of last year’s final when she disappeared from the reckoning due to a freaky fall.

‘I’m very proud to win my second World Cup title and the first Rolex-sponsored World Cup final” said the rider who previously topped the line-up in Las Vegas in 2005. “Shutterfly showed he was in great form over three days and at 15 he is not young - he was super and he never had a rail down. I’m pleased with myself today too, and glad I got him around safely” she added.

Runner-up, Rich Fellars, was bombarded with questions because his second-placing came as a big surprise - even to him it seemed. The Oregon-based rider is also a trainer and horse agent and prefers to live a quiet life with his family in the US rather than travelling the international circuit - “I have two wonderful children and being with them is my priority” he pointed out. However he has benefitted from the temporary arena created in Thermal, California where Flexible has produced some good results. Even the 49 year old American was surprised by the Irish-bred 12 year old stallion by Cruising out of a mare called Flex which was ridden by Edward Doyle. “You don’t know what they can do until you ask them, and when I asked him this week to jump higher and go wider he just kept saying OK” the rider pointed out. His success was all the more remarkable however for the fact that Flexible was found to have a blocked artery in a fore-leg which caused persistent lameness some years ago. Having sorted that out surgically the stallion then got loose while over-nighting at Barney Ward’s stables and galloped into a fence breaking his shoulder. To come back from that almost three years later and finish a close second in the World Cup final is little short of remarkable….

Engemann meanwhile knew that he also achieved some special this weekend. There has never been any question about his horse’s courage but he also showed that he could jump the biggest of tracks - “I am very happy to be third - my horse did a great job” he said.

And Meredith could now laugh about the 2007 final, safe in the knowledge that both she and Shutterfly are right back on top of the world…

Dutch star Gerco Schroder scooped maximum points in the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping qualifying leg in Bordeaux, France tonight with a stunning performance from Eurocommerce Milano.

Second-last into the ten-horse jump-off he ousted Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat from pole position, and Schroder said afterwards that he now has his sights firmly set on a place at the series final in Gothenburg, Sweden in April. “Until last week I only had one point” the 29 year old World and European gold medallist explained, “but then I was second with Monaco in Amsterdam and now I have the win here with Milano so I have almost enough points - this changes my plan” he added.

The big, tough track set by Frank Rothenberger was plenty testing as competition pathfinder, the new bright star of British show jumping William Whitaker, demonstrated. The course-designer set them a particularly difficult question with the distance between the oxer at fence three and the following triple combination and William’s evening ended here. The 18 year old rider, who grabbed the headlines when winning the seventh round of the 2007/2008 series at Mechelen in Belgium in December, was having his first Rolex FEI World Cup™ run since then but, attempting to go down the line on four strides he arrived too far off the first element of the treble and Arielle ground to a halt for eventual elimination.

“You needed a long four strides or a very short five” said Schroder afterwards. “This was a very difficult line because the oxer was big and it was only the third fence so the problem was very early on the course. But Frank said before the competition that he didn’t want too many clears and that, with so many good riders in the class, he didn’t know what he needed to do to avoid getting too many!” the Dutch man said.

There were four retirements before the first round concluded, while the home side’s Michel Robert (Mme Pompadour) and Belgium’s Patrick McEntee (Ever Mury Marais Z) were left kicking themselves for having collected a single time-fault each as the 74-second time allowed proved tight.

The jump-off line-up was top-class however and it was Germany’s Lars Nieberg and Lucie who led the way, leaving two fences on the floor in 36.05 seconds. Patrice Deleveay was the first of the two French representatives in the closing stages but a pole down for his 10 year old Calvaro mare Katchina Mail drew a sigh from the home supporters so it was Britain’s Tim Stockdale and Fresh Direct Corlato who set the first real target when crossing the line clear in 35.15 seconds.

Then Kevin Staut and Kraque Boom Bois Margot set off for France, also however lowering one along the way and when Switzerland’s Daniel Etter and Peu a Peu did likewise then Stockdale still held the advantage at the half-way point.

Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum would make no mistake with Le Mans, slotting in behind the Englishman when more than a half-second slower but Steve Guerdat raised the temperature dramatically when galloping home to take the lead with Jalisca Solier who stopped the clock on 33.78 seconds.

Christian Ahlmann’s clear in 35.58 seconds with Lorenzo would now put him comfortably into the ribbons without challenging the leader, but a place in the line-up was never going to satisfy Schroder who entered the arena filled with determination to win.

“I saw a bit of Steve’s round and it was very fast - I thought I will try to see if I can be faster and my mare - she gave me everything!” he pointed out.

It wasn’t quite over yet because last into the ring was the formidable British partnership of Michael Whitaker and Suncal Portofino, but a fence down saw them having to settle for sixth place behind Ahlmann in fifth, Michaels-Beerbaum in fourth, Stockdale in third and Guerdat in runner-up spot.

“Milano is only just back after a break and this was her first show with big classes so I am very happy with her” Schroder said, and when asked if the 14 year old is the best of his superb string of rides he answered - “Milan, Berlin, Monaco - I love them all!”

So now with 38 points on the Western European League leaderboard he is just a few points short of a qualifying place for the final. The top-18 will go through from this hard-fought league, but something in the region of 40 points is required to comfortably make the cut. Guerdat’s second placing today has rocketed him up to joint-third place on the leaderboard which continues to be headed by Ireland’s Jessica Kuerten while Michaels-Beerbaum has now moved into second.

For those still seeking those elusive points however time is quickly running out. Next weekend there is another chance in the Spanish town of Vigo but then only s’Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands remains before the complete line-up for the 30th finale to the world’s most exciting indoor jumping series is decided…….

RESULT: 1, Eurocommerce Milano (Gerco Schroder) Ned 0/0 33.52; 2, Jalisca Solier (Steve Guerdat) Sui 0/0 33.78; 3, Fresh Direct Corlato (Tim Stockdale) GBR 0/0 35.15; 4, Le Mans (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger 0/0 35.54; 5, Lorenzo (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 0/0 35.58; 6, Suncal Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR 0/4 35.59; 7, Katchina Mail (Patrice Deleveau) Fra 0/4 35.83; 8, Peu a Peu (Daniel Etter) Sui 0/4 35.92; 9, Kraque Boom Bois Margot (Kevin Staut) Fra 0/4 37.67; 10, Lucie (Lars Nieberg) Ger 0/8 36.05; 11, Mme Pompadour (Michel Robert) Fra 1/74.55; 12, Ever Mury Marais Z (Patrick McEntee) Bel 1/74.64;13, Jovis de Revel (Roger-Yves Bost) Fra 4/66.32; 14, Butterfly Flip (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) Swe 4/68.99; 15, Kanthaka de Petra (Julien Epaillard) Fra 4/69.35; 16, The Sixth Sense (Thomas Fruhmann) Aut 4/69.64; 17, Couleur Rubin (Ludger Beerbaum) Ger 4/69.79; 18, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) Ger 4/70.23; 19, AD Picolien (Alvara de Miranda) Bra 4/70.39; 20, Sam (Albert Zoer) Ned 4/71.11; 21, Isaac du Jonquet (Mikael Forsten) Fin 4/71.13; 22, Ilostra Dark (Eugenie Angot) Fra 4/71.19; 23, Nirmette (Markus Fuchs) Sui 4/71.91; 24, Isovlas Socrates (Edwina Alexander) Aus 4/72.27; 25, Castle Forbes Vivaldo VH Costersveld (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 8/67.96; 26, L’Espoir (Geir Gulliksen) Nor 8/72.48; 27, Jadis de Toscane (Philippe Rozier) Fra 8/73.33; 28, Meautry’s Locarno (Luciana Diniz) Por 9/75.03; 29, Van Schijndel’s Rascin (Piet Raijmakers Jr) Ned 9/75.10; 30, Lord du Mont Milon (Jesus Garmendia) Esp10/78.05; 31, Tinka’s Serenade (Billy Twomey) Irl 13/74.38; 32, Cornet Obolensky (Marco Kutscher) Ger 15/101.79; 33, Gabelou des Ores (Stephan Lafouge) Fra 16/73.01; 34, Hamilton de Pheret (Juan Carlos Garcia) Ita 17/77.69; 35, Vodowaldo (Edouard Couperie) Fra 21/74.65; 36, Arielle (William Whitaker) GBR Elim; 37, Valentina Van’t Heike (Jos Lansink) Bel, Levisto Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel, Zamiro (Tina Lund) Den, King Solier (Penelope Leprovost) Fra Ret.

“It is a dream come true,” a delighted Meredith said. Back in 1988 in Aachen, when she as a little kid had seen the European elite jump, she had pledged to herself that one day she would be out there competing with them. “And today, having Ludger on one side and Jos on the other, but standing lower than me, was the greatest feeling.” Meredith paid tribute to Shutterfly whom she called a spectacular animal and an amazing athlete. “He has very delicate nerves,” she explained, “and Mannheim with its large training arenas was perfect for him as it allowed him to relax and concentrate.” Meredith is only the second woman to win the European title in a mixed European championship after France’s Alexandra Ledermann had taken the title in 1999 and the fact that she and Shutterfly are now a real team and have never felt better together has certainly contributed to this success.

Jos was also understandably pleased with his medal. “I know that Cumano is not the fastest horse but we didn’t have a single fence down and am very happy with the silver.” Virtually nothing has changed in Cumano’s preparation since the great success in Aachen. At the beginning of the year, he had been used for reproduction and the championship is only the fifth show he does this year.

Ludger was also a happy man “despite that this is ‘only’ bronze,” he said. “The championship has been successful for Germany and we didn’t lose the gold, we won the silver, which under the circumstances was an achievement,” he explaining referring to the disasters that had befallen team mate Marcus Ehning and Küchengirl. “Germany shouldn’t be the country which always wins. The sport is open and this is what it makes it exciting. And it certainly has been exciting here,” he declared.

The 25 best placed combinations after the speed competition and the two Nations Cup rounds took part today. The competition was held in two rounds over two different courses. The first round’s course was 500m in length. An absolute masterpiece of course building, it comprised 12 obstacles (15 jumping efforts). It was much more technical than the previous two courses requiring absolute concentration and precision. The very colourful and innovative design – indeed how often does one see guitars, musical notes, bicycle wheels and the huge red number 400 paying tribute to the 400th anniversary since the creation of the city of Mannheim – was visually challenging for the horses.

Despite the fact that the second round’s course was shorter – 440m, 10 obstacles (12 jumping efforts) – and much more straightforward, the four days of intense jumping made themselves felt and clear rounds were less frequent than in the first one: 9 clears in round one; 4 clears in round two.

Course designer Christa Jung, who has made history for herself by being the first woman to design a European Championship, said she was very happy with the super sport that had taken place during the week.

The 2007 FEU European Jumping Championship has certainly been a thrilling one and now that all the teams to compete in next year’s Olympic Games are known, eyes are slowly turning to Hong Kong where the next battle of the titans will be staged.

The silver and bronze were decided through a jump off. Germany’s Carolin Zell on the 13-year old gelding Wombel 17 had finished today’s two-round competition on 8 penalties (4 from the 2nd round of the Nations Cup and 4 from today’s first round) and had tied with James Smith of Great Britain who was the only rider to start the day with a clean slate and had a bar down in each of today’s rounds. The jump off was held over a five-fence, six-jumping effort course. Carolin Zell had a clear round in 34s19. James followed and scored a clear round too but in 34s40. So, for 0s21 the silver medal is German and Great Britain wins an individual Jumping bronze medal.

The drama of the day was the elimination of 13-year old Constant van Paesschen on the 15-year mare Angel. With only four penalties, he was the last to go in the second round. A first refusal at the second element of the triple combination unsettled the pair and they were eliminated after a second refusal at the very last fence.

The 2007 FEI European Pony Championships ends in much celebration. God Save the Queen was the song of the day and the Union Jack could be seen everywhere in all its bright glory. It has been an edition of good sport and also one of many innovations. For the first time the ponies taking part in the event were measured on site prior to the competition to ensure their size was in compliance with FEI’s definition of a pony. A new Jumping format was used and only three riders per nation could participate in the individual Dressage final. Are there reasons for satisfaction? We believe there are as many changes have been successfully introduced in only one year. However, improvements will be pursued in the near future so that those who love and practise pony sport can do so fairly and honestly.

Under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping rules, the FEI Investigating Body (composed of its Veterinary and Legal Departments) are responsible to conduct follow-up investigations which may be required following the receipt of test results. Based on a number of factors related to the testing procedure and integrity of the samples in this case, the Investigating Body has determined that it cannot assert that a rule was violated in this case, and the rider has been informed accordingly.

Under the FEI’s Equine Anti-Doping rules, which were adopted last year further to the recommendations of an FEI Task Force on Anti-Doping and Medication Policy and within the framework of the World Anti-Doping Code, the FEI must meet a specified standard of proof when alleging a doping violation, in order to safeguard the rights of athletes. Issues that concern the integrity of blood or urine samples can prove material to whether this standard can be met.

The FEI does not, as a matter of policy, announce the existence of positive test results until it has received and assessed the results of the confirmatory (”B”) analysis and determined that they confirm the presence of a prohibited substance, or the rider has waived the right to such an analysis. Unfortunately, news of the positive test result in this case became public through third parties.

There were even more surprises in store in the closing competition of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Finals this afternoon in Las Vegas where Switzerland’s Beat Mandli reigned supreme with Ideo du Thot.

In a class that seemed to be choreographed to produce maximum drama, Daniel Deusser rocketed up from overnight 14th to take second place while fellow-German Markus Beerbaum and Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat finished joint-third. Defending champion Marcus Ehning had to settle for fifth spot, and the sudden departure of hot-favourite Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum due to a freak fall left the crowd stunned at the end of the first round. There was nothing predictable about the 2006-2007 World Cup series-closer and superb course-building by Brazil’s Guillherme Jorge ensured a classical conclusion to one of the most exciting indoor jumping seasons in many years.

Germany’s Michaels-Beerbaum shared the lead with Guerdat as today’s competition began, with Mandli lying just one point behind after the results of the first two legs of the final had been calculated. Holland’s Leopold Van Asten carried just two points while Germany’s Marco Kutscher and America’s McLain Ward each carried three and just one fence separated Markus Beerbaum from the top of the order. But only two fences separated the top 12 horses and riders so it was wide open and clear rounds would count for a great deal.

It was Canada’s John Pearce who came up with the first of these when his big Oldenburg gelding Archie Bunker sailed around the tricky opening track. Jorge posed some really tough questions with a flimsy double of white rails at fence four and a difficult line from 9 to 11 which stretched horses over the opening triple bar and then tempted them down to the following 1.58m vertical before presenting them with a big oxer with a water tray beneath it. Riders who attacked the triple bar found themselves running out of room in front of the vertical and the distance to the following oxer asked for a forward three strides. Those who couldn’t string it all together often paid a price as the World No. 1 rider Michaels-Beerbaum was about to find out.

Pearce’s Archie Bunker however was one of the real “finds” of this final, the nine year old gelding really coming into his own when the fences were raised and Judy-Ann Melchior from Belgium, at 20 years of age the youngest competitor, was next to go clear with some great jumping from her mare Grande Dame. Germany’s Rene Tebbel then followed suit with Team Harmony Coupe de Coeur as did Deusser with Air Jordan Z and when Ehning, lying eighth and still in with a shot at taking his third World Cup title, left all the fences up with Gitania the German challenge looked super-strong. Markus Beerbaum and Leena and Marco Kutscher and Cash both faulted once at the Rolex triple combination at fence seven while McLain Ward’s first-day winner Sapphire seemed to be running on an increasingly empty tank as she hit the oxers at fences three and six and Van Asten’s mare VDL Groep Fleche Rouge caught the first element of the double at four and kicked a brick off the following wall for eight faults also. With just three left to go Mandli looked like he was about to produce only the sixth clear from the 28 starters but he admitted afterwards that he had “a bad ride to the second-last” and with the horse’s rhythm disturbed they hit the last for four faults. The top of the leaderboard was changing by the moment but no-one could have expected what was going to happen next.

Michaels-Beerbaum was second-last into the ring first time out and Shutterfly was looking very good indeed until the partnership started heading down the line from 9 to 11. The brilliant 14 year old gelding put in a huge effort, as he so often does, at the final oxer and Meredith seemed to sit back as she often does to maintain her balance. But Shutterfly’s power seemed to fire her out of the saddle and as the horse began to put down his landing gear she was already falling off to the right. “It happened so fast she didn’t really know what happened” her husband Markus Beerbaum explained later. “She wanted to go a little left to get an inside turn but he just seemed to disappear from under her - these things happen in our sport and you just have to accept them” he pointed out.

Meredith’s departure left Guerdat in a stronger position but things were not going to go perfectly for him either. The stride didn’t come up quite right in front of the penultimate vertical and that fell for four faults but he was still leading the posse as the second round began over a new course. Mandli was now lying joint-second with Ehning just a point behind while Kutscher and Markus Beerbaum completed the top five at this stage but it was still a long way from over.

Jorge’s new nine-fence track included a difficult treble with a long two strides between the second and third elements that was really going to stretch the shorter-striding horses and again the line of triple bar at fence 6 to vertical at 7 was going to test control and accuracy while the turn from the vertical at four to the oxer with water-tray at five was a difficult manoeuvre.

With America’s Molly Ashe-Cawley and Schuyler Riley withdrawn the final-round field of 18 was led by Holland’s Gerco Schroder and Eurocommerce Milano who left all the fences up as did both Sweden’s Malin-Baryard Johnsson and Butterfly Flip and Germany’s Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst and Candy. The German rode brilliantly through the tricky treble, producing his whip at precisely the right moment to persuade his shorter-striding mare to open up enough to make the distance to the final element and he was rightly pleased with her performance which, in the final analysis, left them in equal-sixth place alongside Christian Ahlmann and Coster.

It was Deusser’s second clear performance however that was to rocket this young man up the order when, now lying ninth, those ahead of him began to crumble. Ward and Ahlmann each had a fence down while Van Asten dropped two and Beerbaum’s Leena caught the first element of the final double before both Kutscher and Ehning each picked up a double-error on course. Ehning could now see the dream of a back-to-back World Cup title victory slip from his grasp but in typical style he just patted Gitania who had given it her best shot. The two Swiss men now at the top of the order then battled it out, Mandli’s Ideo du Thot jumping as smoothly as pouring chocolate to go clear this time and pile the pressure on his fellow-countryman. And when Guerdat’s 11 year old stallion Tresor double-faulted it was all over.

“He jumped the first round really good, it was probably his best jumping all week” said 24 year old Guerdat afterwards, “but from the first fence in the second round the power was gone and it was a long round - he was getting very tired and he kind of gave up a little bit during the second half of the round” the rider explained. But he was far from disconsolate. After a year that saw him struggling in the aftermath of losing his job at Jan Tops yard in Holland the young Swiss rider’s joint-third placing today was a huge achievement. “A year ago I was in the deepest hole of my life and I had to start all over again. It was tough but I tried to keep fighting- but six months ago it would have been unrealistic to expect I’d ever find myself here today” he said sitting on the podium alongside the rest of the top prize-winners. Markus Beerbaum admitted he never expected to find himself there either. “I’m amazed to be here to be honest” he said, “and I have to pay a big compliment to my horse. I thought it would be great if we could finish in the top 10, that was my ambition, so finishing third is really exciting for me”.

Deusser too was almost in shock. “It was unbelievable to qualify for the World Cup final and it’s unbelievable that I have finished second!” he said. A former rider at Franke Sloothaak’s yard in Germany he has now replaced Guerdat as Jan Tops’ stable jockey in Valkenswaard, Holland and his career has enjoyed a meteoric rise since he took up the ride on Air Jordan Z just a few months ago. “We started jumping together in 1.40m and 1.45m classes and then we finished fourth in the World Cup qualifier in Amsterdam and won the Grand Prix in s’Hertogenbosch. We didn’t do too many big shows together but now I think my horse has shown that he is a championship horse” the 25 year old rider pointed out.

Mandli meanwhile was finding it all a bit difficult to take in. “I’ve never had this feeling before. I’ve never won a championship and I don’t think I am taking it in just yet but I’m very happy for my horse and me” he said. The warm-up area at the Thomas & Mack arena is inside a tent and high winds coming in off the desert created problems for the Swiss rider in the first round because of the noise it created. “My horse is sensitive and the wind made him quite nervous before we went into the first round” he explained, “but before the second round he was really good outside and I rode very quietly in the ring. I didn’t mind if Steve won because he is also Swiss but Ideo was super to ride in the second round, he jumped unbelievably” he added.

He said he got Ideo as a seven year old but that he was previously overshadowed by his other two great horses Principal and Indigo. However since they have been out of action Ideo has had to take their place “and he is now my No. 1″ Mandli pointed out. “He’s very careful and good in his mind, he’s a great horse” and he said he was very proud to record this win for Switzerland “because I am only the second rider ever to win this trophy for my country” - Markus Fuchs being the other, winning at Gothenburg with Tinka’s Boy in 2001. Mandli could also be proud of the fact that he trains Guerdat who he has known “since he was a kid” and Guerdat’s admiration for his 37 mentor was undeniable. Talking about how difficult it is for a country like Switzerland to battle with giants like Germany, Guerdat insisted that Swiss riders are equally talented - “Beat Mandli is as good as any German, in fact he’s better!” Guerdat said. “At any Championship or World Cup we try hard - they have so many more riders but quality-wise we are just as good as them” he said determinedly, adding that today’s winner is “the greatest rider ever!”. Mandli just smiled and, today, nobody was arguing with that….

RESULT: (Final standings after third final competition) - 1, Ideo du Thot (B Mandli) Sui 5; 2, Air Jordan Z (Daniel Deusser) Ger 11;Equal 3, Leena (Markus Beerbaum) Ger, Tresor (Steve Guerdat) Sui 12; 5, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) Ger 13; Equal 6, Candy (Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst) Ger, Coster (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 14; Equal 8, Cash (Marco Kutscher) Ger, Sapphire (McLain Ward) USA 15; 10, Butterfly Flip (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) Swe 17; 11, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 18; 12, Grande Dame (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 20; 13, Team Harmony Coupe de Coeur (Rene Tebbel) Ger 21; 14, Archie Bunker (John Pearce) Can 23; 15, Eurocommerce Milano (Gerco Schroder) Ned 24; 16, Casadora (Lauren Hough) USA 27; 17, Hidden Creek’s Quervo Gold (Margie Engle) USA 28; 18, Vent du Nord (Kate Levy) USA 32; Equal 19, Kroon Gravin (Molly Ashe-Cawley) USA, Ilian (Schuyler Riley) USA 18; 21, Summer (Mandy Porter) USA 27; 22, Promised Land (Christine McCrea) USA 31; 23, Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 32; 24, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA 33; 25, Chinobampo Lavita (Alberto Michan) Mex 37. (Final Placings for remaining horses and riders) 26, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger; 27, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus Elim; 28,Callisto (Jill Henselwood) Can; 29, Kaskaya (Jill Humphrey) USA; 30, Campino (Santiago Lambre) Mex; 31, Oasis/Coeur (Rodrigo Pessoa) Bra; 32, Warlord (Gavin Chester) Aus; 33, Hof Schretstakens Quamiro (Krzystof Ludwiczak) Pol ; Equal 34, Ritus (Jukasz Jonczyk) Pol, Caitano (Taizo Sugitani) Jpn; 36, Gyro (Rich Fellers) USA; 37, Lowina (Albert Zoer) Ned; 38, VDL Nantes (Denis Gouvea) Bra; Equal 39, Authentic (Beezie Madden) USA, Suncal Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR, Ever Mury Marais Z (Patrick McEntee) Bel.

The eleventh of the 13 qualifying legs was another thriller, and with 14 through to the jump-off it was a fierce battle against the clock. But Guerdat had shown that his new ride has the heart of a lioness when putting in a breath-taking performance to come out on top in Geneva in December, and when he asked her to give him her all again tonight she never faltered. “She’s just wonderful - I’m so very lucky to have her” the 24 year old said afterwards with genuine gratitude in his voice.

Holland’s Leopold Van Asten finished second ahead of Italy’s Juan Carlos Garcia in third while last weekend’s winner in Bordeaux, Frenchman Michel Robert, was fourth and, having picked up more valuable points, is close to qualification.

Spain’s Rutherford Latham and Jaina de Barnevil were pathfinders as the competition began and came home clear to make it look a little easy, but 16 more jumped before the second clear-round performance was recorded by Germany’s Pia-Luise Aufrecht and Hofgut Liederbach’s Abrisca. A total of 13 partnerships had just a single pole down including Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum and Enorm who produced the fastest four-fault result and Britain’s rising star William Whitaker who, for the second week in succession, was most impressive with Arielle.

Latham set the pace against the clock, but with two fences down it was going to take a better performance than that to claim the €28,000 winners purse and when Aufrecht left one on the floor, and British rider Tim Stockdale did likewise with the his 10 year old mare Fresh Direct Corlato, it was Ireland’s Cameron Hanley who set the early target when bringing SIEC Concept home without fault in 54.65 seconds. The time recorded by the Irish duo was a generous one however and that great old hero of international show jumping Loro Piana Albin, who at 19 years of age is nine years older than Hanley’s promising gelding, simply blew them away when crossing the line for Italy’s Juan Carlos Garcia with the clock showing more than a ten-second advantage.

Both America’s Peter Wylde and Quo Vadis and Holland’s Harrie Smolders riding Exquis Oliver Q were just over a second off the new target of 44.48 seconds when each had one fence down, while last weekend’s winning French partnership at Bordeaux, Michel Robert and Galet d’Auzay, were clear without threatening the leader as they broke the beam in 45.18 seconds. Australia’s Edwina Alexander and the great mare Isovlas Pialotta also left all the fences up, but with the clock showing 45.93 seconds the Italian leaders were still well in control and when Norway’s Tony Andre Hansen faulted once with Broker’s Camiro it was down to the final four.

And then the packed house of 8,000 spectators were treated to even more excitement.

Dutch rider Leopold Van Asten set off with VDL Groep Fleche Rouge with a look of sheer determination on his face and the 14 year old mare shaved almost a full second off Albin’s time when breaking the beam with a clear round in 43.51 seconds to snatch the lead. But, next to go, Guerdat and Jalisca answered that with a devastating run that saw them across the line in 43.40 - and the crowd exploded with delight. Second-last into the ring, Eugenie Angot and Ilostra Dark left all the poles up but could not challenge the Swiss partnership with their time of 45.37 seconds. However the drama was still not quite over. Last man into the arena was Britain’s Michael Whitaker, always a force to be reckoned with, and his gallant mare Insul Tech Portofino was in flying form. Galloping to the last, she looked like she might just be quick enough to catch Jalisca’s time, but as the final fence hit the floor and she raced through the finish the clock showed 43.46 seconds. Guerdat had secured his second win of the 2006/2007 series in considerable style.

“It was a very fast jump-off and maybe my mare’s round was not as smooth as it was when we won in Geneva but she was brilliant” Guerdat pointed out. At just 10 years of age however he believes the French-bred daughter of Alligator Fontaine has done more than enough for the moment. “After Geneva she had a break and I only brought her back to big shows for Amsterdam two weeks ago and we had one down” he explained. He is still really annoyed with himself about their performance in Bordeaux last weekend however. “I rode like an idiot in Bordeaux. I couldn’t stop thinking about it all week because I really let her down, but today was a great day and now she will go back to doing much smaller classes so she can get her confidence and settle down again” he added.

Tonight’s result however has earned this talented young man a place in the Las Vegas final line-up, although he has already decided that Jalisa Solier will not travel to America. “She’s still too green, it would all be much too much for her, so I will take Tresor instead. Tresor is not quite so competitive but it will be great experience for me and I’m really looking forward to going” Guerdat said.

The line-up for the 29th FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final is really beginning to take shape now with 13 riders having passed that magical 40-point mark which usually guarantees a qualifying spot. Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson is only four points away but she is followed closely by a sharp bunch of predators who will also be hoping to make the cut over the last two qualifying rounds of the series which take place in Gothenburg, Sweden on 25 February and s’Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands on 25 March.

In a five-horse jump-off the 58 year old Frenchman raised the game with a superb second-to-go effort that could not be bettered, and it was an excellent evening for the home supporters when Michel Hecart secured second spot. Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Ulrich Kirchhoff had to settle for third and fourth places respectively while Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson slotted into fifth.

“I’m very happy with my horse tonight” Robert said afterwards. “This is his first win indoors, normally he goes better outside but he was settled tonight even though it was a difficult competition” he pointed out.

Course designer Frank Rothenberger’s first-round track created just enough problems to leave 15 of the world’s best riders sitting on the sidelines during round two after posting four-fault results. Britain’s Michael Whitaker was the quickest of these when breaking the beam with Insultech Portofino in 63.71 seconds, slotting into sixth spot ahead of Austria’s Thomas Fruhmann and The Sixth Sense, but one of the most interesting surprises of the opening round was an excellent four-fault performance from William Whitaker, yet another member of that ultra-talented British dynasty and a young man who is beginning to show some real promise under the stewardship of his Uncle Michael. The four-fault list also included reigning FEI World Cup™ champion Marcus Ehning and Gitania along with 2006 WEG champion Jos Lansink riding Al Kaheel Spender S. This horse and rider are in the early stages of establishing their new partnership following the acquisition of the 12 year old stallion from Sweden’s Maria Gretzer, and things are already looking good.

Michel Hecart led the way against the clock with the 11 year old stallion Itot du Chateau and put on plenty of pressure when returning clear in a time of 38.05 seconds but his fellow-countryman, Robert, shaved almost a second off that when home and hosed in 37.12.

Then came the Swedish challengers, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and his tough gelding MacKinley, who hit the FEI fence for four faults in 38.50 seconds before Germany’s Ulrich Kirchhoff and Carino returned four-tenths of a second quicker, but also with one down. The competition was far from over however as the last combination into the ring were the formidable World No 2 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and her former FEI World Cup™ champion Shutterfly who set off at a blistering pace and galloped through the finish in 37.09 seconds. But they knocked the very last fence and so had to settle for third place.

Robert knew that the line he had ridden had made it difficult for the rest. “I took short turns and it was not going to be easy to beat me but I still didn’t go completely crazy!” said the man who has been a master of his art for many years now. A team bronze medallist at the Olympic Games in both Seoul in 1988 and Barcelona in 1992, there are few honours he has not clocked up during his glittering career. In 1982 he won the World Championship in Dublin riding Ideal de la Haye, four years later he took bronze in Aachen and at the World Equestrian Games in The Hague he steered the great mare, Miss, into silver medal position. He has claimed three European individual silver medals and one bronze along with team silver at the European Championships in Gijon in 1993 and he has been Mediterranean champion on two occasions. And before show jumping became his No. 1 game, this horseman extraordinaire enjoyed a hugely successful career as a three-day event rider, competing in Burghley in 1971 and at the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972. A staggering 35 years later he is still at the top of his form, and tonight marked another milestone. Because only once before has this great rider won a qualifying round of the World Cup series - and that was in exactly the same venue, Bordeaux, back in the 1991/1992 season riding Nonix.

Robert said tonight that he had not included a trip to Las Vegas in his plans for the next few months - “but maybe now I will think again” he pointed out. “Galet d’Auzay had a great mentality today. I have only done one other qualifier with him, in Amsterdam last week, and he is really only getting started. I had already planned to go to Vigo next weekend so maybe if we do well there, who knows, we will see…..” he added after collecting tonight’s €128;27,000 first prize.

Another win at in Spain next Saturday night would be just about enough to ensure his passage to the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup Jumping final next April and would provide the veteran French super-star with the chance to add yet another title to his incredible tally……