Show Jumping News

Sven Holmberg Resigns as Ground Jury President at the 2007 FEI European Jumping Championship

Given his position as the first FEI Vice President, Sven Holmberg expressed to the FEI Executive Board (EB) his wish to resign as President of the Ground Jury at the 2007 FEI European Championship to be held in Mannheim from 14 to 19 August. The EB accepted Mr Holmberg’s resignation and requested that a new President of the Ground Jury be appointed by the FEI Jumping Department. Sven Holmberg will be present at the Championship; he will officially represent the FEI during the days the FEI President is not there.

The Athleticism of the Equestrian and The Equine Athletes

Check out HorseGirlTV horsegirltv.com

CEM and Importing Horses

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2006/2007 - FINAL LAS VEGAS (USA)

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING IS COMING HOME……

As the curtain was coming down on the 29th FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final in Las Vegas last weekend, thoughts were already beginning to turn to the 2007/2008 finale which will be staged in the city considered to be the true home of World Cup show jumping - Gothenburg, Sweden.

At a Sunday morning press conference FEI Secretary General, Michael Stone, pointed out that “next season is the 30th anniversary of the series and the Western European League will carry the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping title. The final will take place in Gothenburg which has a tremendous reputation for the quality of its organisation and which has made a big contribution to the development of the series”.

This will be the 12th final to be held in the famous Scandinavium Arena which attracts one of the most knowledgeable and enthusiastic audiences in the world to its annual fixture. It was at the inaugural event at the Swedish venue back in 1979 that the coveted World Cup trophy was first held aloft, and it was Austria’s Hugo Simon who claimed the honours on that occasion riding Gladstone.

The city of Gothenburg, or Goteborg as it is known closer to home, was founded in 1621 by King Gustav 11 Adolf and built by Dutch architects. It was initially dominated by Holland, Germany, Scotland and England which is possibly why it is sometimes called Little London or Swedish Amsterdam. Located on the west coast of Sweden and with a long sea-faring tradition it is equi-distant to its own capital city of Stockholm and the capital cities of Oslo in Norway and Copenhagen in Denmark.

The Gothia Towers which is attached to the Scandinavium Arena will once again be the show hotel and for any further information about the 2007/2008 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final which takes place from 23-27 April 2008 you can check out the website www.goteborghorseshow.com or contact Mayvor Thorin of Got Event at email: mayvor.thorin@gotevent.se, Tel: +46(0)31615678 and Lotta Amnestal, Press Officer for the Swedish Equestrian Federation at email: lotta.amnestl@ridsport.se, Tel: +46(0)709795635.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES FOR THE FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING RIDERS FROM FEI WEBSITE www.feiworldcup.org

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 29th season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions will qualify for the final in Las Vegas, USA which takes place from 19 to 22 April 2007. The title-holder is Germany’s Marcus Ehning.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations.

Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms It is also the only sport which involves two athletes - horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING FINAL - LAS VEGAS (USA)

SUPER SWISS MANDLI TAKES THE TITLE….

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.

FEI World Cup Jumping in Vigo, Spain (ESP)

Swiss rider Steve Guerdat secured his second victory of the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup™ Jumping series and a place at the final in Las Vegas, USA in April when steering the brilliant mare, Jalisca Solier, into pole position at Vigo in Spain tonight.

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.

FEI World Cup Jumping in Vigo, Spain (ESP): Jumping Qualifier Results

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING QUALIFIER at VIGO
RESULT: 1, Jalisca Solier (Steve Guerdat) Sui 0/0 43.40; 2, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 0/0 43.51; 3, Loro Piana Albin (Juan Carlos Garcia) Ita 0/0 44.48; 4, Galet D’Auzay (Michel Robert) Fra 0/0 45.18; 5, Ilostra Dark (Eugenie Angot) Fra 0/0 45.18; 6, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus /0 45.93; 7, SIEC Concept (Cameron Hanley) Irl 0/0 54.65; 8, Insul Tech Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR 0/4 43.46; 9, Fresh Direct Corlato (Tim Stockdale) GBR 0/4 44.61; 10, Exquis Oliver Q (Harrie Smolders) Ned 0/4 45.45; 11, Quo Vadis (Peter Wylde) USA 0/4 45.77; 12, Hofgut Liederbach’s Abrisca (Pia Luise Aufrecht) Ger 0/4 46.15; 13, Broker’s Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 0/4 50.54; 14, Jaina de Varnevil (Rutherford Latham) Esp 0/8 47.48; 15, Enorm (L Beerbaum) Ger 4/75.36; 16, 11th and Bleeker (Gerfried Puck)Aut 4/76.26; 17, Quibell (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 4/76.78; 18, Air Jordan Z (Daniel Deusser) Ger 4/76.81; 19, Carola (Tina Lund) Den 4/78.53; 20, Isaac (Royne Zetterman) Se 4/78.58; 21, La Toya (Markus Fuchs) Sui 4/78.77; 22, Arielle (William Whitaker) GBR 4/79.15; 23, Madick (Helena Lundback) Swe 4/79.22; 24, Isaac du Jonquet (Mikael Forsten) Fin 4/80.31; 25, Itot du Chateau (Michel Hecart) Fra 4/80.33; 26, Aktion Pur Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 4/82.65; 27, Maddock (Jesus Garmendia) Esp 4/85.68; 28, Cabri D’Elle (Paola Amilbia) Esp 5/86.18; 29, Kairos de Crochet (Luis Jesus Escobar Jimenez) Esp 8/85.42; 30, Ad Laguina (Alvaro De Miranda) Bra 12/79.56; 31, Kesberoy de St Aubert (Cayetano Martinez de Irujo) Esp 12/83.97; 32, Cash (Marco Kutscher) Ger 12/99.44; 33, Inedite de Balme (Simon Delestre) Fra 16/79.82; 34, U-No (Pilar Cordon) Esp 16/85.32; 35, Echo de Lessay (Antonio Portela Carneiro) Por 17/87.31; 36, Gran Corrado (Yves Houtackers) Ned Elim; equal 37, Vici Van’t Plutonia Hof (Ludo Philippaerts) Bel, Carino (Ulrich Kirchhoff) Ger, Tymoon Caloo Meerchen (Dirk Demeersman) Bel Eurocommerce Berlin (Gerco Schroder) Ned Retired.

FEI World Cup Jumping in Vigo, Spain (ESP): Western European League Leaderboard after round 11

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2006/2007 - WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 11 AT VIGO:

1. Christian Ahlmann - 82
2. Beat Mandli - 64
3. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 63
4. Michael Whitaker - 59
5. Albert Zoer - 56
6. Steve Guerdat - 50
7. Leopold Van Asten - 47
8. Eugenie Angot - 46
9. Markus Beerbaum - 45
10. Judy-Ann Melchior - 44
11. Gerco Schroder - 42
12. Rene Tebbel - 42
13. Patrick McEntee - 42
14. Malin Baryard-Johnsson - 36
15. Michel Robert - 34
16. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst, Marcus Ehning - 34
18. Edwina Alexander - 34
19. Marco Kutscher - 33
20. Daniel Deusser - 30
21. Juan Carlos Garcia - 30

FEI World Cup Jumping: Bordeaux, France (FRA)

Michel Robert, one of the most respected riders in the sport of international show jumping, put on a brilliant exhibition with Galet d’Auzay to clinch the tenth leg of the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup™ Jumping series at Bordeaux in France tonight.

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……

FEI World Cup Jumping: Bordeaux, France (FRA) Jumping Qualifier Results

FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING QUALIFIER presented by Congres et Exposition du Bordeaux
RESULT: 1, Galet d’Auzay (M Robert) Fra 0/0 37.12; 2, Itot du Chateau (M Hecart) Fra 0/0 38.05; 3, Shutterfly (M Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger 37.09; 4, Carino (Ulrich Kirchhoff) Ger 0/4 38.46; 5, MacKinley (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) Swe 0/4 38.50; 6, Insultech Portofino (Michael Whitaker) GBR 4/63.71; 7, The Sixth Sense (Thomas Fruhmann) Aut 4/63.86; 8, Controe (Marco Kutscher) Ger 4/64.17; 9, Cyrenaika FRH (Philippe Leoni) Fra 4/64.62; 10, Ilostra ark (Eugenie Angot) Fra 4/64.86; 11, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) Ger 4/64.89; 12, First de Launay HN (Florian Angot) Fra 4/65.06; 13, Sinclaire (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 4/65.25; 14, Couleur Rubin (Ludger Beerbaum) Ger 4/67.06; 15, Arielle (William Whitaker) GBR 4/67.10; 16, Jadis de Toscane (Philippe Rozier) Fra 4/67.39; 17, Eurocommerce Berlin (Gerco Schroder) Ned 4/67.46; 18, Grande Dame Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 4/67.86; 19, Al Kaheel Spender S (Jos Lansink) Bel 4/68.02; 20, SIEC Hippica Kerman (Cameron Hanley) Irl 4/68.34; 21, Isaac (Royne Zetterman) Swe 5/69.18; 22, Quibell (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 8/63.32; 23, Maddock (Jesus Garmendia) Esp 8/66.43; 24, Indigo (Beat Mandli) Sui 8/68.39; 25, Nanta (Jonella Ligresti Bonomelli) Ita 8/82.57; 26, Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 7/70.76; 27, Sam (Albert Zoer) Ned 12/63.12; 28, Inedite de Balme (Simon Delestre) Fra 12/63.55; 29, La Toya (Markus Fuchs) Sui 12/64.43; 30, Gabelou des Ores (Stephan Lafouge) Fra 12/65.83; 31, Van Schijndel’s Rascin (Piet Raymakers Jnr) Ned 12/66.75; 32, Jalisca Solier (Steve Guerdat) Sui 12/67.22; 33, Fresh Direct Corlato (Tim Stockdale) GBR 12/67.83; 34, Ideal de la Loge (Roger-Yves Bost) Fra 12/67.93; 35, Icare du Manet (Julien Eppailard) Fra 13/69.89; 36, Iasco Mouche (Robert Breul) Fra 16/68.61; 37, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 17/87.01; 38, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus Elim; 39, Isaac du Jonquet (Mikael Forsten) Fin, Andante (Tina Lund) Den Ret.