Show jumping World Cup in Gothenburg

Eight of the 36 pairs in the World Cup leg in Gothenburg made it into the jump-off, including Daniel Deußer with Otello de Guldenboom, who was surprised that there were so many clear rounds over the course built by Peter Schumacher. “The course was difficult, I didn’t expect that,” commented Deußer in the FEI interview. In view of the impressive form that Otello had demonstrated on Friday and in the clear round in the first round, Deußer was in good spirits and full of enthusiasm for the decision. “I want to take a risk, the goal is the top three,” said the current number 30 in the world rankings. But he was not alone in his goal. One after the other.

The pricking

The first pair in the jump-off was Norway’s Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen and his 14-year-old KWPN gelding Harwich VDL by Arezzo VDL. With this horse in particular, Gulliksen had been jumping from success to success in recent weeks, coming seventh in Verona, third in Basel and third twice more in Hong Kong outside of the World Cup. Today, however, a pole fell in the jump-off at Liverpool. With four faults in 41.79 seconds, they set a first benchmark.

Dream team of the Netherlands

The next pair on the starting list were Kim Emmen and Imagine, winners of the Grand Prix in Basel and seventh in the World Cup in Amsterdam. The Olympic pair are one of the most consistent performers in international show jumping and the packed Scandinavium saw why in the next 42.65 seconds. The 13-year-old Cassini Gold son seemed to anticipate the turns even before his rider had actively initiated them, and he jumps like Pegasus. However, he has a huge transmission, which opens up opportunities for more agile horses with a higher frequency in canter. But for the time being, the pair took the lead with their clear round.

Atypical error

Emmen and Imagine were followed by another Dutch pair with an even more impressive track record: Harrie Smolders and the Holsteiner Monaco. At 17 years of age, the Cassini II son looks like he is in the form of his life and this is how the pair approached the first jumps of the jump-off. But after a mighty oxer in the first third, Smolders tried a particularly tight turn to the next steep jump. The distance did not suit at all – too close for another canter jump, too far to be able to clear the obstacle. Monaco nevertheless jumped off bravely. But he couldn’t manage it. He took the pole in his stride. Smolders reacted with lightning speed and took him out of the distance, rode on calmly, first sorting everything out until he brought the rest of the jump-off home clear. As a result, he had also deliberately conceded a down – but retained his horse’s trust.

Mansur with World Cup newcomer

Yuri Mansur is also in impressive form at the moment. Today he saddled up the eleven-year-old Zangersheide gelding Elano de Laubry Z, an angular dark chestnut that the Brazilian rider, who is based in the Netherlands, has been riding for a good year and who looks huge under him. Today was his first World Cup show jumping competition and he passed his baptism of fire with flying colors: penalty-free, but at 44.13 seconds slower than Emmen.

Of all things, the last …

Then it was Daniel Deußer’s turn. He had already announced that he wanted to knock one out today. And he did. Eight of the nine jumps in the jump-off were textbook. Towards the last steep jump, Deußer sped up his Otello once more, then picked him up again briefly to prevent him from going flat. But as careful and skillful as the Tobago Z son was at all the other obstacles, this time he took the top pole with his hindquarters. Otello bucked as if he was annoyed with himself, Deußer turned around and saw the mess. The understandable disappointment was written all over his face, as the time of 40.24 seconds would have been hard to beat. No, it was unbeatable, no one was faster.

Number two in yellow

Yuri Mansur had just enough time after his jump-off to follow the ride of his employee and colleague Eiken Sato. The Japanese rider has been riding for Mansur for a good six months and has been highly successful ever since. He was also placed at the front several times in Gothenburg and had already said that his goal this weekend was to collect points for the World Cup final. And he succeeded. With the 15-year-old OS gelding Chadellano by Chacco Blue, he was even a little faster than his boss: 43.46 seconds. In the end, he finished fourth today and is now number twelve in the World Cup ranking of the Western European League. With only one more leg to go before the final in Fort Worth, he should have his first goal of the season, qualifying for Texas, in the bag, unless a lot goes wrong.

Sensational Indiana

The spectators cheered and Sato thanked them, smiling and waving. But that was nothing compared to the wave of enthusiasm that swept through Scandinavia when the next pair entered the arena: the Olympic and world team champions Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Indiana. This Kashmir van Schuttershof daughter is now 18 years old and has been one of Sweden’s most successful horses for years. A real bank, just like her rider. They were greeted with chants. But Baryard-Johnsson had her game face on and so did Indiana. The two know each other so well and you can see that with every (canter) jump. They managed the turn perfectly where Smolders and Monaco had failed. Up until the last obstacle, it looked as if the pair could beat Kim Emmen and Imagine. But they were 0.25 seconds off the pace. Nevertheless, the spectators were ecstatic.

It was the 77th clear round for Indiana over 1.60 meters. Unbelievable? “If you’re lucky enough to have a horse like this, nothing is impossible,” says Malin Baryard-Johnsson.

Greve the Great

The last pair to enter the arena was Willem Greve and his 15-year-old Eldorado van de Zeshoek son Grandorado. They set off. Right at the second obstacle, a mighty oxer, there was a clear rattle. But luck was with the brave and the pair completed the rest of the course clear and confidently. And fast. In the end, they were able to take 0.46 seconds off Kim Emmen and Imagine. The arena went wild, Greve pointed his index finger to the sky. Yes, the Neumünster champion had delivered again. He was the last starter and was therefore the winner.

Even though he has already jumped countless Nations Cups clear, this was Grandorado’s first victory over 1.60 meters, while it was the third World Cup win of the season for his rider after Verona and Stuttgart with Pretty Woman van’t Paradijs. Greve was especially happy for his stallion.

“We’ve been a team for ten years now and our partnership is getting better and better. The fact that he can now add this victory to his list of successes makes me happy,” said the Dutchman, who is now spoiled for choice as to which of his top horses he will take to the final. He did not want to let anyone look at his cards in this respect just yet.

The other winners and more from Gothenburg

Kim Emmen had to settle for second place. Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Indiana came third, followed by Eiken Sato and Yuri Mansur. Daniel Deußer was sixth with the fastest four-fault ride ahead of Gulliksen and Smolders.

Things did not go quite as well for the rest of the Germans as they did for Deußer in the World Cup. Patrik Stühlmeyer on Baloutaire PS, Philipp Schulze Topphoff with Carla and Sandra Auffarth with Quirici H each came out of the course with eight penalty points. Johanna Beckmann and Emelie van de Mirania Stam scored 20. A small consolation: there were still various ribbons in the jumping competitions.

Yesterday afternoon, Sandra Auffarth secured third place on the home-bred Comme il faut son Comcador in a 1.50 meter time trial, in which Patrick Stühlmeyer on Chaccothargo and Daniel Deußer with Bingo Ste Hermelle also finished eighth and ninth.

And before the World Cup points were at stake today, a 1.45 meter time trial was the first competition of the day, in which Auffarth and Comcador once again jumped clear to third place. Philipp Schulze Topphoff rode Vivantas to fifth place and there was a reunion with Daniel Deußer’s Killer Queen in eleventh place. For the now 16-year-old Aachen winner, this was her first CSI since August last year and she jumped relaxed and clear into the money.

You can find all the results here.