Story – Christopher Hector
Photos – DigiShots
It was the thing that hit me first thirty years ago at my first World Cup in Göteborg, that ring full of flowers, and it is a tradition that is still well and truly alive, the course is just so beautifully decorated. And the stands are full, full of real people sitting in real seats, not VIP tables filled with the sort of people who just LUV showjumping as long as the champagne doesn’t run out…
Okay the days have gone when dressage was hidden away in the wee small hours of the morning, and there have been good crowds, particularly for the kür, but it is showjumping that really turns on the good citizens of this town.
Eve Jobs and Venue d’Fees des Hazalles
This year the Americans seem to have sent a team mainly made up of incredibly slim, beautifully stylish, young women. Twenty year old Eve Jobs (yeah, her dad is something to do with computers) really looks as if she is going to be our first clear on the sBs bred, Venue d’Fees des Hazalles, clear all the way to the last line, but alas two rails hit the dirt.
Next out another stylish US equestrienne Georgina Bloomberg (her dad is something to do with local government) riding the Westfalien, Chameur, she too has two down.
Abdel Saïd on Jumpy van de Hermitage
The Egyptian, Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty, riding the Darco mare, Dona Evita, has one rail, before another Egyptian, Abdel Saïd on Jumpy van de Hermitage (out of a Darco mare) goes clear, but even with nothing to add, the 17 points he has collected along the way, puts him out of contention. To underline legacy of Darco, the horse that jumped before Jumpy, Kelli Cruciotti’s Hadja van Orshof, is also out of a Darco mare…
Kelli Cruciotti and Hadja van Orshof
Austria’s Max Kühner has to get a bit ugly at times to pilot Chardonnay clear around the course, but clear they are to stay on their total of 6.
Daniel Deusser always looks stylish, and he is home clear on Tobago Z and they too will go into the next, and final, round, also sitting on 6.
The crowd has got into its syncopated clapping routine, the great Beezie Madden is the next to jump, with Breitling LS. They are sitting on 3 points, in touch with the leaders. Breitling touches 8b but it is a forgiving little rail, not so the Liverpool drenched in flowers that is fence 10. It comes after quite a long run, and is the bogey fence for the night. Beezie has 7, and you guess, two Cups in a row are beyond her now…
Beezie and Breitling
Young Martin Fuchs has a scintillating clear on the Westfalien gelding, Clooney, the grey didn’t touch a rail, they will enter the final showdown on 3.
Steve Guerdat is bidding to be the first rider to win four World Cups, what a horseman! Light, forward, sympathetic and his black gelding, Alamo responds to his touch. Fabulous clear, he carries just 2 into the final final.
Steve Guerdat and Alamo
Another fit of crowd frenzy, and why not, Peder Fredricson is a Swedish equestrian hero, and he is even riding a Swedish bred horse, Catch Me Not S. Once again, fence 10 claims a victim and Peder will have to go into the next round carrying 5 penalties.
Eduardo Alvarez Aznar had his 15 minutes of fame last night when he went to bed leading the world into the final day, two rails today and Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot is out of contention.
Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot
The second round starts with the three attractive American ladies going one after the other, and this time the star is Eve Jobs with just one rail with Venue d’Fees des Hazalles.
Olivier Philippaerts and H & M Legend of Love
The first clear comes from the young Belgian, Olivier Philippaerts riding the mare, H & M Legend of Love, it gets a bit untidy at times, but beauty is as beauty does. Total 11.
Daniel Deusser and Tobago Z
Once again Daniel Deusser shows what a brilliant rider he is, and the stallion, Tobago Z is a star. Clear and they will sit on their score of 6, with all the pressure on the last three.
Peder Fredricson and Catch Me Not S
Now the crowd is really going off, Peder Fredricson and Catch Me Not S. It really is a slightly upside-down scruffy grey gelding, but every time Peder asks, the horse responds. YES! Another clear, Peder is in there on 5, but the two Swiss can beat him.
Swedes are essentially decent folk, but I suspect there are about 11,000 of them willing young Martin Fuchs to have a rail with Clooney, but he doesn’t, and Martin is on 3, with Steve Guerdat to go. The Cup is Switzerland bound whatever happens…
Can he go clear? What a dumb question, Alamo jumps superbly, Steve rides like the Master he is. The first rider in history to win four World Cup Titles, and he has done it in style…
Once more history is made at Göteborg.
Martin, Steve and Peder