Ireland’s Lynch Books Las Vegas Ticket with Brilliant Win in Leipzig

Photos Copyright © FEI/Thomas Reiner
Photos Copyright © FEI/Thomas Reiner

Ireland’s Lynch books Las Vegas ticket with brilliant win in Leipzig as stunning stallion, Dominator, finishes second for Germany’s Ahlmann


Ireland’s Denis Lynch firmly secured his spot at the 2020 Longines Final when storming to victory with GC Chopin’s Bushi in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier in Leipzig, Germany today where home-side superstars Christian Ahlmann and Marcus Ehning finished second and third. Already lying tenth after solid recent results, today’s win lifts the Irishman to fourth on the League table from which the top 18 will earn a spot at the Final in Las Vegas, USA next April.

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Steve Guerdat Posts Swiss Victory at Basel

Photo Copyright © FEI/Richard Juilliart
Photo Copyright © FEI/Richard Juilliart

Reigning series champion and World No. 2 gets new year off to a great start


In the 90th World Cup competition of his spectacular career, three-time series champion Steve Guerdat galloped to victory with Victorio des Frotards in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier on home ground at Basel in Switzerland today. Despite a tough first-round test from ace German course designer Frank Rothenberger, this tenth leg of the league saw 15 of the 40 starters make the cut into the jump-off so it was never going to be an easy one to win. But the man who claimed individual Olympic gold in 2012 and his third World Cup title in Gothenburg (SWE) last season left the rest in his wake, with Frenchman Julien Epaillard coming closest for runner-up spot with Queeletta ahead of Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Apart in third.

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Swiss Olympian Martin Fuchs Launches into 2020 as World Number One

(FEI/Liz Gregg)
(FEI/Liz Gregg)

Olympic athlete Martin Fuchs (SUI) has moved to the top of the Longines Rankings for the first time in his career, overtaking compatriot Steve Guerdat who held the number one position for a year. Martin Fuchs (27), now out in front with 3,483 points, has been hot on the heels of Guerdat since August last year and finished 2019 with a string of inspirational performances including his impressive Grand Prix victory on home turf at the CSI5* at Geneva and, a week later, taking the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ leg at Olympia in December, 29 years after his father Thomas won at the London venue.

Read MoreSwiss Olympian Martin Fuchs Launches into 2020 as World Number One

Killer Queen Reigns Supreme for Germany’s Deusser in Mechelen

Jumping Mechelen 2019 © FEI/Hippo Foto - Dirk Caremans
Jumping Mechelen 2019  © FEI/Hippo Foto - Dirk Caremans

Belgian-based German star, Daniel Deusser, stormed to victory with Killer Queen VDM at the ninth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at Mechelen in Belgium. In a fascinating 12-horse second round, the 38-year-old rider who is currently third in the world rankings had to wait until the very end to take his chance. Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer was holding the lead with a run that had clearly not pushed his gelding, Cortney Cox, to the limit of speed when breaking the beam without lowering a pole in 44.02 seconds.

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Fuchs on Fire as The Sinner Shines at Olympia

Copyright FEI / Liz Gregg
Copyright FEI / Liz Gregg

Swiss star follows in his uncle’s footsteps; now qualified for Las Vegas Final
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs scooped his second win of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League at the London International Horse Show at Olympia, London (GBR) this afternoon where Austria’s Max Kuhner lined up second ahead of Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels in third. Partnering his top ride, the lightning-fast grey Clooney, Fuchs took the third leg in Lyon (FRA) by storm last month, and in today’s eighth round of the 14-leg series he galloped to victory with a stunning performance from The Sinner. He’s the reigning European champion, and looks set to take over the No. 1 spot on the Longines World Rankings as 2020 gets underway after an incredible run of recent form. He also became the first Swiss winner of the Olympia leg of the FEI World Cup™ series in 29 years. The 27-year-old rider wasn’t even born when his father, Thomas Fuchs, stood top of the podium at the London fixture back in 1990.
Just six horse-and-rider combinations made it through to today’s jump-off, and Fuchs was fulsome in his praise of Irish course designer, Alan Wade. “The first round wasn’t crazy big, but Alan set a great course as he always does - it was another of his masterpieces!” the winning rider said.

Read MoreFuchs on Fire as The Sinner Shines at Olympia

Van der Vleuten Wins Dramatic La Coruña Leg with Beauville Z

Photos Copyright © FEI/Manuel Queimadelos
Photos Copyright © FEI/Manuel Queimadelos

The Netherlands’ Maikel van der Vleuten showed the rest a clean pair of heels in a thrill-a-minute 13-horse jump-off to win the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier in La Coruña, Spain today. There were 40 riders from 16 different countries chasing down points in the race for a place at the Longines 2020 Final in Las Vegas, USA next April. And this seventh round of the 14-leg qualifying series was a sizzler, with anything possible right to the very end. Van der Vleuten clinched it however with an exhibition of pure partnership with the lovely Beauville Z, a gelding he has been riding since the middle of last year. Ace Spanish course designer, Santiago Varela, set them a jump-off track with multiple twists and turns and a long gallop to the last that tested trust and understanding between horse and rider every step of the way. And it was the double-Olympian who showed them all how it should be done.

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Emanuele Gaudiano Wins the Longines Speed Challenge of Paris
 and Speed Challenge Series Bonus 

©Aléa pour EEM
©Aléa pour EEM

This amazing pair boasts an fabulous totaof sixty plus international wins over the past five years, twelve of which in 2019! Tonight, Emanuele Gaudiano and Carlotta 232 confirmed their status when they won the much acclaimed 2019 Speed Challenge of Paris in a super time of 60’’48 without a single pole down: a repeat for the winners of the same flagship competition during the Longines Masters of Lausanne, Switzerland, this summer. "I'm extremely lucky to ride such an amazing mare. Each round with her is a pleasure - even more so at a show like this one where the stands are packed", he commented.

Read MoreEmanuele Gaudiano Wins the Longines Speed Challenge of Paris
 and Speed Challenge Series Bonus 

Longines Grand Prix of Paris: The French Flair

© Cécile Sablayrolles pour EEM
© Cécile Sablayrolles pour EEM

What better present for the organizer and the public of the 11th Longines Masters of Paris than this 100% French podium? In front of their fans, French team stalwarts Simon Delestre, Kevin Staut and Roger-Yves Bost took first, second and third respectively in the Longines Grand Prix of Paris. Believe us, there was noise - a lot of noise! - in the stands while history was made in the arena.

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Extraordinary Ehning Tops Madrid Thriller with Phenomenal Pret a Tout

Photos Copyright © FEI/Thomas Reiner
Photos Copyright © FEI/Thomas Reiner

German compatriot Ahlmann lines up second; Belgium’s Devos is new League leader.
Pret a Tout more than lived up to his name when carrying German ace, Marcus Ehning, to victory in today’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier at Madrid in Spain. Fourth to go in a breathtaking nine-horse jump-off, the pair took the lead with a spectacular run that stopped the clock in 43.30 seconds and couldn’t be caught. Ehning’s compatriot and 2011 series champion. Christian Ahlmann. came a close second with his exciting nine-year-old stallion Dominator 2000 Z, while Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Espoir finished third. The crowd packed into the IFEMA Arena in the Spanish capital city were treated to a fabulous afternoon of sport.

Read MoreExtraordinary Ehning Tops Madrid Thriller with Phenomenal Pret a Tout

Martin Fuchs and Clooney: What Else?

Photo Courtesy of ©PSV
Photo Courtesy of ©PSV

It was certainly no easy task to overcome the difficulties of the course designed by Gregory Bodo for this Grand Prix Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Lyon 2019. In particular, the two combinations - the triple at number 7 and the double vertical at number 9 - gave the 40 riders who had qualified for this class a hard time. Several top riders got caught out, such as Simon Delestre and Pénélope Leprevost, who made mistakes on the triple with Hermes Ryan and Vancouver from Lanlore, and the German rider Daniel Deusser, who had a 4-point penalty on the double.

Read MoreMartin Fuchs and Clooney: What Else?