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.

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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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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.

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Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019 Final

Photo @FEI/Liz Gregg
Photo @FEI/Liz Gregg

When yesterday’s first-round winner, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, said today’s second competition at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2019 in Gothenburg (SWE) would shake up the leaderboard, he wasn’t wrong. A single mistake tonight sees him go into Sunday’s two-round title-decider lying third on the leaderboard, but only two points behind Spain’s Eduardo Alvarez Aznar at the head of affairs and a single point behind Peder Fredricson who set the Swedish crowd alight with a sensational home victory this evening.

Read MoreLongines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019 Final

Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019 Final

Photo @FEI/Liz Gregg
Photo @FEI/Liz Gregg

When yesterday’s first-round winner, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, said today’s second competition at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2019 in Gothenburg (SWE) would shake up the leaderboard, he wasn’t wrong. A single mistake tonight sees him go into Sunday’s two-round title-decider lying third on the leaderboard, but only two points behind Spain’s Eduardo Alvarez Aznar at the head of affairs and a single point behind Peder Fredricson who set the Swedish crowd alight with a sensational home victory this evening.

Read MoreLongines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019 Final