Flexible and Fellers claim first World Cup leg
Irish-bred Flexible proved he yet has it inwards winning the starting fourth dimension leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Final for the USA’s Rich Fellers at the Brabanthalle inwards ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Kingdom of the Netherlands overnight.
Living upwardly to his name, the 16-year-old stallion’s super-tight plough to the double of verticals at ground 5 on the 13-fence runway laid past times Dutch class designer Louis Konickx proved pivotal inwards every sense, in addition to none of the remainder could jibe his footstep every bit he broke the beam inwards 60.26 seconds.
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat in addition to Nino des Buissonnets were over a minute slower when slotting into second, spell the remarkable Rik Hemeryck finished tertiary for Kingdom of Belgium amongst Quarco de Kerambars, despite having the dubious distinction of existence starting fourth dimension into the ring.
Pius Schwizer (SUI) in addition to Ulysse lined upwardly 4th ahead of Kevin Staut in addition to Silvana HDC for French Republic inwards fifth, spell reigning FEI European Champion, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson from Sweden, was 6th amongst Casall La Silla.
With the results turned into points, Fellers goes into today’s minute leg amongst a two-point payoff at the exceed of the leaderboard. But truthful to the tradition of the FEI World Cup final, in that location are many to a greater extent than large fences to live jumped earlier the 2011/2012 Rolex champion volition live crowned on sun afternoon.
There were 10 clear rounds from 37 starters every bit Konickx tested them amongst a class described past times Guerdat every bit “very proficient for the start of the final, in addition to non stupid – in that location was null to confuse horses”. But some odd obstacles included a “V” oxer at ground seven, in addition to the wall amongst a gaping hole on the left-hand side that followed the highly influential liverpool oxer at ground nine. The white poles hither were lowered on many occasions every bit it became the bogey on the track.
Hemeryck was belongings the atomic number 82 after a superb path-finding attempt from his 12-year-old gelding when Fellers took his turn, 16th to go. And from the off, the 52-year-old from Oregon scorched approximately the runway to snatch a atomic number 82 that would non live improved upon.
Guerdat took his plough ii horses later, but he said afterwards that he never intended trying to jibe Fellers’ time. “I simply tried to ride my ain round, my Equus caballus is rattling fast anyway hence I didn’t involve to withdraw maintain besides much withdraw a opportunity in addition to I didn’t desire to burn downward him upwardly in addition to brand him crazy. I didn’t essay to vanquish Rich – he was unbeatable today – hence I didn’t withdraw maintain to inquire besides much from my Equus caballus today, which is good,” he said somewhat ominously.
Hemeryck was delighted amongst his result. “My Equus caballus is naturally fast in addition to I actually wanted to become clear when I went into the ring, but I was lucky at the wall, he was hooky there, but nosotros both had a proficient time!” he pointed out, having placed himself good inwards disceptation at this early on stage.
With 3 of the toughest inwards the sport – Schwizer, Staut in addition to Bengtsson – stalking them, the leading bunch volition involve to rest on their toes when the minute leg gets nether way. And three-time Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping winner, Germany’s Marcus Ehning, is lying 9th every bit the activity resumes.
But Fellers is non intimidated. Talking close Flexible, whose career has been threatened past times severe injury on to a greater extent than than 1 occasion but who has returned to the exceed terminate of the sport every fourth dimension to give to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than of his best, the American said “he’s a tough Equus caballus in addition to hence lucky for me. He continues to larn in addition to improve every twelvemonth – he’s a improve Equus caballus forthwith than he was 5 years ago,” he said of his veteran partner who has been business office of his life for the lastly 10 years.
And what a career they withdraw maintain already had together, ever competitive in addition to finishing a memorable second, behind Germany’s Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum in addition to the slap-up Shutterfly, at the terminal inwards Gothenburg (SWE) 4 years ago.
Flexible didn’t withdraw maintain an piece of cake trip to this year’s final, either. Originally scheduled to wing out of Seattle (USA), Fellers had to re-route amongst a 19-hour road-trip to Los Angeles instead when the Seattle flying was cancelled – “but he yet felt proficient when he got here,” the passenger said. It’s his fighting spirit that sets this Equus caballus apart from the rest. In 2003 he was all but written-off when he suffered a blockage inwards a chief artery inwards his correct front end leg, but he survived that entirely to autumn into a ravine in addition to badly harm his shoulder ii years later. And yet he came dorsum again, yet filled amongst decision in addition to drive, in addition to producing the spectacular saltation that has rank him at the exceed of his game.
Those characteristics are the rattling ones that tend to laid the winners of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping championship inwards a class of their ain – it takes courage, concentration in addition to that extra constituent of jumping genius to withdraw maintain the crown of crowns. But in that location is yet a long means to become yet.
Facts in addition to Figures
37 competitors from nineteen nations started inwards the starting fourth dimension leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping 2011/2012 Final.
The runway included ii consecutive doubles at obstacles 5 in addition to 6 which were followed past times an unusal “V” ground at 7.
After 22 horses had completed the course, the bogey ground was the liverpool oxer at ground nine, in addition to it roughshod some other 4 times earlier the class was finished.
The winning horse, the sixteen twelvemonth quondam Irish-bred stallion Flexible, was the oldest inwards the competition.
He finished minute at the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final at Gothenburg inwards 2008, in addition to his sire, the Irish Gaelic stallion Cruising, was also runner-up, behind Rodrigo Pessoa’s (BRA) Baloubet du Rouet at the 1999 terminal amongst Trevor Coyle on board.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 total of 10 horse-and-rider partnerships jumped clear over the course.
Results:
1, Flexible (Rich Fellers) USA 60.26;
2, Nino des Buissonnets (Steve Guerdat) SUI 61.94;
3, Quarco de Kerambars (Rik Hemeryck) BEL 62.66;
4, Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) SUI 62.84;
5, Silvana HDC (Kevin Staut) FRA 63.07;
6, Casall la Silla (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) SWE 63.60;
7, Regina Z (Harrie Smolders) NED 63.67;
8, Baronez (Kirsten Coe) USA 65.76;
9, Sabrina (Marcus Ehning) GER 65.87;
10, Coriana van Klapscheut (Eric Lamaze) tin 65.97;
11, Titus (Edwina Tops-Alexander) AUS 66.33;
12, Lennox (Luciana Diniz) POR 66.59;
13, Ornella Mail HDC (Patrice Delaveau) FRA 66.87;
14, Souvenir (Philipp Weishaupt) GER 67.52;
14, Cristallo (Richard Spooner) USA 67.52;
16, Cortes C (Beezie Madden) USA 67.99;
17, Special (Luiz Francisco de Azevedo) BRA 68.50;
18, VDL Groep Verdi (Maikel van der Vleuten) NED 71.37;
19, Cantaro 32 (Ali bin Khaled Al Thani) QAT 71.57;
20, Uraya (Charlie Jayne) USA 71.81;
21, Abbervail van het Dingeshof (Denis Lynch) IRL 71.98;
22, Uceko (Kent Farrington) USA 72.43;
23, Satisfaction FRH (Marco Kutscher) GER 73.48;
24, Kassini Jac (Ludo Philippaerts) BEL 74.30;
25, Indigo (Margie Engle) USA 75.33;
26, Taloubet Z (Christian Ahlmann) GER 76.09;
27, WKD Pepperpot (Sameh El Dahan) EGY 78.79;
28, Chaman (Ludger Beerbaum) GER 79.68;
29, Taunus (Francie Steinwedell-Carvin) USA 81.40;
30, Lascar (Benas Gutkauskas) LTU 83.63;
31, Ducati (Pedro Junqueira Muylaert) BRA 90.34;
32, Uwwalon (Michelle Spadone) USA 90.62;
33, Carisma (Emilie Martinsen) DEN 93.17;
34, Hallmark Elite (Dermott Lennon) IRL 94.00;
35, Cinnamon (Tilt Kivisild) EST 96.47;
36, Aslan (Ljubov Kochetova) RUS 98.69;
37, Willem (Yuyu Ninomiya) JPN Elim.
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