World Cup jumping final to Fellers and Flexible
The USA’s Rich Fellers as well as the amazing Irish-bred stallion Flexible stormed to victory inwards a thrilling third-round jump-off at the Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Final inwards Holland lastly night.
Only Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat as well as his 11-year-old gelding, Nino des Buissonnets, were left to challenge the U.S. partnership against the clock inwards the closing stages, but despite a superb effort, they had to yield to the pure decision of a Equus caballus as well as passenger who, quite simply, never plough over up.
Flexible was all but written off twice during his career due to severe injury, but overcame the odds to provide to the come about of the sport each time. For the legion of fans who cause got followed the 16-year-old boy of Cruising as well as his passenger from Oregon (USA) who bought the chestnut stallion inwards Cavan, Republic of Ireland 10 years ago, it was a dream come upward true.
Unorthodox inwards his drive as well as jumping style, as well as the oldest inwards the contest at sixteen years of age, Flexible showed the same form of spirit every bit his sire, Cruising, who was runner-up at the FEI World Cup Jumping Final thirteen years agone inwards Gothenburg (Sweden). Flexible was 2nd at the same venue himself inwards 2008, as well as has competed at all of the lastly 5 Rolex FEI World Cup Jumping Finals, but lastly nighttime it was his plough to stand upward nether the spotlight. And the courageous stallion as well as his passenger fought every inch of the way, bringing the packed stadium at the Brabanthalle inwards ‘s-Hertogenbosch to their feet inwards an emotional tribute after their incredible circular inwards the jump-off, piece it was Guerdat who stood 2nd on the podium ahead of fellow-countryman Pius Schwizer inwards third.
Louis Konickx’s 12-fence first-round rails actually pulled the strongest jumpers out of the pack of 24 final-day starters, alongside the domicile crowd unable to conceal their please when local man, Maikel van der Vleuten, produced the get-go null grade when twelfth into the telephone alongside VDL Groep Verdi. The questions were clear but the time-allowed, fifty-fifty when extended from 65 seconds to 68, was tight, as well as it took potent riding from the rattling best of them to provide a build clean sheet. Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson showed just why he is currently No. 1 on the Rolex Rankings every bit good every bit reigning European Champion when next accommodate alongside Casall la Silla.
The terminal triple combination chop-chop became the bogey, as well as Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt as well as his winner of Friday’s 2nd contest Monte Bellini looked laid upward for a fault-free endeavor exclusively to lose momentum on the approach, as well as without plenty ability the stallion was unable to piece of employment out the terminal chemical constituent up. It came downward to the lastly iv riders earlier some other fault-free endeavor was recorded, Kevin Staut’s greyness mare, Silvana HDC, giving it everything she had to piece of employment out the course of didactics intact earlier Guerdat (Nino des Buissonnets) as well as Fellers (Flexible) did likewise.
Ahead past times just a unmarried indicate going into the terminal day, Schwizer was obliged to deport a unmarried penalization into circular two, after falling foul of the clock inwards his get-go circular alongside Carlina, thus in that location was zilch separating him from Guerdat as well as Fellers, piece Staut stalked the leading pack inwards quaternary seat carrying iii points, every bit they laid upward off over the second-round course.
Staut’s chances disintegrated alongside 2 fences downward this fourth dimension out. The distances were ultra-testing, piece the 1.62m vertical at ground 7 asked a serious query as well as the double, iii from home, claimed a large pose out of victims. But Guerdat’s gelding was withal on burn as well as Fellers’ stallion likewise, so, to the please of the packed stadium, it would come upward downward to a two-way third-round race against time. And what a thriller it was.
Konickx left them alongside just 6 fences as well as 7 jumping efforts to create upward one's remove heed the winner, as well as Guerdat laid upward the target alongside i to a greater extent than fabulous clear, crossing the business inwards 26.61 seconds alongside his Equus caballus which appears to cause got unlimited scope.
The American was waiting inwards the wings as well as saw the Swiss passenger go. “I hopped off as well as watched Steve through the curtains – I idea it was 7 (strides) from the triple bar (second-last on the jump-off course) to the Rolex vertical (last fence) but he did eight. I know Flexible rattling good as well as he’s quick across the ground. I don’t know Steve’s Equus caballus but I just trusted that I could arrive at 8 to the lastly as well as live faster as well as live lucky.” And thus he was, breaking the beam inwards 25.97 seconds.
Guerdat said afterwards, “my Equus caballus is rattling fast as well as I idea without taking likewise much jeopardy it would live enough, but later on I realised I lost fourth dimension turning dorsum to the triple bar. I tin exclusively blame myself as well as I’ll cause got to arrive at meliorate side past times side time,” he said.
Fellers sang the praise of course of didactics designer Konickx. “He did a world-class chore from the get-go solar daytime until the end. I intend the calendar week was quite safe, I don’t intend whatever horses lost their ticker or their courage, but at the same fourth dimension it was rattling hard as well as come about degree jumping.” Asked nearly how it felt to live the get-go American passenger to accept the coveted FEI World Cup Jumping championship inwards 25 years, he said, “we were due – that’s a long fourth dimension alongside all the ruby coats that come upward to this final!”
And he talked nearly his wonder-horse whose resilience is something of a phenomenon. “He was, every bit a younger horse, extremely excitable. He’s rattling quick as well as twitchy. He’s form of a wild character, but he’s gradually mellowed every bit he’s matured. He’s similar a pet, I dearest him as well as he loves me, nosotros cause got a dandy human relationship as well as nosotros know each other rattling well,” he explained.
Flexible directly has “a week, or perhaps ix or 10 days” earlier he returns to the U.S. to compete inwards the U.S. Olympic Trials inwards Del Mar, California. Not much fourth dimension to residuum on his laurels, but somehow it seems that this relatively quondam horse, as well as his 52-year-old rider, are on an upward trajectory that volition accept them to this summer’s Olympic Games as well as all the possibilities that that tin bring.
Asked if he actually believed he could clinch the crown of crowns when next Guerdat into the telephone for the terminal time, having come upward thus roughly victory before, Fellers said, “I just idea I HAVE to arrive at it this fourth dimension – you lot don’t teach likewise many chances!” And what nearly Flexible? At sixteen years of age, is he coming toward the cease of his career? “Well he’s non telling me that if he is! He feels to a greater extent than similar a 12-year-old!”
The terminal could hardly cause got come upward to a to a greater extent than exciting conclusion. The win brings the U.S. tally of FEI World Cup Jumping victories to 8 inwards the 34-year history of a serial that identifies, without doubt, the greatest horses of their era. And inwards the lead-up to an Olympic summer, the Rolex championship is the greatest boost to confidence as well as belief that whatever horse-and-rider combination could want for. The lastly U.S. winner was Katharine Burdsall alongside The Natural dorsum inwards 1987.
Riders from 12 nations competed on the terminal solar daytime – USA, Qatar, Germany, Egypt, Ireland, Australia, Portugal, The Netherlands, France, Sweden, Kingdom of Belgium as well as Switzerland.
FINAL STANDINGS: (First 2 riders went into third-round jump-off against the clock)
1. Rich Fellers (Flexible) USA 0/0/0 5.97;
2, Steve Guerdat (Nino des Buissonnets) SUI 0/0/0 26.61.
Remaining riders finished alongside the next penalization points:
3, Pius Schwizer (SUI) 5;
4, Philipp Weishaupt (GER) 10;
5, Kevin Staut (FRA) 11;
6, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE) 12;
7, Maikel van der Vleuten (ED) VDL Groep Verdi 15
7, Marcus Ehning (GER) 15;
9, Rik Hemeryck (BEL) 16;
10, Harrie Smolders (NED) 17.
Full results (PDF)
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