Las Vegas—April 17
The stage is set for the second leg of the Longines FEI Show Jumping World Cup Final. Want to know more about how the show jumping competition is scored? Check out our article, The World Cup Finals: What You Need To Know. Friday’s second round is grand prix format, one jumping round with a jump off for the clear pairs. 35 pairs will tackle Anthony D’Ambrosio’s course, and the order of go is the reverse order from rider’s placing in Thursday’s speed round. Ireland’s Bertram Allen and Molly Malone V were best in yesterday’s round, followed by Rich Fellers and Flexible.
Joao Eduardo Ferreira de Carvalho/Ragtime Rouge
Joao kicked off the class. He had a few light rubs and five rails down, three in a row coming at the CP vertical and first two elements of the triple combination, but the round was very organized and rhythmical.
Geir Gulliksen/Edesa S Banjan
Geir got disorganized coming into the triple combination, eliciting a gasp from the crowd, but made it through with just a rub, and posted the first clear round of the evening.
Shk. Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani/First Division
Ali’s horse made some beautiful efforts, especially at the triple bar. He caught a rail in the middle of the triple combination, but it was very smooth round.
Vladimir Beletskiy/Rocketman
Vladimir had four rails down, including the first fence, before retiring after fence 9.
Andis Varna/KS Coradina
KS Cordadina had a number of rails down, including one she kicked out at after clearing. 24 jumping faults and one time were added to their score.
Chris Sorensen/Bobby
Its hard not to stare at Bobby as he trots into the ring- four white socks and a positively glistening coat combine with a funny little toungue poking out the side of his mouth. He went much quicker than the previous ride, and had 4 rails.
Luca Maria Moneta/Connery
Connery looked ready to rock, eagerly bounding toward the first fence. He made a brilliant effort at the oxer coming out of the two stride only to have the next vertical down, but the horse was clearly putting forth its best effort. He ended with 8 faults.
Karl Cook/Jonkheer Z
Another good looking horse, this time in bay (but lets be honest, its World Cup, so they’re all pretty stunning). He had a light rub at the natural oxer followed by a rail at the Animo vertical. The horse looked a bit strong coming to the two stride, fighting Cook a bit, but made it through without issue. He also had a rail at the A element of the triple, ending up with 8 faults. (He also lost a shoe on course)
Todd Minikus/Babalou
Bizarre techno music welcomed Todd into the ring. Babalou looked a little sticky off the ground to the first fences, and then landing after the Animo vertical Todd lost his balance and nearly fell off as Babalou veered into the arena wall. He reorganized (the crowd cheered), but the pair were clearly having an off day, and he retired before the triple combination.
Katie Laurie/Kiwi Iron Mark
Kiwi Iron Mark (half- New Zealand thoroughbred) in the ring next (sans techno track). She looked a bit slower than the previous pairs, and had both elements of the two stride down. She looked like she was struggling to get the horse back into the triple combination, and tripped through the B element before pulling out. Their second attempt was sticky off the ground, but the horse made it through, and then they retired.
Laura Kraut/Nouvelle
The crowd is noticeably louder as Kraut enters (home crowd advantage!). Nouvelle got a little hung up in the air over the first few fences, displaying tremendous scope to the triple bar and Longines oxer, unfortunately pulling the vertical into the two stride down. Laura really had to ride out of the triple combination, and had the B element down. She ended with 8 faults.
Pius Schwizer/Toulago
Toulago is a pretty, lighter boned horse, and had just two fences down (and a hard rub at the last fence that stayed up). He was excellent through the triple combination, made it look very easy.
Hans-Dieter Dreher/Cool and Easy
Cool and Easy made an awesome effort at the first fence, showing off his scope and giving it at least an extra 6 inches of clearance. He had just the B element of the triple combination down, but the round was really quite smooth. He also had one time fault.
Vinton Karrasch/Coral Reef Follow Me II
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Coral Reef Follow Me II had an awkward effort at the natural oxer, pulling the top two rails. A deep distance at the massive Longines oxer resulted in a rail (the horse hit it with his belly) and another rail came down in the triple combination.
Jack Towell/Lucifer V
Lucifer V rubbed the first two fences before putting in a brilliant effort at the natural oxer. He is quick across the ground, and a big effort at the triple bar set them up awkwardly for the two stride, where he carried the rail on his chest. A long distance at the Longines oxer pulled another rail before the wheels fell off the bus a bit in the triple combination, and he refused the third element before Jack elected to retire.
Manuel Alvarez/Spirit Magic
Spirit Magic knows exactly how high he has to jump, rubbing the first four fences. He hung in the air and elicited gasps at the sixth vertical, and the crowd was with him the rest of the ride, clapping and clucking for clear efforts and groaning for rails. He ended with 8 faults.
Kirsten Coe/Czardas
A beautiful bay stallion, Czardas had a rail at the first fence, and Kirsten seemed to really have to ride him, yelling at him to “get” through the triple (which he made it through with one rail). She ended with 17 faults.
We’re now on a short ring maintenance break, which in Vegas is an “Everybody dance now” party MCed by a man in a top hat throwing t-shirts into the crowd.
Geir Gulliksen/Edesa S Banjan from Norway are currently in the lead with the only clear round.
Gerco Schroder/Glock’s Cognac Champblanc
Glock’s Cognac Champblanc cantered into the ring to start the second half of the class. Gerco worked the horse in a frame at the walk (the horse looks very responsive, he goes in a hackmore) before beginning his round, which was very precise and rhythmical. He had the Longines oxer down, but made the triple look like a cake walk, ending on four faults.
Douglas Lindelow/Casello
Casello had a hard rub at the CWD oxer that stayed up. They made an awesome effort at the Longines, but drifted hard right in the triple and had the C element down. They were the faster four faulter, and currently sit in second.
Lucy Davis/Barron
Lucy took her time touring the ring before coming across the diagonal (with a beautiful lead change) to the first fence. His hind end couldn’t be more perfect, kicking back to clear the fences by a good foot. Lucy positively flew from the vertical to the triple combination, but it worked beautifully for her, and the crowd erupted as she cleared the last vertical (and glanced up at the clock). We have the second clear!
Beezie Madden/Simon
The crowd throws out some “Go Beezie!” s as she enters the ring, cheering for her clear effort through the two stride and spectacular effort over the Longines oxer. More applause after the triple and another roar as Beezie clears the last vertical and adds her name to the jump off list.
Kevin Staut/Silvana HDC
A stop at the second fence ends the streak of two clears. It was a very calm stop, and regardless of cause didn’t seem to rattle horse or rider. Silvana HDC, a refined and leggy mare, also pulled a rail at the CWD oxer. They finished with two rails and only two time faults (impressive given the stop).
Mclain Ward/Rothchild
A swap off and huge effort at the CWD got a gasp from the crowd. Ears back, head up and flying, Rothchild sped around the rest of course, finishing clear in his typical Rothchild fashion. That’s three Americans onto the jump off!
Sergio Alvarez Moya/Carlo
Carlo kicked out at the CWD oxer and knocked the back rail (his hind end is really quite impressive). A long distance to the massive Longines oxer earned gasps as the horse exploded off the ground to clear it. They ended with 8 faults.
Bassem Hassan Mohammed/Primeval Dejavu
Primeval Dejavu jumps with awesome form, nearly jumping Bassem out of the tack on a few occasions. They were a bit deep into the triple and had a rail, and ended with 8 faults.
Daniel Deusser/Cornet d’Amour
Number one ranked rider in the world in next, and the pair look it as they make the course look easy. They have a rail at the natural oxer, and at the B element of the triple, but they really did look excellent, just a few rubs that didn’t go their way.
Maikel Van der Vleuten/VDL Groep Verdi Tn N.O.P.
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Cross cantering to the first fence didn’t seem to bother VDL Groep Verdi Tn N.O.P. The horse makes for a beautiful picture, jumping nose to knee, cresty neck stretching forward. They had one rail, and a very long distance to the last fence (which he cleared).
Jos Velroy/Domino
19 year old rider Jos and Domino got the crowd to gasp at nearly every fence with their impressive air time and efforts, pulling just one rail in the triple to post a four fault score.
Martin Fuchs/PSG Future
A couple of long distances at the first few fences weren’t a problem for PSG Future- his knees were nearly at his eye balls as he powered off the ground at each jump. Martin had to growl his way through the triple, pulling a rail and ending on four faults.
Penelope Leprevost/Vagabond de la Pomme
Vagabond de la Pomme is a big-bodied horse, and his gigantic stride make it look like he’s going slower than the other pairs. He is very business like around course, and ends with just one rail in the triple.
Steve Guerdat/Albfuehren’s Paille
Albfuehren’s Paille bounds around course, locking on to the jumps and making a bid at a few fences, kicking out over the top. One last leap over the last vertical, and they are clear and onto the jump off.
Patrice Delaveau/Orient Express Hdc
A deep distance to fence two is no problem for Orient Express, and he jumps Patrice out of a couple more tight spots before stopping at the FEI vertical. The pair looked a little out of sync, and an awkward distance into the triple results in a stop at the B element and elimination.
Jur Vrieling/VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P.
Jur takes his time showing VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. the ring before starting to the first fence. He was a bit slow to the second vertical and got a deep distance but the horse made a great effort and was clear. A great effort at the Longines oxer, the horse has just one rail at C of the triple.
Rich Fellers/Flexible
Flexi and Rich get a deserved roar from the crowd as they enter. The horse certainly doesn’t look his 19 years, zipping around the course noticeably faster than previous pairs. He swims a bit over the Longines oxer but is clear, and the crowd can hardly contain itself, clucking and urging him through the triple, screaming as he clears it, holding their breath as he clears the last vertical. It’s on to the jump off for a fourth American!
Bertram Allen/Molly Malone V
Last pair before the jump off, 19 year old Bertram makes the course look easy with Molly Malone V. He does the same very quick path from the vertical to the triple that Lucy and Barron did, and the crowd thinks it has worked out for him when Molly catches the c element with her hind end (eliciting groans). Bertram looks up at the board as he clears the last vertical, four faults added to his leading score from Thursday’s speed round.
Its kiss cam time as the crew gets the ring ready for the jump off (A bemused Todd Minikus and his wife make an appearance in the heart shaped silouette!).
Geir Gulliksen/Edesa S Banjan
The ring looks much larger cleared of extra fences as Geir enters to be the first of 6 to attempt the short course. He has a rail at the CP vertical, and takes his time both in pace and track. He ends on a time of 40.06 with four faults. Edesa S Banjan is very hot on the way out, almost piaffeing while exiting up the ramp to make way for Lucy Davis and Barron.
Lucy Davis/Barron
Lucy zips around the ring considerably faster, turning inside to the last oxer, which she got to a bit deep and pulled a rail. Her time was 32.53.
Beezie Madden/Simon
Beezie slices the Longines oxer, resulting in an impressive effort from Simon, and gets an awkward distance to the CP vertical (cleared) before flying down the onestride. An inside turn and speedy gallop to the last fence, and Beezie is clear in 33.31and into the lead.
Mclain Ward/Rothchild
Rothchild gets a laugh from the crowd as he shows his feisty side before the first fence. A miscommunication results in a stop at the CP vertical, the crowd groaning loudly, cleared on second attempt. They pull a rail in the one stride, ending with 18 faults.
Steve Guerdat/Albfuehren’s Paille
Gasps abound as Steve flys around the course, slicing fences and doing an impressively tidy inside turn to fly across the ground to the last fence. He clears it with a time of 32.87, taking the lead from Beezie!
Rich Fellers/Flexible
A rail at the first fence, Rich and Flexi continued to fly through the course. They go out into the turn to the second to last fence, allowing them to slice it and turn inside to the last oxer, which they galloped down to, getting a tad deep but rounding over it clear in the fastest time, 32.80, and ending on four faults.
