Henrik von Eckermann and the brilliant gelding King Edward wrote another page of equestrian history when becoming the first-ever Swedish winners of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ when taking the 2023 title in Omaha (USA) tonight.

In a gripping two-round decider that was completely unpredictable to the very end, the pair who have dominated the sport in recent times pinned The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and Monaco NOP into runner-up spot while the USA’s Hunter Holloway and Pepita Con Spita pipped Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Vitiki for third place by the narrowest of margins.

“I can’t put it in words because it was a bit up and down!” von Eckermann said of his journey to the title this week. “On Friday having the one down I was really disappointed but at the same time I thought well he didn’t have to jump the jump-off and with being just one point behind (the leaders) maybe it’s not so bad. And he (King Edward) felt really fresh when he came out today, we had the rail in the first round but otherwise he felt fantastic, and so for the last round I had to just trust him, he’s in super shape, we jumped three jumps in the warm-up, in we go and he was unbelievable!”
Big shake-up

Tonight’s first round saw a big shake-up on the leaderboard after two exciting days on Wednesday and Thursday, with Portuguese course designer Bernardo Costa Cabral really testing the rider’s judgement with his 12-fence test that came to a conclusion with a difficult triple combination followed by a big open oxer.

The first fence was special, designed by Juna Djokovic from Slovenia who won the Longines FEI MyDreamJumpChallenge by topping the public vote in an online competition, and tonight the 13-year-old who is a keen young rider watched from the sidelines as the best horses and riders in the world soared over her fence.

Only three of the 30 starters managed to stay clear first time out and Ireland’s Denis Lynch rocketed up from 19th to 12th going into round two when producing the first fault-free effort with the brave little Brooklyn Heights. Defending champion, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs, posted the next clean run with Leone Jei to improve from 15th to eighth while The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and Monaco NOP, lying overnight seventh, were also clear which piled the pressure on the remaining six.

When America’s Hunter Holloway (Pepita Con Spita) had two down and Richard Vogel (United Touch S) collected 12 faults then just the top three were left to go. Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann made it all the way to the bogey penultimate combination where his world championship gold-medal-winning partner King Edward, like many before him, kicked out the middle element.

But for joint-leader, Denmark’s Andreas Schou, it was a much tougher round when Darc de Lux hit the first element of the double at seven, the vertical at 10 which rode on a short four strides from the previous triple bar, and also left one down at the final combination for a total of 12 costly faults.

So when Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer and Vancouver de Lanlore lowered only the first element of that tricky final combination they moved their score on to just four faults to take the lead, but with little breathing space as both von Eckermann and Smolders were now carrying five faults apiece into round two. Britain’s Harry Charles (Balou du Reventon) was lying fourth on nine faults while America’s Holloway and Brazil’s Mansur were in joint-fifth with 11 faults apiece.
Second round

The top 20 went into the second round in reverse order of merit over a brand new course, and Irishman Lynch left all the poles in place once again to post the only double-clear of the night.

Schou produced the next faultless round and both Mansur and Holloway also returned without penalty, but the Brazilian would pay a big price when just over a second slower than the American. When Britain’s Harry Charles dropped out of contention with two mistakes from Balou du Reventon it was right down to the wire with just three to go, and when Smolders hit the oxer at fence nine this time out he opened the door even wider for the final two.

Von Eckermann returned a superb clear to pile all the pressure on Schwizer who now had no room for error. So when the Swiss star left both the second element of the double at fence eight and the following oxer at nine on the floor it was a done deal. Von Eckermann was clear winner on a final scoreline of 5, Smolders was second with nine and Holloway would finish on the same 11-fault score as Mansur but her quicker time would earn that third step on the podium.

The 25-year-old athlete from Texas was thrilled to find herself on the same stage as two of the greats of the sport.

“I’ve always had pretty big goals and to be sitting with riders such as this is such a great honour. I’m very excited to be here and I think my horse performed great all week. My relationship with her is getting stronger and building, and I feel we are just getting started so I’m very excited for the future with her!” she said.
Bittersweet

It was bittersweet for Smolders as this was his third runner-up finish at a World Cup Final. Riding the stallion Emerald he was second in 2016, and he was runner-up with Monaco last year in Leipzig (GER). But the 42-year-old Dutchman is a sportsman in the truest sense.

“Monaco was again in such a super shape, it’s unbelievable that he is second again but getting beaten by King Edward is not too bad!”, he pointed out. “He is probably on his way to being the best horse in my career, last year second in the World Cup Final, a silver medal in the World Championship, and there is still a lot to come, but I really want to win this trophy one time and this horse is so good he deserves some time to win it!” he added.

Von Eckermann, who finished third at the Finals in both 2017 and 2018 with Toveks Mary Lou, was asked how he maintained his focus even though it wasn’t all plain sailing this week.

“It’s just my mentality, I don’t look backwards, and when the chance is still there we try to go and get it. Everyone knows the horse and how amazing it is, and this week I came here and I really wanted to win it but even with a horse like this it’s very easy for it to go the other way around. But I’m so happy for the horse that he wins this because he really deserves to have a win in the World Cup Final,” said the 41-year-old rider who, together with the extraordinary King Edward, collected Olympic team gold in Tokyo, double-gold at last summer’s FEI World Championship and now the indoor title they all want to win.
Untouchable

He’s been almost untouchable for quite a while now, and he really appreciates the magical time he is living through…..

“It feels like I’m at the top of my career and it can only go one way and that is down!”, he said with a laugh tonight. “So I really try to hold on to the moment, and every day I’m thankful for what I have…in our sport we have different horses and it’s work every day and you keep on going, but sometimes it’s good to just sit down and to be thankful for what we have because it’s not going to be forever!”

However he has put his name on the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ trophy, and that is something that will stay with him for the rest of his lifetime.

Before the final presentation this evening the official flag handover to the next hosts of the FEI World Cup™ Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia took place, with Lisa Roskens, Omaha Equestrian Foundation Founder first passing the flag to FEI President and IOC Member Ingmar de Vos who then presented it to Fuad Ibrahim, CEO of the Saudi National Federation. For those who didn’t make it onto the 2023 podium, Riyadh 2024 will be in their sights.

Final Standings here.

*****

Jessica and Dalera Claim Second World Cup Title

The German duo of Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and the fabulous TSF Dalera BB claimed the coveted FEI Dressage World Cup™ title for the second time in their spectacular career when winning the deciding Freestyle competition at the 2023 series Final in Omaha, USA tonight.

They arrived at the American fixture as firm favourites but looked vulnerable in Wednesday’s Grand Prix when the 16-year-old mare was super-excited to return to competition after a few months’ break.

Tonight however Dalera was right back in the zone that saw this superstar partnership scoop all gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and again at the FEI European Championships in 2021 before putting their names on the FEI Dressage World Cup™ Roll of Honour 12 months ago in Leipzig (GER).

Replicated

It seemed likely that Wednesday’s Grand Prix result in which von Bredow-Werndl’s compatriot and longtime legend, Isabell Werth, finished second with DSP Qantaz and Denmark’s Nanna Skodborg Merrald and Blue Horse Zepter finished third would be replicated this evening. But the Danish pair, who seem to have come out of nowhere in the last few months, produced a spectacular performance to demote five-time series champion Werth to the third step of the podium this time around.

The field was further reduced to 13 starters following the withdrawal of The Netherlands’ Marieke van der Putten’s Torveslettens Titanium RS2 this morning, but the Omaha crowd were still treated to a feast of fantastic sport. And they didn’t hold back when the riders encouraged them to join in with the excitement this evening.

Second into the ring, Lithuania’s Justina Vanagaite had them right behind her as she rode her one-handed final line with Nabab, but it was Simone Pearce and Fiderdance who were holding the lead at the halfway stage when the Australian rider’s cheeky wave at the crowd before coming to a halt was followed by the best score to date, 76.575.

Raised the game

The last remaining Dutch contender, Thamar Zweistra, raised the game when the action resumed with a super test from Hexagon’s Ich Weiss that put 78.204 on the board. “I was really proud of him”, she said, “the one-tempis were amazing, he did about 25 in a row and he was really relaxed. I had a lot of fun. He has a lot of energy and that’s what I like about him, he is always willing to work!”

But with four left to go it was Werth and DSP Qantaz who set the new standard when posting 85.671 for a performance that oozed class. The smile on her face showed that 31 years after she first won the prestigious FEI Dressage World Cup™ title, the 53-year-old athlete is enjoying herself as much as ever. And the crowd adored her Bonnie Tyler themed musical score, bursting into wild applause as she drew to a halt. She was still laughing with delight herself after leaving the ring, knowing that she had nailed her tough floor-plan.

“It was super and I was so happy! This was our best Freestyle together and he was so with me that it was perfect! I really love this Freestyle – it is so difficult and there’s no time to breathe or to think about what is going on – I’m in one tunnel and each step has to come after the next and it worked really perfect today!” she said.

Mesmerising

But then von Bredow-Werndl took the floor, and with mesmerising piaffe/passage, and half-passes in both trot and canter that seem even more fluent than ever before, they soared out in front when putting a massive 90.482 on the board.

“She was incredible, she went in with no wet hair (sweat) because I didn’t do a lot outside, but she was so wet because of the atmosphere. It was really hot in there and she again was a little bit scared but she trusted me 100%, that was the difference tonight. I was confident and we were mirroring each other, she was confident and I got confident. She was excited but she trusted me from the very first step,” the delighted 37-year-old rider pointed out.

America’s Steffen Peters, series champion in Las Vegas (USA) back in 2009, was second-last to go and, always a crowd-pleaser and especially on home ground, he slotted in behind Werth with a mark of 83.921. Now only Skodborg Merrald and Blue Hors Zepter were left to run, and it seemed the top two places were already decided. But the Danish duo were having none of that.

There’s something very special about the relationship these two have established in a very short time. The chestnut gelding formerly ridden by both her Danish counterpart Daniel Bachmann Andersen and Sweden’s Patrik Kittel is blossoming like never before, even though he is already 15 years old.

On fire

“He was really on fire, I had to be so careful all the way around, it was a bit difficult to come back after extended canter but I’m so thrilled! My journey with him has been so short, we have only been together for four months and I have the feeling I can ask for so much more – he is amazing!” she said after posting 87.146 which put her onto the second step of the podium.

She sees even greater potential in the year ahead. “To score higher I need to get to know him better, but for now I just need to take it easy and be happy with the way it is and I think it will come slowly. The judges have to get to know him also”, said the 29-year-old athlete who, with Zepter’s sire Blue Hors Zack, was a member of the Danish team that made history with victory at last summer’s FEI Dressage European Championship on home soil in Herning (DEN).

“He gives such an amazing feeling, he wants to do so much, already in the warm-up I could feel it and I wondered if I should have worked him more in the morning because we only did walking,” she explained.

“But I just had to work with him and make him comfortable and get him to listen to me, and he gives such a good feeling. The only thing I want to change now is the music, because I think the theme is a bit weird – “Time to say goodbye.” It is lovely music and it fits him perfectly but the theme could be a little happier so I will change that!” she said with conviction.
French-themed

New double-champion, von Bredow-Werndl, won’t be changing her French-themed Freestyle music anytime soon however, and insisted that it is “just a nice coincidence” that she has adopted it ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“I always loved (French singer) Édith Piaf…this music gives me goosebumps, especially on the last centreline,” she said.

Talking about her return to the sport just a couple of months after giving birth to her second child, daughter Ella Marie who arrived last August during the FEI World Championship, she said “it’s just a passion to get back in the saddle as soon as possible because I just love what I do and so do my horses, and they made it pretty easy for me to come back that fast!”

Her second win puts Germany on level pegging with The Netherlands with 13 wins each in this series which in 2023 celebrates its 36th anniversary. She has a long way to go to catch up with compatriot Werth who has five wins under her belt or Dutch superstar Anky van Grunsven who recorded a phenomenal nine victories during her amazing career. But with Dalera she is out on her own right now.

“Dalera is such a special creature to have in my life. She makes everything possible – she is a dream!” said the newly-crowned 2023 FEI Dressage World Cup™ champion.

FULL RESULTS here.

By: Louise Parkes/FEI | April 9, 2023

 

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