Houtzager is the Hero as Dutch Dominate Amsterdam

Photo Copyright © FEI/DigiShots
Photo Copyright © FEI/DigiShots

Houtzager is the Hero as Dutch Dominate Amsterdam
Compatriot Smolders takes runner-up spot; Belgium’s Clemens and Bruynseels fill third and fourth places


On an afternoon of Dutch delight, Marc Houtzager and the amazing mare Sterrehof’s Dante threw down an extraordinary performance to snatch victory in the twelfth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League series on home ground in Amsterdam (NED) today. It was at the expense of compatriot Harrie Smolders who, third to go in the nine-horse jump-off, looked to have set an unbeatable target-time when breaking the beam in 35.03 seconds with the 11-year-old gelding Monaco. But, second-last into the ring, Houtzager’s 12-year-old mare seemed to have grown wings as she flew around the course to shave almost a full second off that when crossing the line in 34.05 seconds. Belgian riders Pieter Clemens and Niels Bruynseels lined up third and fourth.

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Sanchez Cozar and Azcárraga Share the Sash in Guadalajara

Photo Copyright © FEI/Christian Lopez Redetzki
Photo Copyright © FEI/Christian Lopez Redetzki

Sanchez Cozar and Azcárraga Share the Sash in Guadalajara as history is made with tied result


When Gonzalo Azcárraga (MEX) crossed the finish of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Guadalajara, he didn’t know whether he had won or lost. To his surprise, he had done neither. He tied.
In a history-making result, Azcárraga, riding Fabio, and Alberto Sanchez-Cozar (MEX) aboard Union de la Nutria completed Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) jump-off in identical times of 48.95 seconds. Lorenza O’Farrill (MEX) and Queens Darling finished third with 4 faults in 48.79 seconds.

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Steve Guerdat Posts Swiss Victory at Basel

Photo Copyright © FEI/Richard Juilliart
Photo Copyright © FEI/Richard Juilliart

Reigning series champion and World No. 2 gets new year off to a great start


In the 90th World Cup competition of his spectacular career, three-time series champion Steve Guerdat galloped to victory with Victorio des Frotards in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2019/2020 Western European League qualifier on home ground at Basel in Switzerland today. Despite a tough first-round test from ace German course designer Frank Rothenberger, this tenth leg of the league saw 15 of the 40 starters make the cut into the jump-off so it was never going to be an easy one to win. But the man who claimed individual Olympic gold in 2012 and his third World Cup title in Gothenburg (SWE) last season left the rest in his wake, with Frenchman Julien Epaillard coming closest for runner-up spot with Queeletta ahead of Belgium’s Pieter Devos and Apart in third.

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Martin Fuchs and Clooney: What Else?

Photo Courtesy of ©PSV
Photo Courtesy of ©PSV

It was certainly no easy task to overcome the difficulties of the course designed by Gregory Bodo for this Grand Prix Longines FEI Jumping World CupTM Lyon 2019. In particular, the two combinations - the triple at number 7 and the double vertical at number 9 - gave the 40 riders who had qualified for this class a hard time. Several top riders got caught out, such as Simon Delestre and Pénélope Leprevost, who made mistakes on the triple with Hermes Ryan and Vancouver from Lanlore, and the German rider Daniel Deusser, who had a 4-point penalty on the double.

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