Richard Vogel and his charismatic stallion, United Touch S, dazzled in front of an electrified home crowd at the Stuttgart German Masters, clinching victory at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier. The pair’s seamless performance marked their second triumph in as many weeks, following a spectacular win in Lyon.
A Demanding Test
Course designer Christa Jung set a formidable challenge, presenting 40 of the world’s top athletes with a track that demanded precision, power, and speed. With a tight time allowed of 75 seconds, clear rounds were rare. Only three riders—Vogel, Denis Lynch (IRL), and Kevin Staut (FRA)—managed faultless performances, advancing to the jump-off. Victoria Gulliksen of Norway, though clear over the fences, incurred one time fault to finish fourth, while Britain’s Tim Gredley, with two time faults, secured fifth place.
Speed and Precision
Stuttgart is a special venue for Vogel, who also claimed victory with United Touch S here in 2022 during his Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ debut. This year, the duo once again rose to the occasion. Their jump-off round showcased daring lines, sharp turns, and immaculate timing, thrilling the capacity crowd.
“Stuttgart is kind of my home show,” Vogel reflected. “A lot of my family and good friends were here, as well as the owner and breeder of United, Julius-Peter Sinnack. It was very emotional to have all those people supporting us. When we entered the arena, United and I had a lot of people behind our backs. Their cheering gave us wings. For sure the goal was to repeat our win here (referring to November 2022) and luck was on our side.
“Today’s result gives me a lot of confidence. Together with my team, I’ll make a good plan for the coming months and ensure United stays in top form.”
The technicality of the course tested even the most seasoned riders. Vogel explained: “It was more challenging than expected. It rode more difficult than it walked. It was very technical, and the triple combination—two verticals followed by an oxer—was especially challenging. But the three athletes who made it to the jump-off proved it was possible to do the course in the time allowed though.
Lynch and Staut Deliver Strong Performances
Denis Lynch and his ever-reliable Brooklyn Heights delivered the first clear round of the day, earning admiration from the crowd for their composed, confident approach. Entering the jump-off first, Lynch set a commendable pace but ultimately couldn’t match Vogel’s bold lines. When asked if he thought whether going first was the disadvantage that kept him from winning, Lynch laughed: “I’m used to going first—it’s my job in the Irish team. The real disadvantage today was that Richard was in the jump-off!.
Kevin Staut and Dialou Blue PS delivered a steady performance to take third place. His 15-point haul secured his qualification for the FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in Basel next April. “Now that qualification is in the pocket, I can try out some other horses in the coming legs,” he said, looking ahead to the remainder of the season.
Eyes on the Final
Vogel’s Stuttgart success catapulted him to second place in the provisional Western European League standings with 42 points, bolstering his confidence ahead of the Final.
Meanwhile, Yuri Mansur (BRA) and Harrie Smolders (NED), both ranked within the top 10 prior to Stuttgart, faced setbacks. Mansur’s eight faults plus two time penalties left him out of the points, while Smolders, despite a strong showing with Monaco N.O.P., ended 13th after a single jumping fault and a tight time penalty.
The Road Ahead
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League heads next to Madrid on 1 December, with subsequent legs in La Coruña, London, and Mechelen rounding out the calendar year. The action resumes in 2025 with the series returning to Basel, where Vogel and his rivals will vie for the ultimate prize at the Final.
Results here.
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