Max Kuhner and EIC Cooley Jump The Q produced a flawless performance in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ presented by Agria to take victory and become the first Austrians to lift the title since Thomas Fruhmann in 1989.
“It’s a really good feeling today. In a jump-off like that we listen to the horse and they tell us what’s possible and what’s not. Today we had a very clear communication, I could really feel him telling me what to do and asking which kind of support he needed. It was just a very smooth feeling – we were floating,” said Max.
“It’s for sure good and it’s also a good finish of the season which hasn’t been my best season, but it’s now a little bit better than before. I’ve been second here with Elektric Blue when he was 10 years old but I could never win the class, so it’s good to have that in my pocket.”
The pair made light work of Alan Wade’s testing first round track which saw all but five of the 37 starters incur penalties. Faults were spread evenly around the 14-fence course and the time also proved influential – Ireland’s Tom Wachman, Netherland’s Hessel Hoekstra, Britain’s Ben Maher, Denmark’s Zascha Nygaard and Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck all jumped clear but missed out on the jump-off due to time penalties.
Second to go in the jump-off, Max and the 12-year-old Irish Sports Horse were not fazed by Donald Whitaker (GBR) and Milfield Colette’s blistering performance as pathfinders, and rode a smooth and controlled round to steal the lead by over a second.
“It’s the class at London that you always want to win. I’ve watched all my family doing it – John, Michael, Will. Obviously I wanted to win it, but second, I will take that all day,” said Donald.
“She’s naturally fast, so normally I just tried to follow her. Maybe I could have kept it a bit cleverer and a bit tighter in the jump off. I was a little wide and fast whereas Max was cleverer and tighter.
“I can’t be disappointed though as she tried her absolute heart out which she does every time. It’s devastating, but at the same time it’s amazing and fantastic. She keeps getting better and better. I don’t know what else she can do. She has done everything this year, at every show, she is one in one million. [She’s] the best horse in the world in my mind so I’ve got to look after her.”
Cian O’Connor and Chatoulinue PS were the only other pair to produce a fault free round in the jump-off. The Irish rider opted for a slow clear with the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding as he has only been riding him for three months.
Britain’s Robert Whitaker and Vermento recorded the quickest jump-off round but a rolled pole left them in fourth. The only other competitors to reach the jump-off were France’s Penelope Leprovost and Baloubet de Talma who also collected four faults to wind up in fifth. Canada’s Kara Chad and Igor GPH were the fastest of the four-faulters to place 11th in tough company.
Victor Victorious Once Again
Victor Bettendorf found himself on a lap of honour for the second time in just two days when he finished first in the CSI5* Longines Christmas Cracker aboard Doha de Riverland.
The rider from Luxembourg had a flying start to his debut London International Horse Show, as he also triumphed in the CSI5* Champagne Taittinger Speed Stakes with Encore Toi du Linon.
Today’s winning mount was Doha de Riverland, a 12-year-old Selle Francais gelding who he has been riding for 18 months and is owned by Christian Pelat. Early to go in the jump-off, the pair laid down a blisteringly quick time which couldn’t be caught — although final rider Donald Whitaker and Milfield Colette (GBR) came within a whisker when they stopped the clock just 0.13 seconds behind to take the runner-up spot.
“I took a lot of risks because I really wanted to win the class, and in the end it paid off, but it could have ended differently. I’m really happy the horse understood what I wanted and he did an amazing job,” said Victor.
“He’s really scopey and he has a huge stride — even if you don’t see that he has a huge stride. He also has a super mentality. Sometimes he gets a bit shaky with the head but now he’s starting to be more relaxed so I can start to go faster.”
Sanne Thijssen and Cupcake Z finished third for Netherlands, just ahead of Britain’s Jessica Mendoza and In The Air. Canada’s Kara Chad placed 8th riding Igor GPH.
Victor Bettendorf then made it an impressive hat-trick of victories when he came out on top in the CSI5* Reindeer Stakes. His winning mount was the 14-year-old Belgian Warmblood mare Cancun Torel Z who was flawless over the fences, producing a speedy clear round to snatch victory from Britain’s Jack Whitaker and Valmy de la Lande.
Mendoza is Brilliant for Home Crowd
It was a sweet trip back to home soil for Jessica Mendoza (GBR) and I-Cap CL Z, who triumphed in The CSI5* Brilliance Auction Snowball Stakes to the cheers of the home crowd.
Jessica, who is now based in the USA, was one of the last to go and produced the quickest round of the competition at 57.35 seconds, aboard the 13-year-old Belgian Warmblood gelding she owns with her mother Sarah.
“I was at the end of the class so I got to see a bunch of people going fast and there wasn’t really much to do other than try and go faster,” said Jessica.
“He has a smaller stride so through all the distances I was going forwards, which I think helped in that course because there was only a certain number of strides you could do through the corners. I think his good canter sort of won it.”
Jessica has owned I-Cap CL Z since he was four and she describes him as her ‘heart horse’.
“He’s been incredible. He went to the FEI World Cup™ Finals three years ago, and since then I’ve let him step down and have fun. He loves going fast.”
Jessica’s speedy clear put her ahead of Olympic bronze medallist Daniel Deusser, who occupied the runner-up position aboard the 14-year-old chestnut stallion, Bingo Ste Hermelle, for Germany. Switzerland’s Barbara Schnieper and Escoffier finished third just 0.02 of a second behind.
Matthew Sampson and Balento C.S., winners of the CSI5* Mistletoe Stakes. (London International Horse Show/Peter Nixon)
Sampson and Balento storm to victory
Matthew Sampson (GBR) — a London International ambassador — and the 14-year-old grey stallion Balento C.S. proved the pair to beat in The CSI5* Mistletoe Stakes presented by Sport in Mind.
The pair stopped the jump-off clock over a second clear of their nearest rivals, Britain’s Robert Whitaker and Gentlemen vh Veldhof, to win the class.
“Being at London — which is my favourite show of the year — is amazing and to win a class here is what we all want to do. It’s a great feeling and to be an ambassador is an honour,” said Matthew, who had just borrowed his ride Balento for the show.
“He’s a new horse, so to get a good result like that is great for his owners, the Gachoud family, and for all our team — it’s brilliant.”
“Another horse I was going to bring wasn’t feeling great so we decided not to bring that horse. This horse belongs to Amelie [Gachoud] who we train, and so we know the horse from training but obviously I haven’t competed him.”
“I said he’s fit and well, would you like him to come here to jump at a show like this? They agreed and thought it would be a great idea and luckily it’s gone so well.”
Matthew and Balento headed a 1-2 for the home nation, with compatriots Robert and Gentlemen vh Veldhof taking second.
“I was so pleased with him,” said Robert. “He’s first-class and he just showed how good he is. He’s been an amazing horse for me. He’s 19 and I’ve only had him just over a year but he tries to please us every time.”
Ten horses in total progressed to the jump-off of the 30 which started the two-round class. Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Etundel de Marcoy completed the podium in third.
A Cracker of a Win for Staut
France’s Kevin Staut and Hermes de Vesquerie ‘sleighed’ the opposition in the CSI5* Christmas Challenge, coming out on top in the jump-off by 0.4 of a second ahead of Denmark’s Zascha Nygaard and Com’on Miss Ogano Sit to secure their first ever win at London International Horse Show.
“I don’t know how many years I’ve been coming to this show at Olympia and then here in Excel, and I love this show – but I had never won a class so it means something for me and it means something also with this horse,” said Kevin.
“It’s a horse who is just eight-years-old and who I really believe in. We started like six months ago together by just jumping 1.30m and he was coming with me as a third horse at CSI4* shows and CSI3* shows. Then here for the first time, he’s doing CSI5* show and winning his first 1.50 with jump-off so I’m really pleased.”
The victorious pair were in scintillating form all evening and never looked like touching a pole. Not fazed by an early jump-off draw, the Olympic gold medallist and the eight-year-old Selle Francais gelding – one of the youngest horses in the field – laid down a quick clear and were never headed.
Occupying third place was Geir Gulliksen and Oh La La Van Overis for Norway, while Luxembourg’s Victor Bettendorf, who is enjoying an impressive run of form this week, was fourth with Encore Toi Du Linon.
Ben Maher’s ‘horse of a lifetime’ Explosion W retires at London. (London International Horse Show/Peter Nixon)
Olympic Hero Explosion W’s Emotional Retirement
There were emotional scenes in the International Arena as, with 6,000 glow sticks and a hamper of carrots, London’s cheering home crowd celebrated the career of Ben Maher’s superstar horse Explosion W, who appeared for his official retirement.
Arguably one of the greatest show jumpers in the history of the sport, Explosion W is renowned for his incredible power coupled with calm precision. During his career he partnered with Britain’s Ben Maher to success all over the world, most notably in Tokyo where they clinched an individual Olympic gold medal.
Elsewhere, their achievements include being a key part of the British team at the 2019 European championships in Rotterdam (NED), where they won individual silver and team bronze.
“Explosion has been the horse of a lifetime – I always knew he had something special – an incredible will to win and a presence that captured everyone’s attention,” said Ben.
“We have shared some unforgettable moments together and it feels right to celebrate his retirement in front of a home crowd at the London International Horse Show.”
Full results here.
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