Germany’s Daniel Deusser produced a fabulous performance from Cornet d’Amour to win the sixth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2013/2014 Western European League series at Mechelen, Belgium today. From a starting field of 40, only four horse-and-rider combinations found the key to Lucien Somers’ tough first-round track. But the 32-year-old rider and his graceful grey gelding were smooth as silk when earning their spot in the jump-off, and they went on to clinch victory in the finest style with a thrilling run against the clock.

Runner-up was Sweden’s Jens Fredricson with his veteran partner, Lunatic, while Spain’s Pilar Cordon finished third with Nuage Bleu. Last to go against the clock, 2000 Olympic champion Jeroen Dubbeldam from The Netherlands retired after lowering a fence with Zenith, but this nine-year-old gelding is clearly one for the future. Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander did well to play the percentage game with Ego van Orti whose single first-round time penalty was good enough for fifth place ahead of the fastest of the four-faulters – Great Britain’s Joe Clee and Diablesse de Muze.

Today’s competition was one in which every inch of the arena had to be ridden to perfection in order to be successful. “I expected more clears, but it was a long, tough course and the time was tight. It was the kind of course where you had to totally concentrate from the first fence to the very last” said the winning rider this evening.

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