Verona CSI-W 4*: Simon Says Go Faster

Jeroen Dubbledam and BMC Van Grunsven Simon added an FEI Rolex World Cup Qualifier, presented by SNAI, to his already impressive recent winnings. In front of a sell out packed house, the Dutchman held off another nine riders in the jump off to win the Euro 35’000 top prize and a Rolex watch.

The competition had began to unfold early when the fourth horse into the arena, Blue Loyd ridden by Norway’s Nina Braaten went clear. Rolf Ludi’s course of 13 fences then proceeded to cause enough trouble to whittle down the 40 starters to just ten. A double at Fence Six with a yellow oxer to a blue ‘gappy’ vertical was one of the hardest fences to clear but the combination at Fence Eleven was just as troublesome. Cian O’Connor, Ben Maher and Natale Chaudani all fell foul of the double and Rodrigo Pessoa and two times winner Albert Zoer were among those who crashed out of contention at the combination.

The jump off course was nine fences including a double at Fence Five (the last two parts of the former combination) and the turn into that was a 180 degree about face that was sure to have an influence on the result. Jeroen had been second into the ring and his blistering time of 35.61 had taken eight seconds off Nina Braaten’s initial double clear and really put the pressure on the rest. Which it did when Steve Guerdat and Jalisca Solier made a hash of the approach to the double and stopped. Ludger Beerbaum and Chaman also faulted there but were only a fraction slower showing the remaining riders it could be done. Simon Delestre tried to match the leaders time with Napoli Du Ry but had two down in the attempt. However Billy Twomey got within two seconds of the leader on Tinka’s Seranade as did Carsten Otto Nagal (Corradina) and Rolf Goran Bengsston (Cassall la Silla) which was good enough to give the trio 5th, 4th and 3rd place respectively. Kevin Staut secured more World Cup points on a wildly exuberant Le Prestige St Lois de Hus who was clear but Kevin was obviously not going for the time on his headstrong partner and had to settle for sixth. But there was one more horse and rider to come, the unmistakeable brown figure of Shutterfly and the grey jacket of Meredith Michaels Beerbaum. It was clear who the crown wanted to win as the horse was given a huge ovation on entering the ring. But then there was an almost unearthly silence over the Verona Exhibition Center as the German legends started their rounds. Despite five months off and his first indoor show for over a year, Shutterfly made little of his 17 years and fairly flew. But a slightly less smooth turn into the double meant that as he jumped the last the clock had stopped four hundreths of a second outside Jeroen’s.

Jeroen was understandably jubilant at scoring his first World Cup win on his formerly slightly nervous partner. “I have had this horse three years and to start he was over careful and took time to get confidence but I wasn’t thinking about that as we galloped to the last! I knew Meredith and Rolf were to come and I had taken one more stride between the second and third than they would so I had to for it down that last line! And especially to have beaten such riders as Meredith and Rolf. ”

Meredith, as the best lady rider, was presented by a specially gilded hat made by KEP Italia by the President of Entefiera Verona (the complex that hosts Fieracavalli), Mr Ettore Ricello. This was in addition to the Euro 28’000 she won for second prize.

A two phase competitio was used as a warm up for the coming World Cup qualifier. And once again Bernardo Alves emerged victorious. The Brazilian rider only decided to come to Jumping Verona at the very last minute but it has been a profitable experience so far! “And I am not finished yet” laughed the rider who has added another Euro6250 to his weekend haul. “I am never tired of winning and there is still this afternoon to come!” Nina Fagerstrom made her long and tiresome overland journey from Helsinki worthwhile by finishing second on Mouse. Her time of 30.25 was only two tenths of a second slower than Bernardo’s and earned her Euro5000. Not bad for a rider nursing two broken ribs!

John Roche, The FEI Director of Jumping summed up the show and tonight’s competition rather well. “The jump off was absolutely top sport and a fitting way to celebrate Jumping Verona’s tenth anniversary,” he said.

Full results and other information may be found at http://www.jumpingverona.com/

Quotes
Meredith Micheals Beerbaum
“My last show with Shutterfly was five months ago, so I am just delighted to be here. I didn’t know whether I would ride him in today’s class, I was planning on Checkmate. But actually it was Jeroen who said Shutterfly jumped so well on the first day you must ride him. That is why I slowed down and let Jeroen win!! It is a great day for me and for Shutterfly. In 2002, he was second here and so it is quite amazing to come here eight years later and be second again!

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“I am very happy to have two such good horses as Ninja and Cassall. Today we were all in the 35 second mark so the one that thought backwards at any point would come off worst. Today that was me!!”

Nina Fagerstrom
“I fell off in Helsinki and yes the ribs are a bit sore and the journey here was tiring but adrenaline is the best painkiller. Anyway after all the trouble getting here, I told myself as I went in that I must get some prize money for the diesel or we would all be walking home tonight!”