The sixth leg of the Western European League of World Cup jumping was held today in the heart of London, less than a week before the man in the red suit climbs down the chimneys around the world delivering gifts to good children!
The course was designed by Frank Rothenberger (GER) and to see the course click here and he would have been hoping for around 4 to 6 in the jump off so was surprised when 11 went through.
In the Press Conference after the class was done and dusted Rothenberger put the large number of clears down to the perfect surface in the Olympia arena, saying that there was no question in his mind that it gave horses scope and this helped them clear his tall and wide course today.
The course was indeed tall and in some of the oxers, wide but it was extremely jumpable with all fence bar fence 10 falling at some stage - for many of the contenders today it was a first Olympia or a first World Cup qualifier and this perhaps counted for some of the faults.
Max Kuhner did not have the round of his dreams when he was jumped out of the saddle after fence 7, landing firmly on his feet just a stone's throw from the pocket, leaving him a short walk out of the arena - to see the unfortunate dismount moving pictures click here
It wasn't until our 7th combination finished his round that we had a clear and it came from Geir Gulliksen in the saddle of the 13 year old gelding L'Espoir.
We then had to wait another 6 combinations till we got a clear round from Sweden's Svante Johansson and the 10 year old Stakkato stallion son, Saint Amour.
And from then on they came thick and fast.......................first out in the 8 effort jump off was Geir Gulliksen for Norway but today was not to be their day when L'Espoir - pictured below left - lowered fence 5 to finish with four faults in 37.45secs. For Geir's moving picture jump off round click here
Second out, Sweden's Svante Johansson cut the time but also finished on four faults when fence 4A fell, coming through the finish flags in 36.34secs.
The sweetheart of showjumping in every country in the world is without doubt Sweden's Malin Bayard-Johnsson who burst into top level showjumping with the talented tiny mare Butterfly Flip and together this petite pair conquered the world. Since those heady days Malin has married and is now mum to two, with the latest addition being her son Edward born just short months ago.
Today the London Olympia crowd roared their delight at having her back for the World Cup riding a 10 year old mare H&M Artrice - pictured above centre - and even though they had two down in 36.83secs they were given a hero's roar as they left the arena.
For the moving pictures of Malin's round click here
Michael Whitaker in the saddle of GIG Amai - pictured above right - , the 9 year old gelding by Darco, was definitely the crowd favourite at shortest odds with the onsite bookies but he bowed out when he lowered the penultimate fence 4B to finish with 4 faults in 35.16secs, which was the fastest time at this point, putting him into a provisional lead he knew would be short lived.
For the moving pictures of Michael's round click here
Finally a clear round and came from Ireland's Cian O'Connor riding Rancorrado- pictured below left - , the 11 year old gelding by Gran Corrado and this round was ridden smoothly, rhythmically and correctly and it paid off with no jumping faults in 35.66secs and put Cian into the provisional lead.
For the moving pictures of Cian's round click here
Pictured above centre - Italy's "main man" Natale Chiaudani riding Manuela Traversa's SNAI Seldana di Campalto rode a seriously nice round which saw him in control to each fence, placing the horse well to finish with all fences standing but a time of 37.89secs, leaving Cian in the lead.
Pictured above right - Pius Schwizer for Switzerland is a man on fire at the moment! Currently number 4 on the world rankings today he jumped a great jump off with Carlina, the 8 year old Carvallo mare but a couple of pulls cost him dearly and saw him slot into place behind Cian with clear jumping in 36.77secs.
Britain's bright young star Ben Maher jumped two super rounds today to finish in a time of 36.07secs but said later he was delighted with the way Robin Hood - pictured below left - jumped today.
For the moving pictures of Ben's round click here
Pictured above centre - current European Champion, Kevin Staut didn't fair well in this jump off when he lowered the second fence on course giving him four faults in 38.06secs.
Pictured above right - the man who got everything right today! Eric van der Vleuten for the Netherlands piloted VDL Groep Tomboy perfectly around the jump off course never taking a pull where it would be costly and this big long striding course seem to cruise effortlessly around the track to come through the finish flag with everything in place in 35.08secs, relegating Cian O'Connor to 2nd place with one rider to come!
Last to go, and the only one who could mess up the order of things was the shy and softly spoken French woman, Penelope Leprevost riding the handsome grey stallion owned by the Frenc National Stud. Mylord Carthago is only a 9 year old but has talent to burn - he has technique, scope and obviously a brain as well and today this combination jumped a cracking round to slot into 3rd place with their clear jumping in 35.97secs.
For moving pictures of Penelope's jump off round click here
So the all important world cup points went to Eric van der Vleuten putting him the lead on the Western European League board for first.
Cian O'Connor took second place points which sees him in 19th place and a possible starter for the Final in April 2010.
Third place went to Penelope Leprevost and sees he in 18th place but she said she would possibly not be pushing the young stallion too hard this season so perhaps a place in the World Cup FInal may not be for her this season.
For moving pictures of Edwina Alexander's first round in this leg click here - the defending champions having won this event in 2008 - today was not their day as they finished with four faults when 8A fell in round well.
For moving pictures of Albert Zoer and Oki Doki's first round click here
