GLORY FOR GUERDAT IN LEIPZIG - LONGINES FEI JUMPING WORLD CUP
(Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League - Leg 9/13)
Steve Guerdat (SUI) set an unbeatable target from first draw in an 11-strong jump-off, to score a convincing victory in the ninth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in Leipzig (GER) this afternoon. Aboard the 12-year-old gelding Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, the three-time Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Champion stopped the clock in 42.21 seconds and waited for the remaining ten athletes to try and better it.
Just five of the 11 athletes produced clear rounds in the jump-off, with Simon Delestre (FRA) aboard the ten-year-old stallion Gatsby du Tillard coming closest to Guerdat’s target. His quick time of 43.25 seconds was rewarded with second place. Gerrit Nieberg (GER) broke the beam in 44.54 seconds to take the final podium position for the host nation, with the much-admired skewbald gelding Ping Pong van de Lentamel.
Frank Rothenberger (GER) made full use of the spacious Leipzig Messe to test athletes with a full-up track that tested scope, care and control. Whilst faults were distributed around his 13-fence track, a short vertical-to-oxer double, coming early in the course at fence three, accounted for 19 fallen poles whilst an innocuous looking vertical at fence ten was responsible for a further seven.
Eleven athletes delivered penalty-free rounds to earn their place in what was set to be a blistering jump-off. Drawn fifth in the opening round, Steve Guerdat showed his class and experience when delivering an immaculate first clear round of the competition, which confirmed him as the trailblazer come round two against the clock. Opening a jump-off, particularly one in which there are 11 world-class combinations, is a position which most athletes look upon unfavourably. Guerdat however, in typically unflappable fashion, was not fazed by the prospect of laying down the gauntlet:
“I think it’s kind of an advantage for me with this horse. He’s not a very big-strided horse and if I start walking the distances in the jump-off or looking what my colleagues do when they have a little bit more range in their stride, I can’t really hold with it. I have messed up a few jump-offs with him because of that! It’s better that I don’t look at the others and just try to do what’s really best for him (Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte) without thinking what’s coming behind or what’s come before me.”
With this positive mindset and brimming with belief in his mount, Guerdat set off in a beautiful forward rhythm; effortlessly omitting strides and carving the shortest path around the eight-fence jump-off track with seamless communication between himself and a snaffle-mouthed Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte. Without interference and never looking rushed or under pressure, the experienced partnership broke the beam in a deceptively quick time of 42.21 seconds, setting the standard for the remaining ten combinations.
Gerrit Nieberg and the striking 11-year-old coloured gelding Ping Pong van de Lentamel, were hugely popular with the home crowd when delivering the third clear of round one. Again, they left all the fences standing in round two, surviving a heart-in-the-mouth moment at the double at fence three, in which the gelding appeared to be momentarily spooked.
Consequently, Ping Pong van de Lentamel jinked fractionally to the side of fence three ‘a’ on approach, appearing as if he may miss the fence altogether. Lightning quick reactions from Nieberg saw him straighten up and instil such confidence in his ride that they negotiated the testing combination without fault but inevitably lost time in the process. Their time of 44.54 seconds went into second, where they stayed until the final athlete of the competition.
The pressure exerted by Guerdat’s opener became increasingly apparent as the class progressed and athletes were forced into errors in their attempts to match his time. Yet still none could get close to it. That is until the remarkable Michael Jung (GER) entered the arena.
The multi-gold medalled athlete in the discipline of Eventing had produced another masterful performance in guiding the just nine-year-old Fischerheros Z to an immaculate clear, gaining his place in round two. Despite it being the gelding’s first 1.60m class, Jung set about challenging the leader in no uncertain terms and looked to be catching the time as the round progressed. When the penultimate fence hit the ground his chance of victory was over, but his valiant effort, stopping the clock in 42.24 seconds, just 0.03 seconds adrift of Guerdat, was hugely appreciated by the knowledgeable spectators and earned him sixth place.
Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR), fresh from his podium finish in Basel (SUI) last week, delivered another smart performance with his new partner, the 12-year-old gelding Colonello. Their slick double clear in 44.60 seconds saw them finish in fourth place, with the young Norwegian’s consistency seeing him move up to second place in the overall Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League 2025/2026 standings. Mario Stevens’ (GER) neat and calculated round aboard his faithful partner the 13-year-old gelding Starissa FRH saw him secure fifth place and valuable points.
Last into the arena was the man who finished in second place here 12 months ago with Dexter Fontenis Z, France’s Simon Delestre. Though no stranger to riding at speed and collecting trophies, this afternoon he was aboard a new partner, the impressive but inexperienced ten-year-old, Gatsby du Tillard.
Despite the stallion’s inexperience against the clock at this level and Delestre not knowing how much he could ask, he set sail gathering momentum as the partnership’s trust in one another grew which each question asked and delivered. A brilliant turn to the tall vertical at fence five, which had caught out several athletes before them, saw the striking grey rise to the challenge and grow wings clearing the fence with a foot to spare and undoubtedly exciting his pilot with his response to the chancy request.
They stopped the clock in 43.25 seconds to slot themselves comfortably into second place between Guerdat and Nieberg to confirm the final podium positions.
“I’m really happy with my horse today. It’s his first Grand Prix so I am really proud of him. When I walked the course, I thought it was a difficult class for his first Grand Prix, but you need to start someday, and I have a lot of confidence in him! I got an amazing feeling from the horse!”
Of his strategy in the jump-off Delestre explained: “He’s a fast horse but I don’t really know how much I can ask, but ok I was last to go so I had to try! He was really fast; that’s the best place I can cash with him today but I’m really happy with him!”
Guerdat had explained earlier in the week that coming back from a serious back injury and subsequent surgery, which saw him agonisingly have to sit out last year’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, had been very tough for him mentally: “At the moment I’m still climbing the road to get back to my health from before, so (this win) is a good reward to all the team that help me every day and for my horse. I have had a very good day; it’s a really nice afternoon for me and my team”, he concluded contentedly.
After nine legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League 2025/2026 series, Richard Vogel (GER) remains at the top of the standings on 56 points ahead of Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen, whose fourth place today sees him climb up another spot into second on 53 points. Willem Greve (NED) and Max Kühner (AUT) occupy third and fourth positions on 52 points apiece. Julien Epaillard (FRA) sits in fifth on 46 points whilst Daniel Deusser (GER) rounds out the top six on 38 points.
Amsterdam (NED) is the next stop for The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League as the Dutch city welcomes the series for leg ten on 25 January 2026. Bordeaux (FRA) will stage leg 11 of 13 on 8 February 2026 before Gothenburg (SWE) play host to the penultimate qualifier of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League on 22 February 2025.
Stay tuned for all the action.
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Full results here
Standings here