The answer to the question above became even more obvious this evening, as world show jumping champion Henrik von Eckermann of Sweden won the Rolex International Jumping Riders Club Top Ten Final on the amazing King Edward.
The excitement level was over the top for the competition, held in Geneva, Switzerland’s Palexpo, the world’s largest indoor arena.
It was packed to the brim with enthusiastic spectators, who were offered a view of a spectacular jumping test set in a landscape highlighted by a lake and trees. That brought a countryside ambience into the city, courtesy of designers Gérard Lachat of Switzerland and Louis Konickx of the Netherlands.
Henrik was clear in both rounds, and his time of 48.42 seconds in the final leg just edged France’s Simon Delestre on Cayman Jolly Jumper in 49.35 seconds. That horse, who looked marvelous jumping his two fault-free rounds, is a son of Hickstead, Eric Lamaze’s 2008 Olympic individual gold medal ride.
Recalling his thoughts upon watching the class in the past, Henrik had said, “I just wish one day I could do this,” then added in awe “and I’m standing here today.”
The world’s top-ranked rider collected $171,000 (160,000 Swiss francs) for his victory.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Henrik, who admitted he was nervous as he watched Simon, the last to go. The Swede thought perhaps he had made a mistake by not taking one less stride to the final fence, but was able to breathe again when Simon fell just short, finishing in 49.35 seconds.
“The luck was on my side today and the whole year,” mused Henrik.
“An incredible horse, King Edward, just a fantastic feeling,” he said of the Belgian warmblood superstar by Edward 28.
His countryman and Olympic and world championships gold medal teammate, Peder Fredricson on Catch Me Not finished third after taking a gamble and going slowly, but carefully.
His plan worked, and the fault-free trip he took in a leisurely 57.30 seconds within the 60-second time-allowed got him on the lower level of the podium with just his 1-penalty time fault from the first round.
The winner, Henrik von Eckermann, and the man who is his regular teammate, Peder Fredricson, shake hands on the podium.
McLain Ward was the only U.S. representative in the field that included riders from seven countries. Making his third appearance in the competition, he came in as number 10.
One of only four riders who were fault-free in the first round, McLain moved up to fourth with Contagious for the second round, but there a turn that didn’t pan out to the third-to-last fence flanked by clock towers gave him a 4-fault total and an amazing time of 46.89 seconds —which would have enabled him to win the whole thing, had he jumped clean. As it was, he finished in fourth as the fastest of the 4-faulters.
McLain Ward and Contagious.
Discussing the mishap, McLain said, “It’s the one place I tried to slow down and got a little too rough. Rider error. I should have just trusted my horse.”
Several riders had a difficult time. Chief among them was Olympic individual gold medalist Ben Maher of Great Britain riding a new horse, Exit Remo, but his lack of familiarity with his mount meant he wound up with 31 faults in the first round.
He came back in a big way, however, jumping clean in the second round. The penalty burden from the first round, however, put Ben 10th and last. He said he’ll once again be aboard his Olympic ride, Explosion, in February.
