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 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – April 27, 2006 – In the first round of the first-ever FEI World Cup Jumping Final held in Asia, Germany’s Marcus Ehning and the stunning bay stallion Sandro Boy easily jumped to the top of the leaderboard over 34 other competitors. Today marked the start of the 2006 World Cup Jumping Final and two more rounds on Friday, April 28, and Sunday, April 30, will see the world’s best horses and riders compete for the title of World Cup champion.
Round One, presented by Tourism Malaysia, was a Table C, FEI Art. 658.2.2 competition held over a Table A course. Any jumping faults were converted into seconds and added to the time taken. While six riders put in faster rounds than the winner, they were dropped to a lower place due to added faults on their times. The top seven riders had no jumping faults over fifteen obstacles and twelve numbered jumps. The course provided an option jump, one with a Liverpool underneath, a short two stride double, and a long one stride to one stride triple combination. There were also two opportunities for inside turns to shave precious seconds.
In a class marked with either green horses or untested riders, it was a veteran German who put in the first decisively fast and clear round. Also the winner of the first round in the 2005 FEI World Cup Jumping Final, Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst and Candy 195 finished in a time of 61.68 seconds, which would eventually hold for fifth place. His time lasted for 12 more rides until Ireland’s Jessica Kürten and Castle Forbes Libertina clipped his time by .4 seconds, finishing in 61.25 seconds. Her time would have been faster if not for a missed turn after the 4a-b combination where she nearly ran into another fence. After a quick recovery, she continued and her time put her eventually in fourth place. “I kind of took a half-hearted chance at the turn and missed it,” Kürten explained, “but I think it made me concentrate more for the rest of the course.”
Immediately following Kürten was the Swiss mainstay, Beat Mändli, and his ten year old bay gelding, Ideo du Thot. Mändli clipped a full second from Kürten’s time and finished in 60.28 seconds. Mändli was one of three riders (and the first to attempt) to perform an inside turn to the last line of the course, and it was a calculated ride for him. “I knew my horse could not leave out a stride and do five in the last line,” he said, “so I did the inside turn there. It was better for my horse.”
Five horses later, the eventual winner of Round One would appear. The striking Oldenburg stallion made the course look easy as Ehning, the 2003 World Cup Final champion, guided him in an effortless ride to first place in 60.06 seconds. Despite a somewhat lofty jump, Sandro Boy had no trouble galloping to the win. “I rode forward to the jumps everywhere,” Ehning stated. “Everything came up very well for him. He is getting more experienced and is starting to come down faster from the jumps.”
Second to last on course was Margie Engle of the United States and Quervo Gold. Engle turned in a clear performance in 61.86 seconds for sixth place and was the top-ranked American rider.
Last year’s World Cup Jumping Final winner, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany, was the last to go in Round One. On her up-and-coming horse Checkmate, she turned in a quick round and a time of 60.62 seconds, which was good enough for third place. “I thought he jumped quite well and was very pleased,” she remarked.
The placement of a World Cup Final in Asia, as well as the World Equestrian Games (WEG) later this summer, caused many riders to make a change in plans for their mounts. Ehning’s plan all along was to bring Sandro Boy to the final. “It’s looking positive for the next few days,” he concluded.
Mändli was also pleased with his mount. “I am very happy with my horse,” he said. “I’ve had him since his eighth year. I rode him as my second horse, but he’s grown into it and shown that he can be a first horse too.”
Kürten was thrilled with Castle Forbes Libertina, a ten year old Westfalen mare. “My results went according to plan,” she said. “This was a very big task for Libertina and to finish in the top six will be amazing for her.”
All of the riders had praise for the course set by Germany’s Frank Rothenberger, who will also design for the 2006 WEG in Aachen, Germany. “It had a very good rhythm,” Ehning commented. “But if I jumped what I had walked, I would have been five seconds faster!” Michaels-Beerbaum added, “The course was very good and had enough options.” Rothenberger said with a smile, “This is one of the most important classes. You have to get enough riders to the final day and not kill anyone…maybe tomorrow!”
Tomorrow’s Round Two of the 2006 FEI World Cup Jumping Final will be at 8 p.m. in Malaysia. All 35 riders, including Malaysia’s own Syed Omar Abu Bakar Almohdzar, are invited to return for the second class.
Final Results, FEI World Cup Jumping Final Round One:
1. Sandro Boy, Marcus Ehning (GER), 60.06 seconds
2. Ideo du Thot, Beat Mändli (SUI), 60.28 seconds
3. Checkmate, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER), 60.62 seconds
4. Castle Forbes Libertina, Jessica Kürten (IRE), 61.25 seconds
5. Candy 195, Alois Pollmann-Shweckhorst (GER), 61.68 seconds
6. Quervo Gold, Margie Engle (USA), 61.86 seconds
7. Insul Tech Portofino, Michael Whitaker (GBR), 63.14 seconds
8. Loro Piana Albin III, Juan Carlos Garcia (ITA), 63.46 seconds
9. Kalusha, Robert Smith (GBR), 63.75 seconds
10. Novesta, Gunnar Klettenberg (EST), 64.59 seconds
11. Aboyeur W, Heinrich Hermann Engemann (GER), 64.71 seconds
12. Mac Kinley, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE), 64.95 seconds
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