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| Belgium's Philippe Lejeune the new World Champion. By FEI |
Belgium's Philippe Le Jeune won the thrilling Rolex Final Four to claim the World title at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Kentucky, at the weekend. The 50-year-old rider was up against reigning individual Olympic gold medallist Eric Lamaze (CAN), former World and Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Abdullah Al Sharbatly (KSA) who, despite his relative inexperience, scooped silver ahead of Eric in bronze position.
The quiet horsemanship skills of a man whose life is totally devoted to his horses won the day. It has been said that the best thing you can do on a strange horse is as little as possible and his ability to allow four of the greatest jumpers in the world to do what they do best, with minimal interference, clinched the supreme accolade.
"I had no difficult moments with any of them," he said. "I decided to go their way, not try and make them go my way and it paid off".
Opening rounds
Abdullah's presence in the individual medal decider took many by surprise, but his six-week partnership with the fabulous former Italian team horse Seldana di Campalto has instantly blossomed. The mare never put a foot wrong prior to the final test.
First into the ring this time, however, as the riders kicked off on their own horses, the 27-year-old rider gave her what seemed a nervous ride and the final two elements of the last fence on the track, the triple combination, hit the floor for eight faults.
There was a gasp of surprise when Rodrigo's Rebozzo hit the vertical (fence three) in an otherwise perfect tour of the eight-fence course, but both Philippe and his big handsome stallion Vigo d'Arsouilles and Eric with his Olympic ride Hickstead, kept a clean sheet in this first phase.
Changing horses
The Final Four challenge, however, is about taking on a course of fences with a horse you've never ridden, and it was Rogrigo who was tested first.
Seldana di Campalto was extremely unimpressed by having to remain in the warm-up area while the class was ongoing and her marish qualities became ever more apparent when she started lashing out as the Brazilian rider's saddle was fitted.
Rorigo was unperturbed and, once aboard, produced a lovely clear to get right back in the game. Philippe and Rebozo, and Eric and Vigo d'Arsouilles then both left all the fences intact, but Abdullah's three-minute warm-up with Hickstead had the spectators glued to their seats. The Saudi rider was apparently struggling with both his steering and the horse's balance. Once in the ring the discord disappeared and although Hickstead's speed was near full tilt, they arrived home with nothing to add.
Closing stages
Philippe was clear again, this time with Abdullah's mare. Rebozo lowered the middle element of the combination for Eric and when the Saudi rider went clear with Vigo d'Arsouilles and Rodrigo cruised home with Hickstead it was getting down to the wire.
Philippe was firmly in the lead on a zero score as the last rotation began and only a disaster now stood between him and gold.
Eric and Seldana di Campalta hit the first element of the triple, Abdullah stayed clear with Rebozo and Rodrigo, surprisingly, left two on the floor with Vigo d'Arsouilles before the Belgian set off. He was last to go with Hickstead and the World title was well within his sights.
The true horseman that he is, he sat quietly and let Eric's stallion show just what a great horse he is, still full of running after nine tough jumping rounds and happy to be part of another page of jumping history.
New world champion speaks
"When I was young my father taught us to love animals and I love them more than people," said Philippe. "I have two sons and they are my flesh and blood and I love them greatly. They are the most important thing to me, other than my horses. I feel for them, I love them and I always do my best for my horses. If they weren't so big they would be living in my house!"
Talking about his career he said he competed in his first big international show in Rome in 1980 and that he has had many ups and downs as horses he produced were sold on for others to ride. He talked about his indebtedness to the owner of his gentlemanly stallion Vigo d'Arsouilles who had the opportunity to sell the horse for a lot of money but kept him for Philippe to ride.
"I owe a lot to him and his family," said Philippe.
The Belgian rider is intensely proud that Vigo is a son of the great breeding stallion Nabab de Reve, with which he won world championship team bronze in Jerez, Spain, eight years ago.
Silver medallist
Abdullah was the first rider from the Middle East to reach the final four at a WEG.
"It is a great moment for me and my country to win the silver medal," he said.
In an extraordinary co-incidence, all four horses competing tonight are stabled within a 50-kilometre radius of each other in Belgium, Eric's stallion sharing his time between Europe in the summer months and Florida, USA, in the winter.
The rider who did the best job of them all in the Rolex Final Four tonight however was the unassuming Philippe, whose many years of hard work and dedication to his equine allies were rewarded with the biggest crown of all: the title of FEI World Jumping Champion.
Links to audio interviews
Philippe Lejeune English version
Philippe Lejeune French version
Abdullah Al Sharbatly
Eric Lamaze
Rodrigo Pessoa English version
Rodrigo Pessoa Portuguese version
Commentary on Philippe Lejeune clinching gold
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