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| Jeroen Duubledam wins the Verona World Cup qualifier with BMC Van Grunsven Simon. By Bruno de Lorenzo |
Jeroen Dubbledam and BMC Van Grunsven Simon added an FEI Rolex World Cup Qualifier, presented by SNAI, to their already impressive recent winnings. In front of a sell-out crowd, the Dutchman held off nine other riders in the jump-off to win the €35,000 top prize and a Rolex watch.
The competition had begun to unfold early when the fourth horse into the arena, Blue Loyd ridden by Norway's Nina Braaten, went clear. Rolf Ludi's course of 13 fences then proceeded to cause enough trouble to whittle down the 40 starters to just 10.
A double at fence six with a yellow oxer to a blue gappy vertical was one of the hardest fences to clear, but a combination at fence eleven was just as troublesome.
The nine-fence jump-off course included a double at fence five, the last two parts of the former round's combination, and a 180 degree about face turn influenced the result. Jeroen had been second into the ring and his time of 35.61 seconds had taken eight seconds off Nina Braaten's initial double clear.
It put the pressure on the rest. Switzerland's Steve Guerdat (Jalisca Solier) made a hash of the approach to the double and stopped. German Ludger Beerbaum (Chaman) also faulted there, but were only a fraction slower showing the remaining riders it could be done.
Frenchman Simon Delestre Napoli du Ry) tried to match the leader's time, but had two down in the attempt. However, Ireland's Billy Twomey got within two seconds on Tinka's Seranade as did Germany's Carsten Otto Nagal (Corradina) and Rolf Goran Bengsston (Cassall la Silla) of Sweden, which was good enough to give the trio fifth, fourth and third places, respectively.
Kevin Staut, from France, secured enough World Cup points to take him to the top of the Western European league on a wildly exuberant Le Prestige St Lois de Hus. Although this pairing was clear, who was clear Kevin was obviously not going for the time on his headstrong partner and settled for sixth in the class.
But there was one more horse and rider to come, the unmistakeable brown figure of Shutterfly and the grey jacket of Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum. It was clear who the crowd wanted to win as the horse was given a huge ovation on entering the ring. But then there was an almost unearthly silence over the Verona Exhibition Center as the German legends started their round.
Despite five months off and his first indoor show for over a year, Shutterfly made little of his 17 years and fairly flew. But a slightly less smooth turn into the double meant that as he jumped the last the clock had stopped four hundreths of a second outside Jeroen's time.
Jeroen was understandably jubilant at scoring his first World Cup win on his formerly slightly nervous partner.
“I have had this horse three years and to start he was over careful and took time to get confidence, but I wasn't thinking about that as we galloped to the last," said Jeroen. "I knew Meredith and Rolf were to come and I had taken one more stride between the second and third than they would so I had to for it down that last line.”
Meredith, as the best lady rider, was presented by a specially gilded hat made by KEP Italia by the President of Entefiera Verona (the complex that hosts Fieracavalli), Ettore Ricello. This was in addition to the €28,000 she won for second prize.
"I didn't know whether I would ride Shutterfly in today's class, I was planning on Checkmate," said Meredith. "But. actually. it was Jeroen who said Shutterfly jumped so well on the first day 'you must ride him/. That is why I slowed down and let Jeroen win!"
A two phase competition was used as a warm-up for the World Cup qualifier and Brazilian Bernardo Alves emerged victorious claimed another win, as he had on Friday and Saturday. The Brazilian rider only decided to come to Jumping Verona at the very last minute, but it was been a profitable experience.
Finalnd's Nina Fagerstrom made her long overland journey from Helsinki worthwhile by finishing second on Mouse. Her time of 30.25 seconds was only two tenths of a second slower than Bernardo's and earned her €5,000. Not bad for a rider nursing two broken ribs.
John Roche, The FEI Director of Jumping summed up the show and tonight's competition rather well. “The jump off was absolutely top sport and a fitting way to celebrate Jumping Verona's tenth anniversary,” he said.
“I fell off in Helsinki and, yes, the ribs are a bit sore and the journey here was tiring, but adrenaline is the best painkiller," said Nina. "Anyway, after all the trouble getting here, I told myself as I went in that I must get some prize money for the diesel or we would all be walking home.”
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