Marcus Ehning wins Zurich World Cup leg

Marcus Ehning and Noltes Kutchengirl.
By Katja Stuppia/FEI

By Louise Parkes for FEI

Marcus Ehning brought the German tally to five wins in the 2010/2011 Rolex FEI World Cup jumping series with a convincing victory on Noltes Kuchengirl at the ninth leg in Zurich, Switzerland (30 January 2011).

In an exciting seven-way jump-off, the defending champion pipped British birthday boy Ben Maher, 28, riding the rejunevated Robin Hood W, while Australia's Edwina Alexander and Cevo Itot du Chateau finished third.

Two Spanish riders made the cut into the jump-off and the first of these, Pilar Cordon, slotted into fourth when double-clear with Nuage Bleu, while German superstars Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly had to settle for fifth with a single mistake. Today's result, however, has promoted Meredith to runner-up spot in the Western European League standings which continue to be led by world number on Kevin Staut, from France, whose first-round double-error proved costly.

The course
German course-designer Frank Rothenberger set a tough task with a big, bold track which demanded courageous jumping and plenty of scope. However, as always, luck played its part too as, in particular, the planks at a triple combination chose to defy gravity in many cases while also claiming a large number of victims.

The 12-fence course was unrelenting from the outset and even the spread on the opening oxer took its toll. Frank set testing distances all the way around the arena and most of the 39 starters opted for a forward five strides from the oxer at fence five to the following Liverpool at six. However, the latter came up on a long distance for Austrian legend Hugo Simon — the first-ever winner of the Rolex FEI World Cup trophy in 1979 and one of just four riders to claim the series title on three occasions — and he was dislodged from the saddle when his mare Ukinda produced a huge leap. Amused, rather than annoyed and disappointed, the 68-year-old rider left the ring with a broad smile on his face. And he wasn't alone when leaving the field of play on foot as Norway's Nina Braaten, who is 40 years his junior, also parted company with her ride Blue Loyd at the triple combination, which took a heavy toll throughout the competition.

This was a real test of judgement and control, approached on a tight three-stride distance from the previous vertical at fence seven and fronted by planks at both the first and third elements. Time and again it was lowered and Nina's fate was sealed by an unbalanced approach which left her with a big stand-off at the second element and on her feet as she tumbled into the third.

Jump-off
Despite all the drama however, seven made it into the jump-off with five nations represented in the final showdown, including two from both Spain and Germany. Switzerland's Janika Sprunger led the way with the 10-year-old Uptown Boy, but with eight faults collected at the oxer at fence six — now the third fence on the new course — and at the following vertical at seven, she left the door wide open for the rest. Spain's Pilar Lucrecia Cordon has proven many times before that she can cut it with the best of them, particularly when partnering her stallion Herald, and steered the 10-year-old Nuage Bleu home to record the first clear of the course in 42.81 seconds.

Next to go was one of the favourites Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with the great Shutterfly, who had made the first track look very elementary indeed. But one of the dreaded planks that had caused so much heartache in the opening round was still standing and when the 18-year-old gelding hit that for four faults then it was still all to play for. Sergio Alvarez Moya then set off for Spain with Action-Breaker and all was looking very good for them until turning to the double at fence nine, which was just three fences from home in the jump-off. Their round fell apart when their take-off was too early here and they finished with eight faults in 44.70 seconds so the result was, yet again, clearly hanging in the balance.

Marcus Ehning's round that followed was cool, smooth and careful as Noltes Kuchengirl cruised home to re-set the parameters when finishing in 40.03 seconds. Edwina Alexander and Itot du Chateau were quick and clean as second-last to go, but despite a great turn from the penultimate wall, the partnership were more than two seconds off Marcus's target, leaving it all up to last-man-in Ben Maher.

The British rider could have been forgiven for holding back with the 13-year-old Robin Hood, who has only recently returned to action after a long layoff, but he wasn't at all fazed.

Ben Maher and Robin Hood W.
By Katja Stuppia/FEI

"Today's course was one of the biggest Grand Prix tracks I've seen for a long while and it played to my horse's advantage because that's the way he likes it," said Ben, who was clearly giving it his best shot when racing through the finish to slot into second spot in a time of 42.10 seconds.

Winning rider Marcus agreed with Ben's analysis.

"This was a very good World Cup competition. The course was quite big but nice to ride and I really liked it,' he said with some satisfaction.

He described the test set by Frank at the triple combination as "clever. This was not a normal line because there were three strides from the vertical before to the triple and then just one stride inside the triple. It wasn't easy, normally we would have more strides before the first part of the triple, which was big to jump anyway."

Ben explained that Robin Hood's absence from the ring came about because he was off form last summer, then didn't go to Kentucky for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games and so got a long break.

"He was never lame," said Ben. "But he wasn't happy and the vets decided he needed two months break mentally, so I went with that because he's too good a horse not to give him every chance. The plan had been to go to WEG but when the team was picked I was one of six and only on the edge and my other horses were injured so it was very short notice for him and it didn't happen.

"So then we decided to give him a longer break and he's come back in flying form now."

Ben is currently dividing his time between the Western European League and the Florida circuit. His next appearance in the Western European League of the Rolex FEI World Cup jumping series is expected to be at Gothenburg, Sweden, in February.

Edwina Alexander said that her game little Itot du Chateau "wanted to win" and described today's class at the Mercedes CSI in Zurich as a super competition.

"I didn't see Marcus go but I saw Meredith," she said. "I know Marcus is always fast. I didn't get the best sweep to the second fence and the double of oxers and it didn't feel fast, but my horse is in super shape and that's important. I plan to do the rest of the World Cup qualifiers, but I won't take Itot to the final in Leipzig."

She admitted she still has "a bit to do" to get there as she is only carrying 26 points at this stage in the series with just four qualifying rounds remaining. Normally riders need about 40 points to ensure they book their place.

For full results, click here