Philipp Weishaupt gets his Bordeaux World Cup qualifier win

Phillip Weishapt during his
winner's presentation. By PSV

Having been the runner-up to his fellow countryman Marcus Ehning last year, Germany's Phillip Weishaupt, riding Catoki as he had in 2010, gained his Bordeaux Rolex World Cup qualifier win on Sauturday, 4 Febraury.

Last year there were two riders in the jump-off: Phillip and Marcus. This year, 12 riders made the final round. But what situation does this year’s champion prefer? “The one where I finish first,” he said.

This time, Phillip had a plan: to turn in front of an obstacle that other went around.

“I had enough time to think about a strategy for the jump-off and I saw that it was possible. Although there was a massive floral decoration that made this shortcut even less doable," said Phillip. "Then I watched René Lopez’s jump-off round [with Noblesse des Tess] and I knew that it was impossible for me to go with a faster gallop and that I simply had to try out this idea.”

The stallion Catoki seemed to undertsand and he cooperated flawlessly. Of the other riders, only Phillip's boss Ludger Beerbaum dared to take this risk, which proved to be the key to victory.

“I had considered the possibility like everyone else did,” said French runner-up Simon Delestre. "But [my ride] Napoli de Ry is a bit anxious when something unusual happens and I would have been risking a refusal.

"I preferred to gallop without taking risks, which resulted in this second place and an almost definite qualification for the World Cup final.”


This was good news for the hostr nation, considering that in a jump-off Simon was the only one from the initial French battalion who had survived round one.


Despite a mistake in the first round, Frenchman Kevin Staut stays on top of the FEI Rolex World Cup Western European league, being closed in on by Sweden's Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, this in Bordeaux with Ninja la Silla.

“I knew I could not use the option [Phillip had]," said Rolf-Göran. "Ninja doesn’t turn as well as that and, I admit, that in the last right line I abated a little, letting him slow down because I was afraid to make a mistake similar to that in London.”

The Swede did thus not take the high risk that only Ludger also had the courage for. Ludger succeeded to show that he is still the boss, but apparently without the intention to improve the time of his student once his first class performance was shown.He finished sixth, behind Ireland's Billy Twomey (Je t'Aime Flamenco) and Switzerland's Pius Schwizer (Ulysse X)

For full results, click here



Conférence de presse - Rolex FEI World Cup
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