Text © World of Showjumping

Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and Glamour Girl (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I, bred by Stoeterij Gaesbeek VOF) won Saturday night’s CSI5* 1.55m Credit Suisse Challenge at the 2023-edition of CHI Geneva, making it a memorable day for the double world champion, Olympic and European team champion who for the past 17 months has topped the Longines Ranking. 

Judged as a Table A against the clock, only nine out of the 33 horse-and-rider-combinations at start delivered a clear, with Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca and Don Vito (Quaprice Bois Margot x Jus de Pomme, bred by E. van Ittersum) leading the way in 69.88 when von Eckermann and Glamour Girl entered the arena at the fully seated Palexpo as the penultimate pair. 

Fresh from his win in the CSI5* 1.60m Coupe de Genève with Iliana only a few hours prior, von Eckermann cruised around the track with Glamour Girl – executing his plan perfectly. Crossing the finish line in 68.31, the Swede pushed de Luca down to second. And when the clock stopped on 71.78 for the last pair in the ring, Switzerland’s very own Anthony Bourquard and Ecuador de La Cense (Kannan x Skippy II, bred by Max Hauri), the current world number one could celebrate his second win of the day while Bourquard slotted into third. 

“I saw Lorenzo and I knew exactly how fast he went,” von Eckermann told World of Showjumping about the plan he had made for his round. “Lorenzo went around all the places and he went on eight strides to the combination, so I knew I did not have to take the inside turns but just keep the pace going. Glamour Girl is naturally very fast, so I knew I would be fine doing that. It was nice to go in the end; if I would have gone in the beginning, I would have had a completely different plan. Going in the end, I had the advantage of knowing that I did not have to take any extra risks.”

“I don’t know how many classes she has won already; she is amazing, so fast and so clever,” von Eckermann praised the 12-year-old mare. “She gets excited, but I can just let her run and hold on to her before the jumps and that is what she likes. She does not jump better if I ride slow; she really seems to enjoy the forward riding and that is why she wins so many classes.”

For von Eckermann, it was a special occasion as he could celebrate the two wins with both of his horse owners present, as well as his father, in addition to his Swiss wife Janika Sprunger and her family. “I am so happy to have them all here, and have Iliana winning for Georg [Kähny] and now Glamour Girl for Robin [Parsky], who has come here all the way from America. To win today, it is a fantastic feeling – it does not happen too often that I win two classes in a row at a show like this!” 

Nicolas Deseuzes (FRA) and Eldorado Sunheup Z (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Quartz du Chanu, bred by Carine Groualle) finished fourth in 71.94 and Harrie Smolders (NED) fifth in 72.01 aboard Deesse de Kerglenn (Mylord Carthago x Crusador, bred by E.A.R.L. Alain Richard).

Earlier during the day, the CSI5* 1.45m Prix du Rhône went to France’s Francois Xavier Boudant and Egoki (Catoki x Kashmir van’T Schuttershof, bred by Pierre Bhavsar & Veronique Moreau) ahead of Elian Baumann (SUI) and Hold Up di Vico P (Rubens di Ri d’Asse x Darco, bred by Jessica Meessen) in second and Pius Schwizer (SUI) aboard AK’s Courage (Chepetto C x Lennon 5, bred by Birgit Deeken-Künnemann) in third.