It’s not often that it’s a tie on top of a five-star Grand Prix, but that is what happened today in the Glock’s Grand Prix in Treffen when Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Steve Guerdat arrived at the finish line in the exact same time.

Eight Olympic Champions, eight World Champions, eighteen European Champions, four World Cup winners and 37 riders from the current Top 100 in the world were lined up for the 1.60m Grand Prix that offered a total of 345,000 Euro in prize money.

Eight out of the 38 riders in the class managed to jump clear in the first round, moving on to the jump-off. Steve Guerdat, 2012 Olympic Champion, was the first to go double clear aboard Corbinian (Cornet Obolensky x Pilot) setting the time to beat at 49.43 seconds. None of the other riders could better it, but one would stop the clock at exactly the same time and that turned out to be no other than Guerdat’s compatriot, best friend, training partner and neighbour Martin Fuchs riding his top horse Clooney (Cornet Obolensky x Ferragamo). 

The similarities do not end with Fuchs and Guerdat’s nationality: Corbinian and Clooney are not just two sons of the famous Cornet Obolensky and both 11-years-old, but also have the same owner! A story that even the two winners had a hard time believing. “It’s fantastic to drive home as the winner of a five-star Grand Prix. But this victory is very special,” said Guerdat. “Martin and I are long-time friends, work together and live only a few minutes apart. The value of this you can not outweigh with prize money!"

"The podium was my goal, that it was enough to win was of course great,” said Fuchs.  “That Steve and I tied: I can not believe it! As I crossed the finish line, I looked up at the scoreboard – that was unbelievable. For me this is also the first five-star Grand Prix victory with Clooney, and it could not have been better!”

Cian O'Connor (IRL), who already picked up two five-star victories in Treffen this weekend with two different horses, finished third behind the Swiss duo aboard Skyhorse (Calvaro x Quidam de Revel) almost a second behind the winning time. Pieter Devos (BEL) finished fourth with four faults in the jump-off riding Espoir (Surcouf de Revel x Laudanum XX), while his compatriot Gregory Wathelet ended fifth on Coree (Cornet Obolensky x Liberty Life). 

Source: Press release from EQWO media house // Picture © Michael Rzepa