Flashback to Falsterbo Horse Show, part two

At Falsterbo Horse Show, the derby is always a highlight and as usual it was full of thrills and spills. The derby course is difficult, and contains 19 obstacles and 23 efforts that stay the same year after year. This year, there was an exciting jump-off between Andre Thieme on Contadur as well as Johnny Pals on Carlotta – with Thieme taking the top honours.

Photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

Andre Thieme and Contadur were the first to clear the course. Here they are jumping out of the arena, over a fence that also this year caused faults, to then take a gallop behind the grand stands before again entering the ring via the derby bank.

Johnny Pals and Carlotta delivered a beautiful clear...

.. here stretching over the open water.

87% of the Falsterbo audience believed that Steve Guerdat and Double Jeu d'Honvault would win the derby. Instead Guerdat had to settle for 11th place after twelve faults.

Last year, Helena Lundbäck and Antina v.t Merelsnest Z were the winners of the Falsterbo Derby after jumping the only clear round. This year a pole fell and they had to settle for 6th place.

Emanuele Gaudiano and Nikolaj de Music were the fastest four-faulters to finish third.

This early take-off on the open water resulted in a stumble for Linda Heed's Heartcore L. Heed managed to hold on though and could continue her round.

It didn't go as well for Gilles Thomas and Mystic C van't Heyveld though, with the two parting ways after the open water.

Andreas Schou and Diacardo BS did a great round, but after a refusal on top of the bank they had to add four faults to their score and ended 7th.

Hopes were high for Bryan Balsiger and Urbanus Z, but they got in trouble in the combination very close to the grand stands and ended on 16 faults.

Even though Jur Vrieling's Comme-Laude W made some extra effort, they ended on twelve faults to take the 10th place.

Wilm Vermeir and Linguini de La Pomme finished 5th after four faults around the difficult course.

Hessel Hoekstra impressed throughout the weekend in Falsterbo, also in the derby. Together with Helsinki, he got four faults to end 4th.

As first to go in the jump-off, Andre Thieme went all in. Even though he got four faults, he put some proper pressure on Johnny Pals as next to go.

Johnny Pals' Carlotta flew around the jump-off course. Still they couldn't catch Thieme's time and with having a fence down, Pals had to settle for the runner-up position.

Mission completed! Andre Thieme came to Falsterbo to win the derby, and that is exactly what he did. Just as in 2019, Thieme and Contadur could lead the way during the lap of honour.