Text © World of Showjumping

It was a full house at Knokke Hippique on Sunday, with the crowds enjoying a sunny afternoon, as three weeks of competition concluded with the absolute highlight of this Belgian summer series – the €500.000 CSIO5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix presented by Audi. 

Only three of the 15 first riders managed to produce clear rounds, and it took Olympic calibre to tackle Uliano Vezzani’s thirteen-fence track; two-times Olympian Bernardo Alves (BRA) was the first to post a clear with Mosito Van’t Hellehof (Elvis Ter Putte x Nabab de Reve), and a jump-off was secured when Olympic team gold medallist Henrik von Ekcermann (SWE) and the incredible King Edward (Edward 28 x Feo) flew around the demanding track making no mistakes. Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and his Olympic bronze medallist Beauville Z (Bustique x Jumpy des Fontaines) also impressed with an immaculate clear round, to join the jump-off. 

The course really took its toll on the horses and riders. The vertical-oxer combination at 5ab that followed on a line from a triple bar caught out many, as did the line from an oxer at 7 to an upright at 8 – both fences with water trays – but it was the Rolex oxer-vertical-oxer triple combination at 9abc that caused most headache for the riders. Even top combinations like Daniel Deusser (GER) and Killer Queen VDM (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure), Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Leone Jei (Baltic VDL x Corland), as well as Harrie Smolders (NED) and Monaco (Cassini II x Contender) could not make it around clear today in the Zoute Plage. 

As the class was nearly halfway, it was Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Mandato van de Neerheide (Emerald x Pommeau du Heup) that delivered the fourth clear of the Grand Prix to join in for the jump-off. With only 16 left in the class, Jessica Springsteen (USA) and RMF Zecilie (Acolord x Canturo) kept all the rails up – but were just outside the time allowed and added one unfortunate penalty to their score to be kept out of the jump-off. The crowds had to wait all the way until Olympic team champions and individual silver medallists Peder Fredricson (SWE) and H&M All In (Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Andiamo Z), no. 38 in to the ring, for the next clear to be posted. Only two more managed to jump clears; Stephex Stables’ own Kendra Claricia Brinkop (GER) and Do It Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) as well as the host nation’s super-consistent Jerome Guery (BEL) and his faithful partner Quel Homme de Hus (Quidam de Revel x Candillo 3) – that never disappoints. 

As first out in the jump-off, Bernardo Alves put pressure on the six to come with a clear round in 44.23 seconds. Henrik von Eckermann set off fully focused, but a rail on the upright midway fell, and the Swede finished on four faults in 44.03 seconds. Maikel van der Vleuten gave it a good shot too, but had to slot in behind Alves when the clock stopped at 44.70. Christian Ahlmann managed to bring the time down to 43.87 seconds, but the front rail on the last Rolex oxer fell to the ground – and the German rider slotted in to a temporary third place.

All eyes were on Peder Fredricson and his incredible H&M All In as the two set off, and with some really tight turns early on in the course, the pair stopped the clock at 44.09 seconds to take over the lead. Kendra Claricia Brinkop set off determined, and raced down the last line but the risk came on the expense of the front rail on the final Rolex oxer – putting her into fourth place with the fastest time of the first six riders – 43.28. Jerome Guery and Quel Homme de Hus won the Rolex Grand Prix of Knokke in 2021, and the Belgian rider knew he had to risk it all to catch Fredricson. As last in the ring, Guery did everything he could to secure a home win and cheered and whistled on by the home crowds, he hunted the time to beat – but like Ahlmann and Brinkop, he had the front pole of the last Rolex oxer down and had to settle for the 5th place with four faults in 43.84 seconds.

“You never think you have done enough until you have actually won,” Fredricson said about his feelings as he left the ring after the jump-off. “But today was my day and I think it was great sport, a really well-built course, the best riders of the world, the sun was shining, and the audience was fantastic – I really enjoyed the sport today.”

“Age doesn’t matter apparently,” Fredricson said of his wonderful 16-year-old partner All In, that has won the Swede not only Olympic team gold and two individual Olympic silvers, but also the individual gold and team silver at the Europeans. “I’m just trying to keep him fit. He had a little bit of a break, and I’m trying to bring him slowly back now and then try to get him in good shape for the World Championships. This was the last big show for him, and it could not have gone better – I will give him a couple of weeks off, and then bring him to a national show, give him the right class and then hopefully we are ready for the World Championships.”

“It could not be better,” Fredricon said of the 2022-edition of Knokke Hippique. “The hospitality for the riders is good, the facilities for the horses are really good, the backdrop, the audience, the course designer – just everything is as good as it can be, and I am really, really happy to be here.”