Switzerland's very own Martin Fuchs and the 12-year-old gelding Leone Jei won the 23rd Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final at CHI Geneva on Friday night, taking their first-ever Top 10-title on home soil at the 63rd edition of CHI Geneva ahead of Kent Farrington (USA) and Toulayna in second and Ben Maher (GBR) aboard Point Break in third.
With these images, we take another look back at the battle of the best!
All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
The British chef d'equipe Di Lampard and her Swedish counterpart Henrik Ankarcrona were present in Geneva to support their riders.
Great Britain's Ben Maher – a 2024 Olympic team gold medalist and current world no. three.
All smiles from Julien Epaillard who took part in his third Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final.
The 2024 Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk greeting a sold-out Palexpo ahead of the final.
The Palexpo-pet – Steve Guerdat, current world no. two.
As the pathfinder in round one, Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei – who got into the final after Ireland’s Conor Swail was unable to attend due to travel issues – delivered a clear round over Gerard Lachat and Gregory Bodo’s first-round track.
Tension at the Kiss&Cry...
Clear round feels!
Full of energy! Unfortunately, the last fence fell for Mclain Ward (USA) and Ilex (Baltic VDL x Chin Chin), his Olympic mount.
Christian Kukuk (GER) delivered a clear riding the 10-year-old Just Be Gentle (Tyson x Ticallux Verte).
Kukuk – current world number seven – was competing in his first Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final.
Kukuk’s compatriot Richard Vogel (GER) and United Touch S (Untouched x Lux Z) – a pair that topped the Rolex Grand Prix of Geneva last year – were surprisingly caught out by the very first fence...
...and they also added another four faults to their score at fence number eight, finishing on a total of eight penalties despite some flashy jumping.
The blue upright right by the ingate proved costly not only for Vogel, but for Max Kühner (AUT) and EIC Cooley Jump The Q (Pacino x Obos Quality 004) as well.
The beautiful EIC Cooley Jump The Q.
Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Donatello d’Auge (Jarnac x Hello Pierville) posted one of their trademark rounds, with the fastest clear of the night as pair number six out.
Kent Farrington (USA) and Toulayna (Toulon x Parco) turned up the heat by being even quicker than Epaillard.
Ben Maher (GBR) and the talented Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou du Rouet) also delivered a clear.
Everybody jump now! Steve Guerdat's wife Fanny riding every step of the way with her husband.
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Steve Guerdat (SUI) and Albführen’s Iashin Sitte (Bamako de Muze x Tinka’s Boy) had an agonizing rail down on the very last fence – and all of Palexpo sighed with them.
Last out in the first round, current world number one Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and King Edward (Edward 28 x Feo) posted the fastest clear, taking pole position ahead of the second round.
Always there... Von Eckermann's wife Janika Sprunger and groom Louise Barraud walked into the second round of the 2024 Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in the best possible position – fastest, and hence last to go in the deciding round.
Then