Text © World of Showjumping

Thriving in the unique Palexpo-atmosphere, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat and the 11-year-old gelding Albführen’s Iashin Sitte (Bamako de Muze x Tinka’s Boy) won Saturday afternoon’s CSI5* 1.60m Coupe de Genève at the 2025-edition of CHI Geneva.

“I always believe there is a little lucky star that's shining down at me when I compete in Geneva – helping me make things possible just there, things that wouldn't be possible at other shows,” Guerdat – 2012 Olympic Champion and 2023 European Champion – told World of Showjumping as he prior to CHI Geneva returned to international competition after two back surgeries. 

On Saturday afternoon, Guerdat’s gut feeling was proved right as the stars aligned for the crowd favourite – who despite not being fully healed took the top honours in the traditional competition over combinations. 

As pathfinders, Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Jefferson (Cooper van de Heffinck x Irco Mena) opened the traditional competition over combinations with a clear, and eight other horse-and-rider combinations followed suit.

Stephan de Freitas Barcha (BRA) with Chevaux Primavera Imperio (Calvaro F.C. x Paroli 4), Daniel Deusser (GER) on Otello de Guldenboom (Tobago Z x Caretino), Martin Fuchs (SUI) on Conner Jei (Connor 48 x Cosimo), Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA) with Cortez van’t Klein Asdonk Z (Cornet Obolensky x Andiamo Z), Guerdat and Albführen’s Iashin Sitte, Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) on Elysium (VDL Zirocco Blue x Coronado 3), Sophie Hinners (GER) aboard Iron Dames Combella (Cornet du Lys x Indoctro) and Tom Wachman (IRL) on Do It Easy (Vigo Cece x Laeken) all jumped clear. As Deusser opted to withdraw from the jump-off, the battle was left between eight pairs.

In the jump-off, Guerdat and Albführen’s Iashin Sitte clocked the winning time of 27.99 seconds, taking the victory ahead of their compatriot Martin Fuchs aboard Conner Jei in second in 28.52. Bucci and Cortez van’t Klein Asdonk Z rounded off the top three with a time of 28.98, followed by Dreher and Elysium in fourth and the young Irish talent Tom Wachman on Do It Easy in fifth.

“The way my horses are jumping here is unreal,” Guerdat told World of Showjumping after his victory. “You have the best in the world here and everybody is struggling with these courses and my horses are coming from nowhere, really nowhere – so big hats off to my team that has kept them so fit. But still, it is a sport, and a very difficult sport, and you could see that in the jump-off there was still something missing. But again, this little star up there makes impossible things happen. It is a big victory for Iashin and me today. I am very, very happy; I don’t think this would have been possible anywhere else.”