Text © World of Showjumping

Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Conner Jei (Connor x Cosimo) won Saturday’s CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ at Jumping International de Bordeaux, the second French venue of the season. Picking up the maximum twenty points available in the penultimate qualifier of the 2024/2025 Western European League-season, Fuchs made sure to qualify for the World Cup™ Final that takes place in Basel, Switzerland, in April – on home soil for the current world number five.

“It is obviously a great victory,” Fuchs said in the press conference following his win. “It is my first time competing in Bordeaux, so it was a nice start. I have heard so much about this show from my uncle Markus, he has been successful here and my father Thomas has competed here as well. I was excited to come and bring Conner Jei, knowing that I needed some good results to qualify for the World Cup Final.”

The course set by Jean-Francois Morand (FRA) counted 13 obstacles and 17 efforts, with an interesting twist of combinations at the end of the course. First, two doubles at 7ab and 8ab, and then a triple combination at 12abc – and in between, a flowing line from nine to eleven, with a delicate grey plank at fence ten.

As the second pair out, Willem Greve (NED) and Grandorado TN N.O.P. (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Carolus II) delivered the first clear of the night, and they were soon followed by Gregory Cottard (FRA) on Cocaine du Val (Mylord Carthago x Si Tu Viens), Fuchs on Conner Jei, Julien Anquetin (FRA) aboard Blood Diamond du Pont (Diamant de Semilly x Arpege Pierreville) as well as the Verona-winners, Sophie Hinners (GER) and Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood).

Eventually, Pieter Devos (BEL) and Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky x Cicero Z), Kim Emmen (NED) and Imagine (Cassini Gold x Lord Z), Marcus Ehning (GER) on Priam du Roset (Plot Blue x Tanael du Serein), Max Kühner (AUT) on EIC Up Too Jacco Blue (Chacco-Blue x Ard VDL Douglas), Marie Demonte (FRA) aboard Epona du Quesnoy (Ogrion des Champs x Nabab de Reve), Philippe Rozier (FRA) on Le Coultre de Muze (Presley Boy x Vigo d’Arsouilles) and Julien Epaillard (FRA) aboard Donatello d’Auge (Jarnac x Hello Pierville) left all the fences intact as well, making it a jump-off between twelve horse-and-rider combinations. And with five pairs flying the flag for the hosts, it was set to be a loud one…

Fuchs and Conner Jei took an early lead in the jump-off, setting the time to beat to 37.45 seconds. When Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge entered the arena as the last pair out, Fuchs was leading the way, while Devos and Casual DV Z were sitting in second with a time of 39.54, followed by Greve and Grandorado TN N.O.P. in third in 39.74. However, Anquetin and Blood Diamond du Pont had already shown that it was possible to be faster than Fuchs – by finishing in 36.54 with a fence down. With all of Bordeaux cheering them on, Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge raced to the finish, only to knock the final fence while the clock stopped on 36.91 – leaving the current world number ten to fifth, while the win went to Fuchs, ahead of Devos in second, Greve in third and Anquetin in fourth.

“I knew that Julien with Donatello will be faster than me, so I was hoping for a fault – which is not nice to say,” Fuchs explained afterwards.

“My horse Conner Jei has so much ability, he is so careful and has such a big jump, so he is able to leave the jumps up also in high speed,” Fuchs continued. “When we walked the course, I thought it was difficult, and that there would not be so many clears. I was surprised that from the first ten riders, fifty percent were clear. I thought it was a nice course, and for the jump-off you had everything in it: You had the long lines where you could go fast, but then you had turns, too. I think it was a good mix.”

“First of all, Bordeaux is always on my list, I like to come here,” the second placed Devos – who has recorded many good results at the French venue on previous occasions – said. “The atmosphere is always unbelievable here. The first ever World Cup that Casual jumped was here actually, and she was already then double clear. Now, one year later, we are second, so we are improving, and I am very happy. I am delighted with how my horse jumped. She has jumped three World Cups this winter and been double clear three times. She is just a great horse.”

“I am very happy with the way my horse jumped tonight, I think he jumped unbelievable,” the third placed Greve said about his ride, the 14-year-old stallion Grandorado TN. “He feels better than ever. I couldn’t take all the risk in the jump-off, because in the back of my mind I was trying to qualify for Basel. I was lucky there were so many faults in the end, and I hope these points will do for the final. Also for me, it was my first time in Bordeaux. It is an honour to be here with such a crowd, with a lot of horse people. I think it is a very good thing for our sport that we have shows like this.”

With thirteen of the fourteen qualifiers in the Western European League 2024/2025-season now completed, Gothenburg (SWE) will be the final venue before the circuit returns to Basel (SUI) for the final in April. 

After the 13th leg of the season, Kevin Staut (FRA) remains in the lead in the Western European League, topping the overall standings with 70 points. Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) sits second with his 66 points, while Pieter Devos climbs to third with 64, followed by Robert Whitaker (GBR) in fourth with 63 points and Julien Epaillard (FRA) in fifth with 61.

The top sixteen horse-and-rider combinations at each of the fourteen qualifiers earn points, with the best eighteen from the overall standings in the WEL qualifying for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final held in Basel, Switzerland, in April 2025.