Text © World of Showjumping

They were leading the way from start to finish: Julien Epaillard (FRA) and his home-bred Donatello d’Auge (Jarnac x Hello Pierville) took the title at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 in Basel, Switzerland, after topping the overall standings from Wednesday’s first round and throughout the rest of the competition. With only a rail down on the last line in the concluding round in St. Jakobshalle, Epaillard kept his competitors at a distance – securing the victory when being three penalty points away from second placed Ben Maher (GBR) and Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou du Rouet). The British world no. four finished on seven penalties, only separated by his time down to third placed Kevin Staut (FRA) and Visconti du Telman (Toulon x Dollar du Murier) who ended on the same score but slightly slower.

“To have this pressure every week would not be possible for my heart,” Epaillard joked afterwards. “However, with experience, this pressure is also what we like – it was positive pressure after all and I did enjoy the week here in Basel.”

A total of 24 horse-and-rider combinations had lined up for the third and last competition of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025, after qualifying through Thursday and Friday’s rounds. Sunday’s title-decider was jumped over two rounds set at 1.60m, with the twenty best on the overall standings being allowed to return for round two. A testament to the quality of the horses and riders that had qualified, ten of the 24 at start delivered clears over Gérard Lachat 13-fence first-round track and all of those also managed to move on to round two.

The first of the two rounds gave the overall standings a small shake-up, but a clear from overnight leaders Julien Epaillard and Donatello d’Auge kept them in pole position ahead of the second round. However, Epaillard did not have as much as a fence in hand down to his closest competitors, as Ben Maher and Point Break, Lillie Keenan (USA) and Kick On (Warrior x Caretino Glory), as well as Kevin Staut and Visconti du Telman, all kept on their overall score of three penalties after delivering clear rounds – pushing up on the standings to sit tied in second.

Agonisingly, home hero Martin Fuchs (SUI), who was sitting second on two penalties coming into today’s first round, had a rail down on the last oxer as Leone Jei (Baltic VDL x Corland) jumped slightly to the right and clipped the front pole behind – adding four faults to their overall score. It was an expensive mistake, which dropped them down to sit fifth ahead of the second round on six penalties. Title defender and world no. one Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) also suffered a blow when the back rail on the oxer at no. 7 hit the ground, leaving him and Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman) tied with Fuchs on six penalties.

With the riders being so extremely close to each other, the last round in Basel was bound to become a cliffhanger with twenty returning to jump a demanding 12-fence track. Entering the top six, Fuchs had the opportunity to put pressure on those ahead of him but clipping the plank at no. 7 and a rail at 8b the Swiss rider had to wave farewell to his home crowd on a total score of fourteen – dropping him down on the result list to eventually finish 9th.

Henrik von Eckermann had the chance to join the history books of showjumping today if taking a third title – which would include him in the company of legends such as Hugo Simon, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, Rodrigo Pessoa, Marcus Ehning and Steve Guerdat – but the back rail on the oxer at no. 9 put that dream to an end as the Swedish multi-medallist finished on a total score of ten penalties, eventually leaving him just outside the podium in 4th.

The oxer at no. 9 – a liverpool which followed the triple combination on a bent line – also proved costly for Staut, who added four faults here to finish on seven faults overall. Still, it was good enough to keep pressure on the three to come, as the course was proving to require precision from start to finish.

Entering the ring on an overall score of three penalties, Keenan had the podium within reach but when three rails fell, she dropped on the result list with her faults adding up to fifteen in total. Second-last to go, Maher had the opportunity to put even more pressure on Epaillard if he could produce another clear round, but Point Break hit a rail on the oxer jumping into the triple combination – leaving them on an overall score of seven, just like Staut.

St. Jakobshalle fell silent as Epaillard came in to decide the outcome. In his trademark style, the French rider set off as it was all another speed class – seemingly untouched by the pressure as he cleared fence by fence. However, coming into the combination at 11ab – the penultimate challenge of the course – Donatello d’Auge hit the upright jumping in, and the silence that had fell in the arena turned into a loud collective gasp as Epaillard could afford no more mistakes on the last two fences. With nerves that must be made of steel, Epaillard managed to keep it together though – as he crossed the finish line, he could drop the reins to celebrate being the 2025 champion of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final, with a horse bred by his wife Susana who was close to tears on the Kiss & Cry watching her husband make a dream come true.

“Donatello jumped super all week,” Epaillard said following his win. “I think the ground is very nice here and Donatello likes it. Also, I tried to have a good plan for this final. I wanted to arrive here with my horse in 100% shape. It does not always work out, but this time I think we were in good form. Donatello was a little bit tired, like I think all the horses, because it is a long week with big rounds. However, I know him well and he has a great mind, he always tries to help me. He has the experience and the technique, and he can jump easily without too much effort – and this helped me a lot today.”

“It is always hard to come that close and not be the winner, but congratulations to Julien,” second placed Maher said. “When he is winning on the first day and to keep the lead all the way through… He is a hard person to overtake on any day! I had a rider-error on Friday, I didn’t do a good enough job there and made a mistake. Like Julien said, today my horse felt a little bit tired there in the last round, but he gave me everything. It was a very light touch; it just wasn’t enough today. I am very proud of my horse. It has been a physically challenging week and I am very happy with the outcome.”

“I am just happy,” third placed Staut said when asked if finishing third left him with mixed emotions. “I am really happy from my own side, but also for equestrian sport in general. We have to thank for sure the organizers, the course designers and the sponsors who make this type of show possible. We have to also congratulate all the athletes who did an amazing job the whole week. This sport is not just great, it is wonderful when it is done like it was done this week. We have a wonderful winner, and we have to be proud of, all of us, of what was produced this week.”