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Quotes after the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ of Slovakia: "They made it a nice, easy Sunday afternoon for me!"

Sunday, 29 April 2018
CSIO5* Samorin 2018

Photo (c) x-bionic® sphere/Marco Villanti Steve Guerdat and Hannah only had to jump the first round for the Swiss team as the win was already secured. Photo (c) x-bionic® sphere/Marco Villanti.

The Swiss team met the press after opening the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup™ 2018-season with a win at the x-bionic® sphere, and needless to say Andy Kistler and his men were all excited getting off to such a good start in Europe Division 1. 

“I think Hannah was really good in the first round and she was ready for the second round, but everybody was so good that they made it a nice, easy Sunday afternoon for me, so I can’t complain about that,” joked Steve Guerdat, who chose not to jump the last round as his team had already won without him going in. “I didn’t see a point to go again because the season is very long and I’m sure we’re going to need Hannah again in some big things.” 

“This being the first counting Nations Cup of the season, it takes away a little bit of the pressure. I’m very proud of my team here,” said Swiss Chef d’Equipe Andy Kistler.

“It’s always special to win a class and its very special to win a Nations Cup, especially with friends,” added Guerdat, who stressed the important role the Nations Cup Series plays. “Let’s not forget that this is the main product of our sport and this is why we are an Olympic sport and this is why we like to defend [the] Nations Cup. I’m very proud of my colleagues and all the riders who are bringing the best horses and keeping them in the best shape for the Nations Cup Series and the championships,” Guerdat said. 

“We brought a really good team here and we were aiming for the win - we knew we could do it!” said Martin Fuchs who jumped a double clear round for Switzerland today. 

“He won the Grand Prix in Mexico, and in Zurich and Doha but after the GCT in Miami he got hurt and this was his first big show back,” Fuchs explained about his mount Chaplin.

Talking about today’s course Fuchs said: "The back bars on the oxers were wide and square so there were quite a few faults, but for me it felt quite easy because Chaplin was jumping so well. He was fresh all the way to the last fence in the second round and this makes me very happy because I knew my planning was right - I gave him more time instead of going to some more indoor shows and today he was fit and just perfect!”

“My job is not an easy job,” said course designer Uliano Vezzani. “I think, today, we had fantastic sport, a fantastic show. The condition of the ground was perfect, the horses jumped very well.” 

Event Director Denis Monticolo added his congratulations to the Swiss riders as well as their Chef d’Equipe Andy Kistler, grooms, and extended team members: “I also want to congratulate all the other teams and riders that were here for the first time in Slovakia for [European] Division 1 competition,” Monticolo added. “It’s a great honor and we’re really proud we have been able to celebrate in these fantastic amenities the start of the Nations Cup season.” 

 


Source: Press release from the x-bionic® sphere and from the FEI // Picture © x-bionic® sphere/Marco Villanti



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