“We are very proud; he is like family to us,” Julien Epaillard said about his home-bred Donatello d’Auge after the two took top honours in the first competition of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
Text © World of Showjumping
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 got underway with the first round of competition on Thursday night and it was the master of faster Julien Epaillard (FRA) and his home-bred 12-year-old gelding Donatello d’Auge (Jarnac x Hello Pierville) who proved impossible to beat in Basel.
“We are very proud; he is like family to us,” Epaillard said about Donatello d’Auge. “We enjoy living with him every day, he is a very special horse to us.”
As no. 23 to go, Epaillard got his way around the track just right – making it all look effortless aboard Donatello d’Auge.
The first round of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final was a 1.60m class judged as a Table C, with faults converted into additional time – a rail down being penalised with three seconds. The course was set by Gérard Lachat (SUI) and counted thirteen fences and sixteen efforts with its three combinations at 5ab, 7ab and 10ab. Not offering too many options, it was all about keeping a good forward rhythm and tight turns – with only a few possibilities to leave out strides.
Fourth to go of the 39 participants in this year’s final, title defender and world no. one Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) – this time riding the 12-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman) and not King Edward (Edward x Feo) with whom he won the final in 2023 and 2024 – started strong in Basel with a clear round in 61.26 seconds to take the lead.
Ben Maher was only 0.13 seconds behind on the clock to slot into second with the impressive 11-year-old stallion Point Break.
Coming in as no. 17 in the order, Pieter Devos (BEL) and his lovely home-bred 10-year-old mare Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky x Cicero Z van Paemel) challenged the world no. one with a smooth, quick round but had to settle into second when the clock stopped on 62.64 seconds. First to go after the break half-way into the class, Sophie Hinners (GER) and Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood) delivered a great round to squeeze in between von Eckermann and Devos with a time of 62.56 seconds – but it did not last for long as the top three was about to get a shake-up.
As no. 23 to go, French speed specialist Julien Epaillard got his way around the track just right – making it all look effortless aboard Donatello d’Auge, bringing the time to beat down to an incredible 60.30 seconds, pushing von Eckermann out of the lead to second and Hinners to third.
"To end up here in Basel at the final was already a huge accomplishment and to be in the top three is pretty surreal," the third placed Lillie Keenan said.
None of those to come could do anything about Epaillard, but several gave it a good shot and closest came world no. 4 Ben Maher (GBR) who was only 0.13 seconds behind on the clock to slot into second with the impressive 11-year-old stallion Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou du Rouet) that has arrived in Basel in top form straight off a win at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, last week.
With only five left to go, Lillie Keenan (USA) made Kick On (Warrior x Caretino Glory) live up to his name as she hunted Epaillard and Maher but when flying through the finish line in 60.69 seconds the world no. 28 had to settle for third – pushing von Eckermann out of the top three, to eventually finish fourth. Kevin Staut (FRA) completed the top five, after riding Visconti du Telman (Toulon x Dollar du Murier) to a time of 61.33 seconds.
“We had a good start today,” Epaillard said afterwards. “Donatello jumped good, but the way is still long – there are a couple of fences to jump clear. I hope I did not ask too much of him today. It is important to be clear tomorrow and try to stay in the top eight before Sunday. I will try to do my best tomorrow.”
“Donatello jumped good today, but the way is still long," Epaillard, who now sits on top of the overnight standings in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 after the first day of competition, said.
“I am lucky I can ride with a stirrup in a different position so it doesn’t affect me too much,” second placed Maher said about the fact that he is competing in Basel with a broken foot. “Point Break was amazing today, really confident and relaxed, which is important for him. That is a good sign hopefully for the rest of the week, but it is a long way to go. I am very happy to be close by these two fast riders here. I was very proud of my horse today.”
“You can’t win it today, but you can lose it,” Maher pointed out. “Point Break jumps clear rounds if I do my job right, so today was a good sign.”
“My coach McLain Ward is here helping me, and we walked a plan that really was for the win,” third placed Keenan commented. “My horse is quite inexperienced, so I had expected to probably have to improvise, but he proved me wrong and he stepped up. I could not be happier. To end up here in Basel at the final was already a huge accomplishment and to be in the top three is pretty surreal. My horse is not familiar with this format and this is my first World Cup Final myself; we take it day by day and enjoy the ride.”
And Friday is indeed a whole new day, with the second competition a Table A with a jump-off set at 1.60m – where Epaillard will be last to go as he now sits on top of the overnight standings in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final 2025 after the first day of competition.
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