Text © World of Showjumping

Martin Fuchs (SUI) and the 12-year-old gelding L&L Upgrade (Ultimo x Baloubet du Rouet) saved the best for last in Thursday night’s CSI5*-W 1.50m Prize of Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois Basel – a competition counting for the Longines Rankings Group C – as the Longines CHI Classics Basel 2025 got underway.

Stopping the clock on 55.51 seconds, Fuchs and L&L Upgrade took the win as the last pair out over Gregory Bodo (FRA) and Gerard Lachat’s (SUI) 1.50m track.

“L&L Upgrade is so careful, such a fighter and so quick,” Fuchs told World of Showjumping after his victory. “Sometimes he gets a bit spooky, and in the biggest classes we still need to find a better connection. However, these kind of speed classes are fantastic for him now and I believe that he will be a horse for the biggest tracks as well.”

“I really had a plan, and obviously with my starting number had a very good draw,” Fuchs continued. “Hansi was very fast, but I knew how I could beat him; by relying on the stride of my horse and his quick turns, he never loses time. I am glad it all worked out as I walked it.”

“It was really good for a Thursday night, and I think it was a great class,” Fuchs said about the atmosphere in the St. Jakobshalle. “We had a lot of young spectators here today, and it is cool to see the next generation of fans – and hopefully riders as well. I think that is very important and I think the show does a great job in trying to make the sport bigger here and in supporting the Swiss riders.”  

Fresh from their Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ win in Mechelen in December, Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) and Vestmalle des Cotis (Baloubet du Rouet x Landor S) took the runner-up spot with a time of 56.38 seconds, while Roger Yves Bost (FRA) and Ballerine du Vilpion (Baloubet du Rouet x Quidam de Revel) placed third in 57.27, followed by Richard Vogel (GER) and Crack HV (Cornet Obolensky x Candillo) in fourth in 59.50 and Michael Pender (IRL) aboard HHS Vancouver (Indoctro x Don Juan de la Bouverie) in fifth in 60.26.

Earlier during the day, the win in the CSI5*-W 1.45m Prize of Thermoplan – a competition counting for the Longines Rankings Group D – went to Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) and the 10-year-old mare Talina du Vivier Z (Taalex x Quick Star) ahead of Rodrigo Giesteria Almeida (POR) and Solidat (Semper Fi x Chacco-Blue) in second and Janika Sprunger (SUI) on Tullogher Lady Liberty (Indoctro x Labor’s VDL Indorado) in third, while Philippe Rozier (FRA) and Prestigio LS La Silla (Presley Boy x Cash) finished fourth and Roger Yves Bost (FRA) aboard Ever de Turan (Kannan x Ibis de Courcel) fifth.

Hosting the first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League qualifier of the year on Sunday, St Jakobshalle in Basel (SUI) will also be the scene for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final in April this year.