“I am over the moon with Coby, what a fighter he is," Philipp Weishaupt said after winning the 7th qualifier in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in La Coruña, Spain. Photo © Mackenzie Clark.
Text © World of Showjumping
Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and the 14-year-old gelding Coby 8 (Contagio x Escudo) won the 7th leg of the 2024/2025 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in La Coruña, Spain, on Sunday evening.
The course set by Spain’s very own Santiago Varela counted 14 obstacles and 17 efforts, with the time allowed set to 75 seconds. With four from the first five starters – Pieter Devos (BEL) on Primo DV (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Heartbreaker), Iván Serrano Sáez (ESP) and Rain Man (Chacco-Blue x Pilot), Victoria Gulliksen (NOR) on Equine America Papa Roach (Perigueux x Zeus) and Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) on Beauville Z N.O.P. (Bustique x Jumpy des Fontaines) – all delivering clear rounds, it became evident that everyone had brought their A-game to La Coruña.
The lively Spanish crowd at the wonderful Casas Novas venue was treated to a great show of form from their own – here Jesus Garmendia Echevarria and Callias. Photo © Mackenzie Clark.
In the end, a whopping fourteen pairs out of the 40 at start cleared the first-round track and joined the deciding jump-off, where the lively Spanish crowd at the wonderful Casas Novas venue was treated to a great show of form from two of their own: First, Iván Serrano Sáez and Rain Man took the lead with a time of 38.41, only to be overtaken by their compatriot Jesus Garmendia Echevarria riding Callias (Companiero x Casco) – who set the new standard to 37.19.
Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) – world number one – and King Edward (Edward x Feo) added a bit of drama when running past the final fence in their quest to beat the Spanish riders, while even Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) – who has had a tremendous weekend in La Coruña, winning both Friday’s feature class and Saturday’s Longines Grand Prix – and Elysium (VDL Zirocco Blue x Coronado) were left behind Echevarria with their time of 37.50.
"It is so much fun to ride him in a jump-off because he is really fast," Weishaupt said about Coby. Photo © Mackenzie Clark.
Third last to go, Weishaupt and Coby were deceivingly fast in their roll-backs and risked it all in their approach to the final oxer, crossing the finish line in 36.11 seconds, taking over the lead with only two pairs left to jump.
As the last pair out, Robert Whitaker (GBR) and Vermento (Argento x Skippy) – a pair that took the top honours at this season’s second stop in Helsinki, Finland – gave it their best go to but could not beat Weishaupt and Coby’s leading time. When the clock stopped on 36.56 seconds for Whitaker, the top honours remained with Weishaupt, while the British rider slotted into second, ahead of the hosts’ Echevarria in third, Dreher in fourth and Serrano Sáez in fifth.
“This was my first big five-star win this season, and this was my last opportunity, as it is my last show of the year,” Weishaupt said afterwards. “I am over the moon with Coby, what a fighter he is. He was a bit sticky in the first round – I had to work quite hard there – but in the jump-off he knows exactly what to do. It is so much fun to ride him in a jump-off because he is really fast. I think all the others also know how fast Coby is. He has been a good guy to me and so successful for the past seven-eight years.”
“To be honest, I have not planned on the World Cup Final this year,” Weishaupt said after picking up his first points. “I came to La Coruña simply because it is one of my favourite shows. I love to be here, Coby is always in top form here – he won the Grand Prix here two years ago. I just like this show so much. This is the only riding arena in the whole World Cup circuit, it is not like an event centre but a real riding indoor. And we have the best in the world here.”
“This was my first big five-star win this season, and this was my last opportunity, as it is my last show of the year,” Weishaupt said afterwards. Photo © Mackenzie Clark.
“I am so happy with Vermento, he jumped amazing,” the second placed Robert Whitaker said. “I think I was as quick as I could go really. Philipp’s horse Coby is really fast anyway, so to be second is great.”
With the seventh of the fourteen legs of the WEL 2024/2025-season now completed in La Coruña, the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ continues in London (GBR) and Mechelen (BEL) in December, with five more events left in the new year before the final in Basel (SUI) in April.
After the seventh Western European League-leg, Kevin Staut remains on top of the overall standings with 49 points, while Robert Whitaker moves up to second with 45 points. Richard Vogel (GER) is third with 42 points, followed by Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and Steve Guerdat (SUI) on 36 points.
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.
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