Press release from FEI, edited by World of Showjumping

Sanne Thijssen (NED) took a commanding victory in the opening leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League in Oslo (NOR) this afternoon as she and the 12-year-old-mare Cupcake Z (Chacco-Blue x Nissan Caretano Z) set an unassailable lead from first draw in an eleven-strong jump-off. Her victory represents the first win for a female athlete in the CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier in Oslo since 2015, when Pénélope Leprovost (FRA) took the honours aboard her wonderful mare Flora de Mariposa (For Pleasure x Power Light).

Sanne's clear in the first round remarkably marked a first ever clear round in a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™  qualifier for her, as she explained: “Con Quidam was always my best horse but indoors was a bit too tight for him so we didn’t really do it. I never really had a horse for the indoor season but now I have one!”

Yuri Mansur (BRA) put up a valiant effort to challenge for the lead with his long-term faithful partner, the evergreen 18-year-old gelding QH Alfons Santo Antonio (Aromats x False Pass), but once again the consistent partnership had to settle for second place. An elated Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) claimed the final step on the podium; a polished double clear securing third place for him and Equine America Harwich VDL (Arezzo VDL x Darco), a result which he described as “a dream come true".

Course designer Elio Travagliati (ITA) set a fitting test for what was for many, their first indoor competition of the season. With most of his verticals set at the maximum height of 1.60m it was a true five-star test which was very fair for horses but proved a real thinking track for riders. 

Poles fell all around Travagliati’s course but the curving line of five strides (23.30m) from fence nine, to a one-strided vertical-oxer double at 10 ab, before another curving line of 20.20m which could be ridden on four or five strides to a very delicate plank set at 1.60m at fence 11, claimed a number of victims. 

Seventeen combinations set out to conquer Travagliati’s track before Sanne Thijssen conjured up all the right answers to post the first clear round from her eighteenth draw. She masterfully guided an enthusiastic Cupcake Z around the course, opting for the forward four-stride option from the double at fence ten to the plank at fence 11. 

Where most before her had opted for five strides here, this appeared to be a turning point in tactics adopted by athletes, as the majority of those following her followed suit. Having waited for nearly half of the first round for a clear, the proverbial ‘London Buses’ theory came to the fore as the next two athletes into the ring, Marc Dilasser (FRA) aboard Arioto du Gevres (Diamant de Semilly x Qualisco III) and Thomas Ryan (IRL) with Jezebeau BC (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Vancouver d'Auvray) also mastered the track to close out the first half of the competition with three clear rounds from 20 starters. 

It was a class of two halves as athletes in the second half appeared to have benefited from watching their earlier-drawn fellow competitors and observing how best to successfully navigate the track. An ecstatic Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen produced the first clear of the second half with his 13-year-old gelding Equine America Harwich VDL. The class became a family affair as Leon Thijssen (NED) produced the next clear, joining his daughter Sanne in the jump-off with Hello (Ambler Gambler x Nabab de Reve). 

Not to be outdone, Team Gulliksen matched this as Geir Gulliksen (NOR) on Island VG (VDL Zirocco Blue x Indoctro) delivered clear round number six moments later to join his son Johan-Sebastian and make it two family members apiece for Teams Thijssen and Gulliksen in round two. Another team went double-handed into the jump-off as Yuri Mansur and his new business partner Eiken Sato (JPN) on Chadellano Jra (Chacco-Blue x Centadel) delivered the seventh and eighth faultless rounds of the class. Clear rounds from Frederic Vernaet (BEL) on Paulus-L (Corydon van T&L x Toulon), Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer (NOR) on Carabella vd Neyen Z (Carrera VDL x Lux Z) and 20-year-old Gaëtan Joliat (SUI) aboard Just Special VK (Falaise de Muze x Toulon) saw eleven horse-and-rider combinations representing eight nations proceed to the jump-off.

Starting in the same order as they were drawn from round one, Sanne Thijssen was first to tackle the shortened track. She and Cupcake Z set off at a formidable pace, keeping tight lines, angling fences and cruising around turns never breaking their rhythm. Taking out strides down each of the straight-line distances but remaining balanced throughout the series of twisting turns, they gave a master class in riding against the clock. 

The crowd erupted with knowledgeable appreciation as the two landed over the last fence and broke the beam in 38.28 seconds. Thijssen had well and truly laid down the gauntlet for the ten pairs waiting in the wings but had to endure an agonising wait to see whether she had done enough to win her first Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier.

The next couple of athletes faulted under the pressure to better the leading time before Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen presented his challenge. Knowing his horse is a bigger, slower type, he tactically opted not to chase the leading time but to ride an economical round that would put pressure on the remaining athletes. He delivered his plan to perfection, posting a double clear in 41.93 seconds to slot into second place at this stage. 

Father Geir posted a steady clear that didn’t trouble the leaders but was good enough for eventual fifth place before Yuri Mansur returned to challenge for the lead. Opting for tight lines and minimal strides, he set sail around the course in determined fashion but could not quite match Sanne Thijssen’s blistering pace as he and his evergreen QH Alfons Santo Antonio crossed the line some 2.44 seconds adrift.

Eiken Sato on Chadellano Jra and Frederic Vernaet aboard Paulus-L posted the only other clear rounds of the jump-off to finish in fourth and sixth place respectively. Marc Dilasser came closest to catching the winning time but paid the price as a fence fell to deny him second place. His time of 40.54 seconds was still over two seconds slower than the standard set by Sanne Thijssen and her incredible mare Cupcake Z, highlighting the speed of the incredible target set by the pair. Their time of 38.28 was the only round in the jump-off to break the 40 second barrier.

When asked to sum up her emotions following the success, Sanne Thijssen explained: “I'm still not really realising or believing it’s happened! Even when I went into the jump-off I was thinking ‘It’s not going to happen, it's not going to happen'. I know she can be fast, but I had to take some time at the double, but then after that she was unbeatable! The second part was, in my opinion, impossible to go faster.”

Yuri Mansur remained diplomatic about another second-place finish in a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier. Whilst disappointed to come so close to a win once again, he was full of praise for his faithful partner, the 18-year-old QH Alfons Santo Antonio’s incredible consistency and form.

“In this class he has never knocked a pole and every year he’s getting better. He’s like wine, he’s getting better the older he gets, so I hope next year I can win!”, Mansur joked.

Athletes and spectators alike were unanimous in their praise for the new venue at X Meeting Point at Hellerudsletta and grateful to the organising committee for securing the future of this wonderful show which is a highlight in the jumping calendar for so many. 

Following the conclusion of the first leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, Sanne Thijssen takes an early lead to head the WEL standings on 20 points ahead of Yuri Mansur in second on 17 points and Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen in third on 15 points. Eiken Sato, Geir Gulliksen and Frederic Vernaet complete the top six in the standings after the first leg on 13, 12 and 11 points respectively.

The series now moves south to Lyon (FRA) which hosts the second leg on 2 November before moving down to Verona (ITA) for leg three and moving back up to Stuttgart (GER) which plays host to the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League for the 2025/2026 season.