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Sophie Hinners and her Prins make history with Verona victory

Sunday, 10 November 2024
CSI5*-W Jumping Verona 2024

Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ. Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames My Prins won the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League 2024/2025 at Jumping Verona 2024. Photo © Nanna Nieminen/WoSJ.

 

Edited press release from Jumping Verona

 


 

Germany’s Sophie Hinners became the first-ever female winner of the Italian leg of the FEI World Cup series when coming out on top in the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League 2024/2025 at Jumping Verona 2024 today with Iron Dames My Prins (Zilverstar T x Winningmood). Jumping Verona 2024 has produced a lot of magical moments this week, and with Hinners’ win another new page of its history has been written.

On an afternoon of ups and downs during which many of the early combinations struggled to deal with Uliano Vezzani’s tough and technical course – with six retirements and one elimination along the way – the 26-year-old rider and the brilliant 12-year-old gelding Iron Dames My Prins pinned British star Ben Maher into runner-up spot with Point Break (Action-Breaker x Balou du Rouet), while Hinners’ compatriot and three-time World Cup champion Marcus Ehning finished third with Coolio 42 (Casalito x Quidam de Revel).

Maher produced the first clear of the competition when ninth to go, and he was joined in the second-round decider by Sweden’s Petronella Andersson with Opaline de W&S (Etoulon x Zirocco Blue VDL), Liechtenstein’s Jennifer Hochstaedter and Golden Lady (Cassini Gold x San Patrignano Mister) along with Hinners and Ehning.

Set the pace

Photo © S.Grasso. Ben Maher and Point Break finished second. Photo © S.Grasso.

The British star set the pace in the jump-off with a brilliant round that was, however, hampered by a stumble for his 10-year-old stallion on landing after the double that was now the third obstacle on the new course. Recovering quickly the pair turned sharp right to complete in 38.23 seconds.

Sweden’s Andersson was next to go with Opaline, but two fences down left them vulnerable. However Hochstaedter and her tall 13-year-old mare made only one mistake when clipping the last remaining part of the triple combination three fences from home in 45.04 seconds to stay competitive.

Second-last into the ring, Hinners looked threatening from the outset, My Prins completely in command as he stamped his authority on the class with a lovely clear in 37.91 seconds. The smile on Hinners’ face as she cantered a circle after racing through the finish confirmed her delight with the performance that she and her horse had just produced. Now only her compatriot, the mighty Marcus Ehning who is one of the most revered competitors in the sport, stood between her and her big moment under the spotlight.

And it seemed very possible that he would steal it away as he cruised around the track with the 11-year-old Coolio. But a cautious moment approaching the final fence saw him clock 38.85 seconds which would only be good enough for third place. "I could maybe have taken one less (stride) to the last," Ehning admitted afterwards.

Gracious

Photo © S.Grasso. Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42 ended third. Photo © S.Grasso.

Maher, winner of last year’s Verona World Cup qualifier with Dallas Vegas Batilly who would go on to take team gold at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was gracious in defeat this evening.

Asked if he thought Point Break’s stumble might have cost him the class, he replied: "For sure I would like to not have the stumble – I’d like a second go actually, that would be fun or that I would have gone after Sophie or that she waited one more show (before winning). But it’s the sport, it happens, he stumbled and we have to deal with that as riders. We made a quick recovery. I’ve had him since he was six years old but he also didn’t do too many jump-offs at this level, so I’m very proud of him, and I have a very worthy winner sitting here today next to me," he said.

Hinners’ victory was remarkable in many ways. Lady riders had come close to the winner’s podium in Verona several time, with her compatriots Kendra Brinkop runner-up in 2021 and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum also placing second with the great Shutterfly back in 2010, but until today they had never succeeded in taking that coveted pole position.

Women in sport

Photo © Argenziano. "He’s an incredible horse, he jumped an incredible two rounds and I’m so thankful – it’s a big dream come true today," Hinners said about her horse My Prins. Photo © Argenziano.

Hinners is a member of the Irons Dames team which is designed to support women in sport. "It was super for us today to have three girls in the jump-off," she said. "I’m proud of the Iron Dames project which is founded by Deborah Mayer. There are about 20 Iron Dames and we have a team in motor sport and this year also in equestrian. We had a super season in the Global Champions Tour, we won the overall ranking this year and we were the first only-female team so it was an incredible start. Now we are very much looking forward to the next years," she explained.

And talking about the support she got from My Prins today she said: "I can be very thankful that my team colleague David (Will) used to ride him and he already did very competitive jump-offs with him. I felt that experience today, he knew exactly his job, he was so focused so it was easier for me," she pointed out.

She has only been partnered with the horse since July, and today was their very first jump-off together. "He’s an incredible horse, he jumped an incredible two rounds and I’m so thankful – it’s a big dream come true today," she said.

Just two first-round time faults for Switzerland’s Geraldine Straumann and the wonderful Long John Silver 3 (Lasino x San Patrignano Corrado) saw them fill sixth place behind Hochstaedter in fourth and Andersson in fifth. 

 



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