After taking the top honours in Stuttgart, Willem Greve and Pretty Woman van’t Paradijs N.O.P. won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier of A Coruña. Photo © FEI/Mackenzie Clark.
Press release from FEI, edited by World of Showjumping
Just two weeks after their sensational triumph in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier of Stuttgart (GER), Willem Greve (NED) and the ten-year-old mare Pretty Woman van’t Paradijs N.O.P. (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Bamako de Muze) once again produced a masterclass in going against the clock to repeat the feat in A Coruña (ESP).
Greve set the game chestnut mare into a beautiful rhythm and never missed a beat around Santiago Varela’s (ESP) challenging second round track to leave all the fences standing and break the beam in 42.76 seconds. Greve’s round not only delivered consecutive World Cup triumphs but also forced those who followed into escalating levels of risk. Risk that, for a couple of top contenders, resulted in costly mistakes down the final line.
Reflecting on the tension of the evening, Greve shared: “It was a bit nerve-racking to be waiting until the end! But I’m thrilled with my mare. Today she was jumping out of her skin and she was totally with me. I couldn’t be more happy.”
"Today she was jumping out of her skin and she was totally with me," Greve said. Photo © FEI/Mackenzie Clark.
Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer (NOR), drawn ninth of the 40 starters in round one was the first athlete to navigate Varela’s first-round track without fault meaning she had the unenviable task of setting the standard in the jump-off. Aboard the spring-healed 11-year-old mare Carabella vd Neyen Z (Carrera VDL x Lux Z), she set the competition alight from the outset with a sensational clear that belied her inexperience at this level. The pair glided effortlessly around the course without fault in a time of 44.70 seconds to establish an early benchmark and lay down the challenge for the six seasoned horse-and-rider combinations waiting in the wings. This performance saw Lyngvaer finish in second place and take her first podium position in a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier.
Lyngvaer was visibly emotional and full of praise for her mare Carabella vd Neyen Z: “She is everything - she’s such a fighter. I just have to try to focus on my job and be out of her way and then she’ll fight her heart out for me! I’m forever thankful for her.”
“She is everything - she’s such a fighter," the second placed Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer said about her horse, the 11-year-old mare Carabella vd Neyen Z. Photo © FEI/Mackenzie Clark.
Simon Delestre (FRA) produced a polished round with the impressive nine-year-old gelding Golden Boy DK (Diamant de Semilly x Cash) to produce a clear in 45.16 seconds from second draw in the jump-off to secure an eventual third place. Delestre opted to sacrifice speed in the name of educating his relatively inexperienced young horse who looks to be an incredibly exciting talent for the future.
Both Armando Trapote (ESP) on Tornado VS (Toulon x Contender) and the winner of this class in 2021, Philipp Schulze Topphoff (GER) aboard Carla NRW (Comme Il Faut x Potsdam) caught Greve’s time but threw caution to the wind down the final line in order to do so, which resulted in four faults apiece. While Schulze Topphoff finished fifth, Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) with Fellow Castlefield (Je T'Aime Flamenco x Twister) slotted into fourth when jumping clear in 46.08 seconds.
Riders across the field voiced strong appreciation for Santiago Varela’s thought-provoking, technical course. The first-round track demanded precision, rewarded quality, and allowed horses to jump with confidence whilst challenging riders at every stage around its 14 fences.
Simon Delestre and Golden Boy DK placed third. Photo © FEI/Mackenzie Clark.
Willem Greve spoke on behalf of all in attendance at this popular stop in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League calendar, highlighting why the venue is so cherished among athletes, officials and spectators alike: “Thanks to the family Ortega, the conditions are perfect. The footing is outstanding. Everything is top. Of course, always when you win it’s nice, but it’s just great to be here.”
Following the completion of the fifth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League, Willem Greve has shot to the top of the league table with 40 points. Richard Vogel (GER) lies second on 36 points ahead of Yuri Mansur (BRA) and Kevin Staut (FRA) in third and fourth positions on 29 points apiece.
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Western European League now moves onto London where the Great British capital hosts the traditionally festive sixth leg on 21 December 2025. Mechelen (BEL) then takes centre stage for leg seven on 30 December before Basel (SUI) welcomes the series for leg eight – the first of 2026 – on 11 January.
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