World of Showjumping gets Rob Ehrens’ expert view on the second round of the Longines FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg.

“It was a good class. I walked the course, and I must say it is excellent course designing here from Santiago Varela’s side. In the end you saw that the clear rounds came from the riders that knew exactly how the track went, and when it was a following distance they stayed on the inside really knowing their lines. A couple of the really top combinations had really bad luck to have a fault though, but that’s the sport. A lot of things happened, but apart from Pieter Devos’ round nothing drastic – so it was a good competition. 

The best of the European riders are here and the Americans have Beezie Madden, and you see with those difficult tracks that we have here that the riding skills come forwards. It’s difficult for the course designer to build for that league of riders, because after walking the course and watching a few riders they immediately know where the traps are. They do a brilliant job. 

One of the surprises here has perhaps been Poland’s Jaroslaw Skrzyczyński and the really nice Chacco-Blue mare Chacclana, that has been clear the whole way. But at this level and in a World Cup Final you don’t get these huge surprises anymore. 

It was a shame for Belgium’s Pieter Devos. I don’t really know what happened and what the horse saw, because it jumped excellent in the first round on Thursday and also in the second round until the triple combination. Riders can make wrong decision, but also horses can in certain moments in the course see something and misjudge – and one way or the other I think Devos’ horse Apart saw something that made him not jump that triple bar. The horses are no machines. 

I hope for Sunday that the best horse-and-rider combination wins, and that we have a good competition. After these first two rounds, I am looking forward to it and I would be really surprised if we don’t see another good track from Santiago on Sunday – keeping the sport at the high level we have seen until now: Tricky tracks, but still fair and jumpable.

I’m very bad in predicting, but I must say if Peder Fredricson keeps on going like he has until now it looks good for him. Steve Guerdat was very unlucky today, and a lot can still change on Sunday so he might be back up there. But there are some top-class riders here, and it is very close on top so anything can happen!”

No reproduction without permission, copyright © World of Showjumping