After a lightning fast jump-off, Great Britain’s Pippa Goddard and Chilli (Colestus x Colorit) could celebrate the gold medal at the FEI WBFSH World Breeding Championship for 5-year-old horses.

“She is amazing,” said Goddard about her striking mare Chilli. “She is super-fast, super-careful and I can trust her to jump the fences,” continued Goddard who is based in Canterbury, Great Britain – producing young horses for a living. “I don’t really ride horses older than seven,” she said adding “For me, it’s the best class I have won!”

Seven pairs out of the 47 in the final – that was set at 1.30m – managed to produce clears over the first-round track counting twelve fences build by Eugene Mathy.

“I thought it was quite high today, but there are so many good horses here and with seven clear rounds I think it was all ok in the end,” commented German bronze medallist Angelique Rüsen on the course as the only rider to have two horses in the jump-off.

First to come back for the jump-off with one of her two horses, was Rüsen on the Westphalian stallion Brunetti (Balou’s Bellini x Arpeggio). She opened with a clear round, getting a very good and tight turn to the penultimate vertical before she galloped down the last stretch past the VIP to stop the clock at 38.42 seconds.

Next to go, Goddard did not once pull back however – setting off in full speed from the beginning on the lovely grey mare Chilli, that showed both carefulness and bravery over the shortened track, to cross the finish line in an incredible 36.79 seconds.

Belgium’s Emma Rooms was the next to go clear with the Zangersheide-mare Tigra Ter Wilgen Z (Taloubet Z x Air Jordan Z), but adding a few strides here and there she stopped the clock behind the riders before her as the clock showed 39.62 seconds.

Estonia’s Paul-Richard Argus on Ping Pong V (Ponsee V x Calvino Z) had to see one rail down, and Ireland’s Vincent Byrne on Pearls Princess Gervantus (Luidam x Gervantus II) two rails before Angelique Rüsen once again went clear – this time on the lovely Calvino (Castelan II x Literat 12) that showed great overview and attitude with a beautiful round in 37.89 seconds to slot into silver position.

As last to go, Germany’s Felix Hassmann squeezed in between Goddard and Rüsen however when riding a very quick round on the Holsteiner stallion Quiwitino WZ (Quiwi Dream x Ceratino 2) – really chasing Goddard’s time to stop the clock at 36.89 seconds taking the silver medal.

“This year he won every M-class he jumped. In Germany it is with notes, so this was his first time against the clock and he did a really good job!” concluded a happy Hassmann.

Text © World of Showjumping // Photo © Haide Westring