Nail-biting jump-off secures top rider’s spot in home World Cup final

Martin Fuchs made his first trip to the 2025 Jumping International De Bordeaux count, winning the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier (8 February) – garnering a valuable 20 points in the process, which means that he is now qualified for the final on home turf in Basel in April.

The Swiss rider’s victory came with Adolfo Juri’s supremely consistent Conner Jei, who negotiated both rounds of Jean-François Morand’s track with ease.

They were seventh to go in the first round, jumping the second of 12 clear rounds. Martin suspected his jump-off time of 37.45 sec would be beaten, which it was by both Julien Anquetin (Blood Diamond Du Pont) and Julien Épaillard (Donatello D’Auge), who clocked 36.54 sec and 36.91 sec respectively, but both rolled a pole.

“I was a bit stressed because I really needed those points,” said Martin, the world number five. “But it was a perfect jump-off for Conner Jei – fast and big – and my horse has enormous ability. There were a lot of faults in the jump-off, which helped me, but I was nervous until the end especially when Julien Épaillard entered. He was faster, but as luck would have it, he knocked down the last fence.”

Ultimately, Martin won by more than two seconds ahead of Belgian rider Pieter Devos and 10-year-old mare Casual DV Z.

“She was fifth here last year and this year she’s second, so you can say she has progressed,” said Pieter. “I love this mare, she’s really exceptional. She did three World Cups this winter and was double clear each time. I’m going to ride her in the final in Basel.”

Winner in Leipzig, Dutch rider Willem Greve, completed the podium with Grandorado TN NOP, who was first to go in the jump-off.

“My horse jumped beautifully, confirming the great things he had already shown in Leipzig and Amsterdam, but I wasn’t going to take all the risks, because my first goal was to secure the points I needed to book my ticket to Basel and ensure a clear round,” explained Willem.

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