PrintThe top placings didn’t shift much after the first of two rounds on the last day of the Rolex FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final today, April 19. Each of the top three horses jumping clear over a massive course in the Thomas & Mack Arena.
Three U.S. riders were among the 11 pairs that managed a clear round over the course: Todd Minikus with Pavarotti, Beezie Madden with Danny Boy and McLain Ward with Sapphire.
Ward, who is currently in second place overall, kept the pressure on leader Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum of Germany with Shutterfly. Ward’s Sapphire looked nonchalant as ever as she negotiated this afternoon’s course, which is tested scope much more than any previous round.
Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly looked unbeatable, however, answering with a fluid, easy performance. Shutterfly’s ears never flicked as he ate up the course. The horse has already won two Rolex FEI World Cup Finals.
Third-placed Albert Zoer of the Netherlands and Oki Doki kept the pressure on the leaders with a clear round as well. The distinctive Dutch Warmblood gelding has a remarkable way of going, with high knee action and a concussive canter, but he’s a crowd favorite and has been jumping fantastically this week.
Rich Fellers, who placed second with Flexible at last year’s Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, and had been performing just as well this week up until this point, had a disappointing two rails down this afternoon. The tiny Flexible was in fourth going in, but seemed to struggle with the increased height and spread of today’s jumping, and he kicked out two fences early in the course with his hind legs.
“I think we didn’t jump a big enough wide spread fence in the warm-up,” said Fellers. “I was thinking about how much jumping there is today with two big rounds, and I tried to be conservative. He felt loose. We jumped a small spread fence. We finished on a tall vertical, and he got a bit impressed with the two big spread fences early. So I made a mistake in my preparation. It’s as simple as that.”
Fellers has dropped to sixth in the standings, with Madden and Danny Boy right behind him in seventh.
Three U.S. combinations logged four-fault rounds: Ashlee Bond with Cadett 7, Hillary Dobbs with Quincy B and Mandy Porter with San Diego. Richard Spooner and Cristallo pulled two rails.
Round 2 is currently in progress. To see complete results from Round 1, click here.
