Winning the VDL Groep Grand Prix CSI-W at ’s-Hertogenbosch—the last of the Western European World Cup-qualifiers—didn’t help Royne Zetterman book a trip to Las Vegas, Nev., for the Rolex FEI World Cup Final, but it was a thrill nonetheless.

“This is my first World Cup victory so I’m very, very happy!” Zetterman said. And he gave praise to his 11-year-old Swedish gelding, Isaac. “He is not the fastest horse in the world, but he is one of the scopiest.”

Held during the ’s-Hertogenbosch CSI in the Netherlands, Mar. 22-25, the class confirmed the 18 riders qualified for the Final, Apr. 18-22. The list didn’t change much, and Zetterman’s victory only moved him from 45th to 24th, so he’ll be staying home in Sweden. Nevertheless, a purse of $39,991 comforted him, and he was indeed not complaining.

For Zetterman, it was his first major individual success—besides winning the Grand Prix at Stockholm (Sweden) last December—since 1997. While Zetterman wasn’t too disappointed at not qualifying for a trip to Las Vegas, his fellow countrywoman Malin Baryard-Johnsson dropped from 17th to 22nd after picking up 12 faults in the first round, cancelling her ticket to Vegas.

Frank Rothenberger built a very demanding course, and only four of the 40 starters in Round 1 returned for the jump-off. Besides Zetterman aboard Isaac, the Dutch team gold medalists from the 2006 World Equestrian Games (Germany), Albert Zoer and Okidoki, qualified, as well as the German double European Champion Marco Kutscher and Controe and Austria’s superstar Thomas Frühmann and The Sixth Sense.

Rothenberger’s first-round test was over a spectacular course that presented challenges at every turn. The dog-leg line from the vertical at Fence 3 to the following triple combination proved the undoing of many, and one of the most surprising victims was the ultra-experienced Isovlas Pialotta, who slammed to a halt when arriving in a bad spot in front of this one.

The mare’s absolute honesty was apparent by her willingness to pop it easily when asked again by Edwina Alexander, who finished with just 5 faults on the board despite the momentary drama.

The next line was a real rider-frightener with a 1.60-meter triple-bar followed by four strides to the flimsiest of blue wavy planks over water, and then either three long or four short strides to the 1.60-meter FEI vertical. The genuine nature of many of the world’s best show jumping horses was tested here, but one that drew a gasp from the crowd was Kutscher’s clever Controe who defied his rider’s instructions and opted for an extra one down the second distance.

Kutscher, who eventually finished third, was amused at the end of the day. “I wanted to go on three to the vertical but Controe jumped too high over the planks. I still asked him for just the three but he decided he knew better—and he was right!” Kutscher said.

Zetterman went first in the jump-off, and it looked like his chances were dashed when he had a rail down at the third-to-last fence. His four-fault score in 40.81 seconds was definitely beatable.

Next to go was Frühmann and the 11-year-old, Westphalian gelding The Sixth Sense. It all went well for them until they had the very same fence down as Zetterman, and then two more rails fell. Scoring 12 faults in 41.93 seconds, Frühmann finished fourth, but it was enough to move up from 21st to 13th position in the league and ensure a starting place in the Final.

So, the World Cup champion of 1992 at Del Mar, Calif., was very satisfied in spite of his poles down in the jump-off. “The course was extremely demanding. That’s why I am more than satisfied with our performance. If everything goes as planned, we will compete in the World Cup Final. I will take a pause now and prepare The Sixth Sense at the Eastern Holiday Horse Show at Dortmund for the Final,” he said.
Kutscher and the 15-year-old Holsteiner stallion Controe were going for a slow clear round, but had one pole down in 49.46 seconds to place third. The result was good enough to move them up from 20th position into seventh.

Even the cheerful Dutch crowd could not prevent Zoer and the Dutch gelding from having one pole down at the first fence, a triple bar. Fortunately no other followed, and the Dutch combination finished in runner-up position in 42.26 seconds. In the major class the night before, Zoer and Lincoln had crashed into an oxer, but had both taken only bruises from that.

Young German superstar Daniel Deusser, who had excelled already at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Fla., continued to show his strength, placing fifth aboard his top mount Upsilon d’Ocquier with the fastest four-fault ride of the initial round. The 12 World Cup points gained at the last qualifier made him move up in the Western European League from 22nd place into 17th position, which booked him a ticket back to the States for the Final.

Deusser, 25, works for Dutch horse dealer and international top show jumper Jan Tops.

Seventh place on Couleur Rubin didn’t give Ludger Beerbaum quite enough points—he moved from 24th to 21st position, which gives him the first reserve place for the Final.

FEI World Cup Director John Roche rejected criticism that the course of the World Cup qualifier was too tough. “This was the last qualifying round before the final and it was a fair preparation for that. To build anything else would not be doing the horses and riders any favors. In Las Vegas, the courses will be technical and horses will be competing in a small ring—today’s track was a very good one,” he said.