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The French had specifically targeted the FEI Eventing World Cup final, in Malmö (SWE) with some of their best riders and horses. Thus they put the disappointments of the World Equestrian Games behind them and gave a jumping lesson to the rest of the world as they clinched first, second and fourth places.

All three riders were clear over a difficult final jumping phase. Jean-Lou Bigot (FRA), riding Derby de Longueval, was the only competitor of the field of 38 to achieve the optimum cross-country time of 7min 5sec and the only one to finish on his dressage score (48.5).

Arnaud Boiteau (FRA) on Expo du Moulin, who was clearly none the worse for his fall in Aachen, rose from 21st after dressage to eventual fourth (59.0) thanks to superb jumping performances.

Andreas Dibowski (GER) interrupted French domination with third place on FRH Little Lemon. He also jumped clear to rise a place, finishing on a score of 53.6.

In a properly international line-up, the USA’s Darren Chiacchia was fifth on the stallion Windfall, who dropped two places with two rails down, while Anna Hilton (SWE) was best of the home side in sixth on Mr Dalby – there were four Swedes in the top 12 - and Laurence Hunt was leading British rider in seventh on Pheobus.

Clayton Fredericks’s (AUS) title defence ended with a run-out on Nullarbor at fence 14, a brush arrowhead which followed steps up a bank and a drop off, and he eventually wound up in 12th place.

As anticipated, the cross-country proved influential, with 12 riders failing to complete. There were only 13 clear rounds and faults were spread evenly around the course, with fence 5, three narrow white seats on a curving line, causing 10 errors, including for Linda Algotsson (SWE).

The most serious incident of the day was the fall for Anna Hasso (SWE) when her horse Son of a Bitch fell backwards at the steps (fence 13). She was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays.

Anna Hilton commented: “The cross-country was more difficult than I expected. You really had to ride. It was very technical and I think my horse was a bit gob-smacked by the crowds and the unusual fences. But that’s Malmö! I’ve had a fantastic weekend.”

A new format was used for the FEI Eventing World Cup final, with the cross-country and jumping phases run on the same day, split by about three hours’ rest and a formal horse inspection. Two horses were withdrawn at this stage: Stand By Me and Karin Donckers’ (BEL) Gormley, who had two run-outs and cut himself.

Riders initially wondered how their horses would fare in the final jumping phase, but most looked and jumped well. There were six clear rounds – four of them French.

This week the FEI Eventing Committee will discuss the future of the World Cup: at what time of year is best for a final, in order to attract more of the world’s best riders, and which format should be used. Whatever is decided, chairman Wayne Roycroft declared Malmö a brilliant competition which had attracted a record crowd.

Results:
1. Nicolas Touzaint/Galan de Sauvagere (FRA) 39.8 + 2.4 + 0 = 42.2
2. Jean-Lou Bigot/Derby de Longueval (FRA), 48.5 + 0 + 0 = 48.5 (FODS)
3. Andreas Dibowski/FRH Little Lemon (GER), 42.4 + 11.2 + 0 = 53.6
4. Arnaud Boiteau/Expo du Moulin (FRA) 54.6 + 4.4 + 0 = 59.0
5. Darren Chiacchia/Windfall 2 (USA) 44.1 + 8.0 + 8 = 60.1
6. Anna Hilton/Mr Dalby (SWE) 48.9 + 10.8 + 8 = 67.7
7. Laurence Hunt/Pheobus (GBR) 48.5 + 16 + 4 = 68.5
8. Johan Lundin/Major Tom (SWE) 57.4 + 12.4 + 0 = 69.8
9. Niklas Lindback/Keep Clapping (SWE) 51.3 + 5.6 + 16 = 72.9
10. Andreas Ostholt/Lady Lemon FRH (GER) 48.9 + 17.2 + 8 = 74.1
11. Viktoria Carlerback/Onyx (SWE) 50.9 + 5.2 + 20 = 76.1
12. Clayton Fredericks/Nullarbor (AUS) 35.2 + 41.6 + 8 = 84.8

Editor's Note: Two Americans other than Darren Chiacchia competed at Malmo:

Jonathan Holling (29 years old) and Lion King II finished 16th. (Dressage score of 51.3; 40 faults for two refusals XC and 20 time faults XC; and 4 faults SJ for one rail down = 115.3.)

Jennifer Wooten (28 years old) and The Good Witch finished 18th. (Dressage score of 63.3; 20 faults for one refusal XC and 22.8 time faults XC; and 16 faults SJ for four rails down = 122.1
(Wooten also competed at the Blenheim CCI*** in August, in England. 61st after Dressage on 64.8; 85 jumping and 32.4 time XC; and 4 faults SJ = 186.2 and 46th place.)

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FEI Eventing World Cup, Preview


Great Britain’s Tristram Owers (GBR), riding Brief Respite, kicks off proceedings at the fourth annual FEI Eventing World Cup final, which takes place this weekend in Malmö (SWE). He will be first into the dressage arena, which has a backdrop of the Baltic Sea and Malmö’s distinctive Twisting Torso building,
at 8.30am today (Saturday).

The draw order is decided by riders’ World Cup points, with the highest going last. However, as defending champion, Clayton Fredericks (AUS) has the honour of going last of the 38 starters, and he has already got his weekend off to a good start by leading the Australians to victory in the traditional singing competition – they produced an accomplished performance of “Waltzing Matilda” at the welcome schnapps and crayfish party.

“It brought me luck last year, so I thought I’d better stick with tradition this time,” said Fredericks, who is riding on the crest of a wave, following his individual silver and team bronze medals at Aachen.

This time he rides the nine-year-old Nullarbor who, like his 2005 champion Ben Along Time, is Irish-bred and was found through the English-based Irish dealer Donal Barnwell.

Karin Donckers (BEL) will precede Fredericks into the arena; she is the second highest-placed rider on the FEI World Cup rankings behind Australia’s Phillip Dutton, who led the rankings from the start but is absent from Malmö this time.

The Malmö field includes some high-class horses, and Donckers rides the Irish-bred Gormley, the horse on whom she has been close to major honours many times, including winning team bronze for Belgium at the 2003 Europeans.

The French entry looks particularly strong, and huge interest surrounded the appearance of Nicolas Touzaint’s spectacular grey horse Galan de Sauvagere, for whom this is his most high-profile competition since winning team gold at the Athens Olympics.

Touzaint is supported by Pierre Marie Dubois, recent surprise winner of the Martinvast (FRA) qualifier on Ira d’Islea; former European Champion Jean-Lou Bigot riding his 2005 squad horse Derby de Longueval; and Rodolphe Scherer riding Heidi Antikatzides’ Good Enough, a horse originally produced by British Olympian Karen Dixon; and Athens Olympic gold medallist Arnaud Boiteau, whose experienced Expo du Moulin looks fully recovered from his crashing fall at Aachen.

Other horses re-routed from Aachen include Piia Pantsu’s Ypaja Karuso (FIN), who fell in the first water complex there, and the Danish horse My Hamlet, ridden by Morten Haugaard. He had the misfortune to strike into himself in the dressage and go lame.

The most distinctive horse, however, and the crowd favourite, is the striking piebald Two Tone Tyrone, ridden by Britain’s Serena Russell. The Irish-bred Two Tone Tyrone was originally to be retired this summer, following his Badminton debut, but when Russell received an invitation to Malmö, she brought him out of retirement.

All 38 horses passed the first horse inspection, held in beautiful sunshine in front of a ground jury comprising David Lee (IRL) as president, with Marilyn Payne (USA) who recently judged at Burghley, and Alain James (FRA).