Bengtsson wins, the second qualifying round at Kuala Lumpur

Sweden's Rolf-Goran Bengtsson claimed the honours in the second of the three jumping tests at the FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia today but it is Switzerland's Beat Mandli and Germany's Marcus Ehning who jointly head the leaderboard going into Sunday's finale, with Ireland's Jessica Kuerten snapping at their heels.

As expected course designer Frank Rothenberger's track sorted out the real jumpers from the rest of the pack with a big, testing course that produced a truly thrilling six-horse jump-off. And to everyone's surprise, the reigning champion Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum didn't make the final cut when, third-last into the ring, Checkmate hit the first part of the triple combination at fence six to join the five other four-faulters.

“We had a nice start in the first round over fences one and two and then the problems began” said Bengtsson whose 12 year old gelding MacKinley really rose to the occasion today. The combination at six claimed plenty of scalps as did the following oxer at seven, while the curving line to the triple bar at eight proved tricky for some, but it was the final run, on a left-handed turn from the vertical at fence 12 to the big oxer at 13 that was particularly influential – the bushes underneath the oxer creating some exciting moments.

A total of 17 horses and riders struggled to find the answers before Frenchman Philippe Leone showed how it should be done with Cyrenaika and subsequently celebrated with a triumphant fist in the air. Leone's presence in the final stages of the FEI World Cup series is all the more creditable because he manages to run his publishing business and still compete at the top level of his chosen sport with considerable success.

Holland's Gerco Schroder and Eurocommerce Milano looked a certain bet for another clear result but a mistake at the second-last cost them dearly and it was Bengtsson who was next to earn a place in the jump-off with MacKinley while Germany's Heinrich Hermann Engemannn followed suit with Aboyeur. Estonia's Gunnar Klettenberg has been showing increasing maturity but was another of those to lose out with a single error from Novesta as once again the penultimate vertical took its toll but it was the very last that put paid to Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst's chances when the normally brave little Candy backed off the final oxer and caught the back bar with her hind legs to leave them out of the deciding round.

Fourth-last to go, Jessica Kuerten and Castle Forbes Libertina never touched a pole however as, once more, they gave a display of classy jumping. Michaels-Beerbaum was next into the ring and there was a gasp from the sidelines when Checkmate kicked out the front element of the combination but Mandli's Ideo du Thot was foot-perfect all the way while Ehning's Sandro Boy was nothing short of spectacular as he once again cruised home with stylish elegance.

First to go against the clock, Leone opted for caution as he recorded the target time of 40.50 that always looked beatable, so Bengtsson was more than six seconds faster when breaking the beam in 34.17. The Swede's partnership with MacKinley is solid as a rock, the gelding always giving of his best and trying his heart out, and despite their best efforts the rest just could not catch them. Engemann clipped the fourth fence for four faults but Kuerten and Libertina were clear and quick – stopping the clock on 34.92. However she said afterward “I saw Rolf's round and thought I just won't beat him today – his horse was so beautifully balanced”. Libertina and the remaining two horses Ideo du Thot and Sandro Boy are real exhibitionists so the crowd enjoyed a real treat as the Irish partnership was followed by Mandli and his 10 year old gelding who looked quicker than the leader but only edged out Kuerten as they crossed the line in 34.54 seconds to slot into second.

“My horse is quite new to this level of jumping” Mandli said, “but he gave me a super feeling yesterday, he felt fantastic in the first round today and he was so easy to ride that I decided to try in the jump-off. We were very fast to the last fence and I thought I was faster than Rolf-Goran but I took a pull and ended up adding two more strides so I think I lost it there” he explained.

Last to go Ehning asked Sandro Boy to push on, but the big horse responded to the pressure by going higher and higher over his fences and while it was a sheer joy to watch it cost fractions of time that saw them having to settle for fourth spot despite a truly thrilling gallop to the last.

The stage is now set for a thrilling finale in Sunday's two-round decider. Joint-leaders Mandli and Ehning start out with a zero score while Kuerten carries just one point as the class begins, but it will take just a single mistake from any of the first three to put Bengtsson and Michaels-Beerbaum – carrying four points each – right back in the game. And Frank Rothenberger will not make it easy to claim the 2005/2006 FEI World Cup title.

“The level of sport in today's competition was absolutely stunning” said Kuerten, “but I expect Sunday's course will be very, very demanding and it's extremely open, you could quickly find yourself way down the line if you make a mistake”. It is still all to play for…..

Results (28.04.06)
Cl. 12 FEI World Cup Jumping Final II
International Competition with Jump Off (1.50 m)

1. Mac Kinley / Rolf-Göran Bengtsson SWE / 0 / 0 / 34.17
2. Ideo du Thot / Beat Mändli SUI / 0 / 0 / 34.54
3. Castle Forbes Libertina / Jessica Kürten IRL / 0 / 0 / 34.92
4. Sandro Boy / Marcus Ehning GER / 0 / 0 /35.21
5. Cyrenaika FRH / Philippe Leoni FRA / 0 / 0 / 40.50
6. Aboyeur W / Heinrich Hermann Engemann GER / 0/4 /35.42
7. Candy / Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst GER / 4
7. Checkmate / Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum GER / 4
7. Loro Piana Albin III / Juan Carlos Garcia ITA / 4
7. Novesta / Gunnar Klettenberg EST / 4
7. Eurocommerce Milano / Gerco Schröder NED / 4

2006 FEI World Cup Jumping Final Current Standings After Rounds 1 and 2:

1. Ideo du Thot, Beat Mändli (SUI), 68 points
1. Sandro Boy, Marcus Ehning (GER), 68
3. Castle Forbes Libertina, Jessica Kürten (IRE), 65
4. Mac Kinley 3, Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE), 60
4. Checkmate, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER), 60
6. Candy, Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst (GER), 58
7. Aboyeur W, Heinrich Hermann Engemann (GER), 55
7. Loro Piana Albin III, Juan Carlos Garcia (ITA), 55
9. Novesta, Gunnar Klettenberg (EST), 53
10. Cyrenaika FRH, Philippe Leoni (FRA), 51
11. Eurocommerce Milano, Gerco Schroeder (NED), 49
12. Quervo Gold, Margie Engle (USA)