Etter wins as swiss dominate Oslo opener

Switzerland's Daniel Etter produced a spectacular win at the opening leg of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League series in Oslo, Norway this afternoon.

The 34 year old rider from Berne showed that he and his great campaigner, Peu a Peu, have lost none of the form that helped them contribute to their country's team gold medal winning performance at the Alltech FEI European Jumping Championships at Windsor in England this summer. And, underlining the current strength of the Swiss, Etter's team mate Pius Schwizer slotted into second today with Ulysse.

Riders from 16 nations lined out in this highly-competitive opening fixture, and a total of 12 combinations qualified for the second-round jump-off including four from Germany and two from both Switzerland and The Netherlands.

IMPRESSIVE

The first of the 13 qualifying legs in the Western European League took place at the impressive new Telenor Soccer Stadium on the outskirts of Oslo and course designer, Anders Hafskjold, pulled no punches when presenting a big, strong 13-fence track. In previous years the Oslo fixture was often considered an easy target for early points in the winter-long series but with a world-class field, including six of the top ten in the latest Rolex World Rankings, Hafskjold showed no mercy, and those points were hard-won today.

Demanding distances and difficult lines caught out many of the sport's biggest stars and not even the newly-crowned individual European Champion, Kevin Staut from France, proved impervious to its challenges when he was one of only two riders to hit the white oxer at fence five and then found himself riding the last four fences without stirrups after his gelding, Le Prestige St Lois, threw a massive buck. His fellow-countryman, Timothee Anciaume, also had a nasty moment when his stallion, Jarnac, fired him in front of the saddle after hitting the Rolex oxer at fence 10, but it was the triple combination that proved the bogey of the day.

The fourth fence on the course, it asked for a strong ride through two big oxers to the final vertical and, time and again, the middle element fell. A total of 19 riders picked up faults here, and the middle element fell 15 times.

AGAINST THE CLOCK

Portugal's Luciana Diniz was the first of the 12 to go against the clock however and, with the former Ludo Philippaerts ride Winningmood with whom she is establishing a great relationship, she returned with a fence down in 37.15 seconds to set the early pace. The Netherlands' Eric Van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Tomboy left the penultimate vertical on the floor in a faster time before Germany's Philipp Weishaupt and Catoki shaved another half-second off the target despite a mistake at the very last.

It was Frenchman, Patrice Deleveau, who produced the first clear with a wild ride down the long run to the last with Katchina Mail – the bay mare having brought roars of laughter from spectators when pausing for an energising snack of the arena greenery before getting down to business.

Leopold Van Asten wisely opted for another copybook clear from the lovely grey mare VDL Groep Santana B – a 10 year old daughter of Mr Blue whose deliberate jumping style left her more than three seconds off Deleveau's target-time of 36.33.

Sole British representatives, Robert Smith and Raging Bull Vangelis, fell foul of the pentultimate vertical but then Pius Schwizer really threw down the gauntlet when seventh to go with Ulysse – precision timing and accurate judgement seeing the Swiss partnership home in 36.09 seconds and well out in front. Germany's Marco Kutscher was more than a half-second slower when following with a clear from Cash and his fellow-countryman Daniel Deusser was a little slower again with Aboyeur so when Etter came into the ring with just two left to follow him it seemed Schwizer might not be caught.

The sheer confidence of Peu a Peu however gives this duo their advantage. “He's such a great horse – he always gives me 100 percent and he likes it when I ask him to go faster!” Etter said afterwards. Without appearing to be under any real pressure the 13 year old gelding went up a gear more than all the rest, and the bond of trust between horse and rider meant that Etter could turn him quickly after the second-last fence and run him down to the the final big Rolex oxer with all the confidence in the world. As they broke the beam the clock showed 35.37 seconds and when double World Cup Jumping champion Marcus Ehning of Germany riding Sandro Boy and Italy's European team silver medallist Natale Chiaudani and SNAI Seldana di Campalto each dropped a pole it would be a Swiss one-two in the season-opener.

ONE OF THE TOUGHEST

“Peu a Peu is one of the toughest horses around” said Etter of the gelding who never seems to be off the circuit. Their superb result at the Windsor Europeans was quickly followed by a trip to the Masters at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada and the big, bold horse seems as keen as ever about his job. “I'm very lucky with him, he's always been incredibly sound, and its great to win early in the World Cup season so that you can get the points and relax a bit later” he pointed out.

However they don't plan to take any time out just yet because Etter will compete at the next leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series next Sunday in Helsinki, Finland and in Lyon, France two weeks later before competing at the Global Champions Tour Final in Doha, Qatar, next month.

Results (11.10.09)

CSI5*-W Oslo – Norway

Rolex FEI World Cup Grand Prix – AM5 – 1,60m

1º Daniel Etter (Sui) / Peu a Peu / 0 / 0 – 35,37
2º Pius Schwizer (Sui) / Ulysse / 0 / 0 – 36,09
3º Patrice Delaveau (Fra) / Katchina Mail / 0 / 0 – 36,33
4º Marco Kutscher (Ale) / Cash 63 / 0 / 0 – 36,78
5º Daniel Deusser (Ale) / A d Aboyeur W / 0 / 0 – 36,95
6º Leopold Van Asten (Hol) / Vdl Groep Santana B / 0 / 0 – 39,89
7º Philipp Weishaupt (Ale) / Catoki / 0 / 4 – 36,26
8º Eric Van Der Vleuten (Hol) / VDL Groep Tomboy / 0 / 4 – 36,89
9º Robert Smith (Gbr) / Raging Bull Vangelis S / 0 / 4 – 37,13
10º Luciana Diniz (Por) / Winningmood / 0 / 4 – 37,15

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2009/2010 –
STANDINGS AFTER FIRST LEG IN OSLO, NORWAY

1º Daniel Etter (Sui) – 20 points
2º Pius Schwizer (Sui) – 17
3º Patrice Deleveau (Fra) – 15
4º Marco Kutscher (Ger) – 13
5º Daniel Deusser (Ger) – 12
6º Leopold Van Asten) Ned – 11
7º Philipp Weishaupt (Ger) – 10
8º Eric Van der Vleuten – 9
9º Robert Smith (GBR) – 8
10º Luciana Diniz (Por) – 7
11º Natale Chiaudani (Ita) – 6
12º Marcus Ehning (Ger) – 5
13º Geir Gulliksen (Nor) – 4
14º Kevin Staut (Fra) – 3
15º Steve Guerdat (Sui) – 2
16º Giulia Martinengo (Ita) – 1