Latham wins in Helsinki
Spain's Rutherford Latham claimed the honours in the second leg of the 2007/2008 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series presented by Glitnir in Helsinki, Finland this afternoon. Sweden's Rolf-Goran Bengtsson finished second ahead of Germany's Heinrich Hermann Engemann and these were the only three to find their way into the second-round jump-off.
It was clear that course-designer Aki Ylanne had set them a tough task when French veteran Jean-Marc Nicolas (JPC Modesto) and Dutchman Henk van de Pol (Dan-7 T) were amongst three eliminations while another experienced Frenchman, Julien Epaillard (Lord du Janlie), decided to retire along with Germany's Thomas Muhlbauer (Asti Spumante) and Denmark's Linnea Ericsson (Pero-Z Hillock). Combinations of this calibre are not normally fazed by the challenges set for them, but as the winner pointed out afterwards “there was nothing easy about this today….”
And four faults counted for a lot as it turned out.
Last weekend's winner in Oslo, Helena Lundback from Sweden, lowered just a single fence with Madick but their fast time clinched fourth place ahead of Germany's Daniel Deusser and Air Jordan Z who were next-quickest of the nine four-faulters. This leaves Lundback with a running total of 33 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping points and sharing the lead on the Western European league table with Latham going into the next leg at Verona in Italy in three weeks time.
The Spaniard was first in against the clock and had the handbrake off. “I decided to have a real go at it because, no matter what happened, I couldn't be worse than third!” he pointed out afterwards. Setting the target in 38.26 seconds with his 13 year old French-bred stallion Guarana Champeix he then sat back and watched the other two take their turn, but Bengtsson opted for caution when bringing the nine year old stallion Quintero la Silla through the finish more than five seconds slower in 43.94.
Caution however is not a word that Engemann and his veteran campaigner Aboyeur W understand and, last into the ring, the German partnership set off at a cracking pace, looking very threatening until hitting the final fence but, as it turned out, still a half-second slower than the winning partnership.
This was Latham's very first World Cup victory so today was a real red-letter day for the American-born 53 year old.
Originally from New York, he moved to live in Spain when just six years old and in 1982, when he was 28, he became a Spanish citizen in order to compete at the Los Angeles Olympic Games two years later. He has since become a lynchpin of the Spanish team, although he is based near Deauville in France.
His relationship with Guarana Champeix is a long one. “I have him since he was five and he is a nice horse, he always tries to do his best – in fact he is a good friend of mine!” the rider pointed out. “He has done plenty of Nations Cups and has a lot of experience” he added, and obviously the stallion is enjoying the early stages of this indoor jumping season because he finished fifth in Oslo just seven days ago.
Asked about today's track and the surprising number of problems it presented, Latham explained “the distances were difficult, they were both long and short so you couldn't settle into any kind of rhythm – to be honest I only got into a rhythm when we came back into the ring for the jump-off”. And he wasn't sure he had been quick enough against the clock until it was all over. “The later riders are always faster than the first and I thought Engemann was quick but then he hit a fence and was a little slower” he said.
Today's result has given the rider a hunger for further success – “I'd like to go to more qualifiers if my Federation will let me” he pointed out and he's hoping to get to Verona for the next leg and to Gothenburg for the final next April.
Results (21.10.07)
Rolex FEI World Cup TM Jumping presented by Glitnir
FEI Art. 238.2.2 – Table A 1m60 with one jump-off
1º Guarana Champeix / Rutherford Latham (Esp) / 0 / 0 38.26
2º Quintero La Silla / Rolf Göran Bengtsson (Swe) / 0 / 0 43.94
3º Aboyeur W / Heinrich Hermann Engemann (Ger) / 0 / 4 38.85
4º Madick / Helena Lundbäck (Swe) / 4 – 67.16
5º Air Jordan Z / Daniel Deusser (Ger) / 4 – 67.30
6º Quintero 4 / Omar Bonomelli (Ita) / 4 – 67.82
7º Isaac Du Jonquet / Mikael Forsten (Fin) / 4 – 67.94
8º Tagerups Agenda / Andreas Schou (Den) / 4 – 68.03
9º Grim St. Clair / Thomas Velin (Den) / 4 – 70.19
10º Nirmette / Markus Fuchs (Sui) / 4 – 70.86