Marco Kutscher (GER) today, Sunday 29 January 2012, won the tenth leg of the Rolex FEI World CupTM Jumping Western European League in Zurich, Switzerland.

Riding Cornet Obolensky, Marco Kutscher won the seven horse jump-off ahead of Patrice Delaveau (FRA) riding Ornella Mail HDC and Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) riding Cevo Itot du Chateau who finished in third place.

The 13 year old stallion produced an exhibition of effortless jumping to outclass the rest of the 40-strong field on a tough day that saw six riders opting to retire in the opening round.

Course designer, Rolf Ludi, really piled on the pressure with a colossal track that quickly separated the best from the rest.  But one man who was unfortunate to miss a place in the seven-horse jump-off was Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts whose 14 year old Kassini Jac left all the fences intact, only to be penalised for crossing the finish line just outside the 69-second time limit. 

Kutscher’s result has rocketed him up from 13th to fourth place on the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping leaderboard going into the last two qualifying legs at Bordeaux, France next weekend and Gothenburg, Sweden two weeks later. 

It was relentless from the outset - with even the opening vertical putting paid to the ambitions of many.  The massive white oxer at fence five, jumped off a left-hand turn, was completely demolished by the pathfinding Italian partnership of Roberto Arioldi and Lastrup who subsequently retired, and although Beat Mandli, one of 11 Swiss starters from the field of 40, produced a copybook clear when third to go, another 18 horses took their turn before Delaveau ensured a jump-off with a whirlwind tour of the track with the buzzy Ornella Mail HDC. 

Photo: Karl-Heinz Frieler/FEI

Two horses later, Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander and the brilliant little Cevo Itot du Chateau followed suit, and then Kutscher and his grey wonder-horse turned on the style to do likewise.  Portugal’s Luciana Diniz and Winningmood, Frenchman Simon Delestre with Napoli du Ry and Great Britain’s Ben Maher and Tripple X completed the jump-off line-up as the challenging track continued to otherwise take its toll.  The massive 2.10 metre wide triple bar at fence ten was an enormous test, as was the penultimate triple combination which proved highly influential.

It was an emotional moment for the winning rider.  “Two years ago my horse had a fall on the road here in Zurich and injured his foot - he was out of action for a year and when he came back to work we had to start again at zero” Kutscher explained.  On his return to indoor jumping last season the stallion didn’t show anything like his usual form - “I often wondered if he would ever come back and be the same again - but today I got my answer!” the happy rider said. 

“He’s in super form again now and this is my first time to win a big Grand Prix like this with him so it’s a very special day!  Normally he’s not the fastest horse in the world, he gets a lots of chances in Grand Prix competitions but the result depends a lot on the jump-off track.  He has a slow canter but a very big jump - today the course was perfect for him and I took a lot of risk in the turns because I know he can really jump anything!  He was fantastic!” said the elated rider.