Beezie Madden takes World Cup jumping title as British riders finish out of the prizes

Beezie Madden won the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping Final in Paris this afternoon (Sunday, 15 April), her second time taking the title.

The first round this afternoon did not juggle the top three from the previous legs when Devin Ryan, Henrik von Eckermann and Beezie Madden all went clear.

In the second round US rider Devin repeated his feat with the fantastic nine-year-old Eddie Blue.

When Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann’s ride Toveks Mary Lou knocked down fence two with his hind legs, he dropped a place to third and Devin moved up to second.

“I didn’t want to come here unless I had a shot and I knew I had an amazing horse,” said Devin.

Beezie and Abigail S Wexner’s Breitling LS had not dropped a fence up to this point, but the second part of the short-striding treble at fence six tumbled. However, she could afford this four penalties and still win so when she added nothing further to her total, the World Cup was hers.

Henrik said: “I have mixed feelings — on the one hand third is not bad, but I was so close to a jump-off with Beezie. It would feel better if she’d gone clear [so that I couldn’t have beaten her even if I’d gone clear].”

Beezie said: “My horse was fantastic and to have the US in one-two is great — it couldn’t have been a better week for us.”

Britain’s Michael Whitaker and his nephew Robert both made it through to the 20-starter second round. In the first round Robert had the first part of the treble at fence 11 down with his mother Clare and Mandy Hall’s Catwalk IV, plus a time-fault, and Michael incurred just one time-penalty on Jayne Bean’s JB’s Hot Stuff.

Round two did not go so well for Michael, who had the oxer at fence seven and the second part of the double at nine down, and had to circle before fence 12. He dropped down to eventual 20th, while Robert’s four faults at the first fence, plus a single time-fault, left him 19th.

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For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Pippa Roome

H&H magazine editor and eventing editor

Pippa is a true eventing geek and has been H&H’s eventing editor since 2005. She has first-hand experience of competing up to British Eventing intermediate and international CCI2*-L level, and has worked in the industry on a top event yard. Pippa enjoys nothing more than immersing herself in the sport at the highest level, reporting from the five-stars and international championships, including the Olympics.