Ian Millar (1988 and 1989). John Whitaker (1990 and 1991). Hugo Simon (1996 and 1997). Rodrigo Pessoa (1998, 1999, 2000). Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (2008 and 2009).

This weekend, Steve Guerdat (SUI) joined the ranks of elite riders who have captured back-to-back victories in the FEI World Cup Final.

The 2015 defending champion lay down two, foot-perfect rounds with the 10-year-old gelding Corbinian in Round III of the 2016 Longines FEI World Cup Final in Gothenburg, Sweden.

It was the nail-biting finale you hope for at a Championship. Five world class horse and rider combinations battling it out for the title. Each round better than the last. A single mistake standing between a podium finish. And fist pumping, of course.

Guerdat delivered, capturing the title for the second consecutive year.

“I was ready to give it a go and give it everything, but I didn’t think I’d stand here in front of you as a winner,” said Guerdat.

“It was important to me to ride better than last year. [I won] but that was the only reason to be happy that day. I didn’t ride very good in the final last year and that stays somewhat in your head always, every time you see those images, video again. So that was my goal..Today, I really felt that [my horse] was fighting for me.”

The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and Emerald NOP took second. Germany’s Daniel Deusser and Cornet d’Amour, third.

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