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.
Victory is his! #FEIWorldCupFinals champion @steveguerdat exits the arena to deafening cheers from a sold out crowd pic.twitter.com/cGnYogVpc5
— Noelle Floyd.com (@Noelle_Floyd) March 28, 2016
Guerdat delivered, capturing the title for the second consecutive year.
Ohhh yes and the victory of the FEI World Cup™ Jumping Final 2016 of Gothenburg is for Steve & Corbinian… https://t.co/pVzDFEVqPx
— Steve Guerdat (@steveguerdat) March 28, 2016
“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.
Champioooon!! celebrations on the podium. #FEIWorldCupFinals @LonginesEq @steveguerdat pic.twitter.com/kUVEIZbNX4
— The FEI (@myfei_home) March 28, 2016