For Karrie Rufer, it was love at first lick.

The American show jumper first encountered Mr. Europe, aka “Eddie,” while on a shopping expedition in the Netherlands. She was in search of a horse with five-star potential, but was won over by then nine-year-old gelding before she even set foot in a stirrup.

“I went up to him and started petting him, and he just started licking my face. I was like, OK, you’re mine. I don’t even care what you do. Just come home [with me].”

The sweet natured KWPN gelding proved equally appealing under saddle.

“The feeling I got from him [on that first ride] was so incredible,” recalled Rufer. “I’d seen videos of him and I was kind of like, I’m not sure if it’s really my horse or my ride. He’s a little bit bigger. But getting on him, the way that he jumped with me was so different from what I’d seen in videos, and I just thought that was that, on top of him licking my face. I was sold.”

In the four years since, Mr. Europe has become one of Rufer’s most reliable partners, fulfilling her five star ambitions and more.

“He’s been fantastic for me. I jumped my first five star grand prix in Wellington on him. I jumped him in Spruce Meadows. I’ve been able to jump so many big tracks on him and he’s just so confidence building,” said Rufer.

“He’s so sweet to me. He never would put a foot wrong if he [can help it]. I wouldn’t say he’s the careful-est horse, but as one of my first bigger grand prix horses, I thought it was more important that the horse was always going to go and always take me. And I’ve definitely felt him multiple times, kind of hold my hand and be like, Come on, we’re going to do it.”

On Thursday, Rufer needed no such reassurances. The northern California-based rider picked up not one but two 1.40m wins at Thermal’s Desert International Horse Park, including the week’s first FEI class.

In the morning, Rufer captured the $5,000 Desert Flight Open 1.40m Classic with Stern dei Folletti, crossing the finish line five seconds faster than runners up Cassio Rivetti (BRA) and Chappuis 14 (67.9 seconds to 72.816). In the very next class, she went on to win the $5,000 Pomponio Ranch Two Phase CSI3* with Mr. Europe, besting trainer Conor Swail (IRL) and Erroll by five tenths a second (27.23 to 27.77).

Watch their winning ride:

“He loves his job. So for me, it’s just so nice when we both have a good day where it just flows and everything’s coming up nicely and he ends up winning,” said the newly engaged rider.

FEI jumping continues this week with the Marshall & Sterling 1.50m Speed CSI3* on Friday, the Premier Rehab Center 1.45m Classic and the FarmVet National Grand Prix on Saturday, culminating with the week’s feature event, the Sun Air Jets 1.55m Grand Prix CSI3* on Sunday. Catch it all on deserthorsepark.com.