Four gruelling rounds. Four foot perfect performances. King Edward and Henrik von Eckermann were at the top of their game in Riyadh.
The world dominating pair didn’t just successfully defend their Longines FEI World Cup Final title in Saudi Arabia, they left no question about it, leading from start to finish without dropping a single rail all week.
“It’s amazing. It’s something I could never dream of when I was younger that I would be two times winning after each other,” said the exhausted and delighted Swede on Saturday.
von Eckermann might not have imagined it, but the Jumpr stats certainly predicted it. At 14, his chestnut phenom is at the peak of his career and exceptional by every metric.
91% Clear Round Average
King Edward’s clear round average over 11 rounds at 1.60m in 2024 is an unprecedented 91% (Jumpr App). That’s show jumping genius status.
It’s also their highest clear round stat to date.
Over the same period in 2023, they were clear in an already impressive 78% in nine classes at the height. The year prior, 2022, when they first achieved world no. 1 status, that stat was 89%.
For context, HH Azur had a 82% clear round average (over 11 rounds) at the height of her career in 2022.
His all-time earnings are €3,582,674
That’s not just a tidy sum, it’s a figure on par with the highest earning horses of the past quarter century.
King Edward’s closest rivals in earnings are HH Azur, who’s won €3,765,124 with USA’s McLain Ward and Gazelle at €3,525,681 with USA’s Kent Farrington. Both horses are now retired.
Within King Edward’s age group, the highest earning 14-year-olds are Killer Queen Vdm at €2.85 million and Checker 47 at €1.93 million. Take that in for a moment. The third highest earning 14-year-old show jumper since 1999 has brought in €1.6 million less than King Edward.
36 podium finishes at 1.60m or higher
No horse in the past 25 years has earned more podium finishes at 1.60m and above than King Edward. And by a longshot.
The chestnut gelding has 36 and counting. The second most frequent podium finishers at the height are Hermes Ryan and HH Azur, tied on 32, followed by Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z with 30 and Explosion W on 28.
His closest rival by age is Beauville Z N.O.P. at a distant 23.
King Edward also has the most Grands Prix wins with 10 titles—all 5* and at 1.60m or higher. That’s more than any 14-year old horse in the past 25 years. (Killer Queen Vdm has 6. Beauville Z N.O.P., 5.)
Only three horses have won more Grands Prix in the past 25 years and they all have several years on King Edward, which means he’s likely to move up the list. Those are 18-year-olds Gazelle (15 Grand Prix wins) and HH Azur (14) and 16-year-old Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z (11).
King Edward is quite literally king of the ring.