Oslo’s Telenor Arena in Fornebu can seat 25,000 people, and is considered one of the largest indoor stadiums in Europe.
For that reason, it makes an ideal, season-opening venue for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League: providing enough space for a smooth transition from show jumping’s sprawling outdoor tracks to the more-technical demands of the indoor season.
But that didn’t mean that Course Designer Peter Lundtröm pulled any punches.
Quite the opposite, in fact. Only four combinations in the field of 40 jumped clear on Lundtröm’s challenging test of agility and power in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier in Oslo. Fortunately, Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet and Bond Jamesbond de Hay had those two traits in spades.
“He’s amazing. He makes me feel like I’m a good rider,” Wathelet said of the 13-year-old Selle Français stallion. “Bond has great scope and a lot of flexibility, which is rare given his big, massive body.
“When walking the course, I immediately saw that the obstacles came up quickly after the turns. It was a tough course right from the start, and the [opening round’s] tight time limit of 73 seconds made it even more challenging.”
It was similarly difficult jump-off round, where once again, Wathelet and Bond pulled out a clear in 43.17 seconds—the only pair to do so. Runner-up Edouard Schmitz of Switzerland and Gamin van’t Naastveldhof and third-place finisher Julien Gonin of France with Valou du Lys each had a rail down on the shortened course.
“This was Bond’s first indoor event after the outdoor season, and I believe he could get into a bit more [of a] routine. However, I chose to give him some rest before this competition because we just finished three days of competition in Brussels (CSIO5*),” explained Wathelet.
The Belgian rider added that hopes to qualify the stallion for FEI World Cup Finals in Basel this April alongside his longtime 14-year-old ESH gelding, Ace of Hearts. “Ever since [Bond and I] became a combination, we’ve been delivering clear rounds almost every time.”
He isn’t kidding. With nearly €1,027,000 in earnings under Wathelet since he took over the reins in April of 2023, the pair jump clear at 50% in 44 rounds at 1.60m+, according to Jumpr. They finish in the top 10 an even more impressive 61% of the time.
It’s a standard Bond has maintained since his time under French Olympian Kevin Staut, jumping clear at 50% in just eight rounds at 1.60m in nearly the same length of time. The stallion has, however, stealthily improved his top 10 finishes by more than 20% under Wathelet’s saddle, leading to their first *5 victory together at the Longines FEI World Cup qualifier in Lyon last November.
And now, the pair have their first 2024 *5 qualifier and 20 coveted Western European League points in-hand, with the majority of the season still to come. How very Bond-like indeed.