November 20, 2024 
The stakes were high on November 20 during the opening round of the GC Super Cup in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
After all, only eight spots were up for grabs among the 10 teams that took to Course Designer Uliano Vezzani’s 15-effort track ahead of Thursday’s GC Super Cup Semi-Final. All knew the stakes at hand.
By the end of the evening, the Monaco Aces and Madrid in Motion were eliminated from the competition, making way for the top four teams from the regular season, who will rejoin the standings on Day 2 (these include series winners the Cannes Stars, Riesenbeck International, the Stockholm Hearts, and the Doha Falcons).
With clear rounds from Kyle Timm (Casino Calvin) and Lorenzo de Luca (Denver de Talma), the solid-looking Rome Gladiators took second place on a score of 4. Meanwhile, clears from Gilles Thomas (on an especially sharp Luna Van Het Dennehof) and Marcus Ehning (Coolio 42) helped Valkenswaard United to third place on 8.
But if there was a dominant storyline on Wednesday, it would be the historic, triple-clear performance of class winners, the Shanghai Swans. Helmed by Ben Maher (Point Break), Max Kühner (Elektric Blue P) and Daniel Deusser (Killer Queen VDM), the Swans repeated 2023’s Quarter Finals rout, once again topping the leaderboard for the second year running. They did so on a zero score, a first in a GC Super Cup Quarter Finals history according to commentator Frederik de Backer.
“We had big expectations here, of course, we’re a very strong team. That it finally worked out like we planned made us very happy tonight,” Deusser told GCTV.
“Through the season, we didn’t jump many times together with these horses,” Maher added of the Swans’ 10th place finish this season. “We really came this week with the experienced horses and hopefully, we’ll put it all together going through the week.”
According to Maher, the team established a plan well ahead of the GC Super Cup, with Christian Ahlmann slated to ride for the squad during tomorrow’s Semi-Final alongside Maher and Deusser, who will jump again on proven mounts Point Break and Killer Queen VDM.
“I’m going to go with a secure feeling into tomorrow due to the fact that my horse jumped very well today,” Deusser continued, pointing out that the four teams joining the competition Thursday will be untried in this particular arena and atmosphere.
“Other than that, to be honest, it basically starts on a zero again tomorrow, [and] only 50% of the teams go through to [Saturday’s Final].”
Maher concurred. “In these scenarios, it can be an advantage to jump the first day. Horses build confidence as they go. Certainly, for my horse, he was a little bit looking around when I went into the ring today. The light is good here, but not super bright, casting a few shadows, and I think that probably caused some horses a few problems this evening.”
How the new squads and combinations will fare under the same conditions tomorrow is anyone’s guess, but Kühner said the Shanghai Swans will continue to bring their A-game. “Playoffs are always something special [where] we want to show off,” he said. “We put all our strengths together with the best horses that we have, and now we will try [to win].”
Their chances look promising. According to Jumpr Stats, Deusser’s 14-year-old Tokyo Olympic mount Killer Queen VDM jumps clear at 1.60m+ at a 46% clip, while Maher’s 10-year-old Swedish warmblood stallion Point Break is clear in 24 1.60m+ rounds at 50%. Meanwhile, Ahlmann will join aboard Mandato van de Neerheide, a 12-year-old BWP stallion who’s more of a wildcard, producing 28% clears in 65 rounds at 1.60m+.
Stats aside, the playing field will be fully open for the 12 teams slated to jump in tomorrow’s Semi-Final, all of whom will start the day on a zero score. The action kicks off at 20:10 local time tomorrow on GCTV.
