December 9, 2024 
As the size of a jump-off field increases, so does the size of the question mark.
Even among a stacked field of top-ranked competitors (think: World No. 1 Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward), more riders equals more opportunities—and pressure—to solve the course’s riddle. Maybe that means opting for a previously “impossible” leave-out stride, or making an especially tight turn-back to a tall fence.
For some competitors, the option to risk it all becomes ever-more tempting.
That was the case in the jump-off for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup qualifier at La Coruña, Spain on Sunday, December 8th—a class which was nothing if not a roll of the dice.
A full 14 competitors jumped clear on Santiago Varela’s first-round track, with just tenths of a second separating first-place finisher Philipp Weishaupt of Germany aboard Coby 8 (36.11 seconds) from second-place competitor Robert Whitaker of Great Britain with Vermento (36.56).
Spain’s Jesus Garmendia Echevarria was third aboard Callias (37.19 seconds), while von Eckermann and King Edward suffered an uncharacteristic ‘drive-by- at the final fence in the jump-off, settling for 13th place.
“I’m over the moon with him. Coby…what a fighter!” Weishaupt said of the speedy, 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding, who went flat-out from start to finish on the shortened course.
In five years together, the pair have won more than €2.2 million, thanks in part to four, 1.60m grand prix wins, and a previous 1.55m FEI World Cup qualifier victory in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2021, according to Jumpr.
With 11, top three results, Coby 8 also sits at #10 for all time podium finishes among 14-year-old horses at 1.60m.
For Weishaupt—whose top horse and Olympic mount, Zineday, was sold to Eve Jobs (USA) in October—the relatively unexpected win couldn’t have happened at a better place. As one of the few remaining riding arenas (as opposed to converted event centers) on the international circuit, La Coruña is among the German rider’s favorite venues to compete.
“That makes it very special here,” he said, adding that La Coruña is also one of Coby’s favorites, having also taken home a 1.55m class there two years ago.
With 20 points toward the Western European League FEI World Cup 2024/2025 standings, Weishaupt now sits in 19th place overall. France’s Kevin Staut currently leads on 49 points, while La Coruña runner-up Robert Whitaker sits in second on 45 points—thanks to his previous win in Helsinki, also aboard Vermento.
“[Vermento] jumped amazing. To finish second is very good,” Whitaker said of the 11-year-old homebred stallion. “I think I’ll have enough points now,” he added of qualifying for the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Final in the spring. “We’ll just see what happens.”
For Weishaupt’s part, 2024/2025 Finals wasn’t actually on his radar—until now. “I was not really planning on a World Cup Final. We have to restructure the plan a little bit,” he said.
The top 18 riders from the Western European League standings will qualify for that Final in St. Jakobshalle Basel, Switzerland (April 2-6). Two qualification legs remain for the League this month: London ExCel (December 22) and Mechelen, Belgium (December 30).
