WEG Happy Hour: Four Stars Headed to Show Jumping Final, Netherlands Takes Command of Driving Competition

Patrice Delaveau (FRA) and Orient Express HDC. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton. Patrice Delaveau (FRA) and Orient Express HDC. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

The final four competition of the show jumping at WEG is probably one of my favorite events to watch. The riders will have to switch horses for tomorrow’s rounds, really making it a test of horsemanship and instinct. The four riders heading to tomorrow’s final are stars in their own right: Patrice Delaveau (FRA) and Orient Express HDC, Beezie Madden (USA) and Cortes C, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE) and Casall Ask, and Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED) and Zenith SFN.

Thanks to Revolution Sports, we’ve gotten some insight into the final four riders’ thoughts on their rides today and the challenge that is coming up:

Beezie Madden and Cortes C. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Beezie Madden and Cortes C. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Beezie Madden (USA): I thought my horse was super today, I thought the rail in the first round was my fault letting him shift off the ground but I don’t think he touched a fence apart from that, so he was fantastic. McCLain was also super today; that’s the only deflating part of the week, that McLain did not make it through to the Final Four and he just missed out. It (the Final Four) is a different challenge, it’s not something we do except from here, the best thing about it is that it pleases the crowd. I know all the other horses and have seen them over the years, Jeroen’s is the least experienced so I do not know as much about him, but Jeroen is a good friend so he will probably give me a few tips!

Patrice Delaveau (FRA): I am very happy, Caen is so close to my home and I live 40 km from here; for my fans, my owners, my family it is very very fantastic. The atmosphere is very special for French riders. There is very big pressure for the French riders, we have had five days of pressure and I’m delighted that it has finished for today!

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall Ask. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall Ask. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Rolf-Goran Bengtsson (SWE): I feel very good now, in the moment that I finally made it. Of course my fault came very, very early in the course and it was quite a hard fault, of course it was very exciting to keep everything together all the way to the finish line; everything was still very, very open but finally I made it and I feel very good now. There are top riders in the Final Four, with very good horses and it is going to be a great day tomorrow to follow this and see how the situation plays out for the different riders and combinations. To win this would be event better than the European Championship, there is still a long way to go but we are one of the four.

Jeroen Dubbeldam and Zenith SFN. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Jeroen Dubbeldam and Zenith SFN. Photo courtesy of ROLEX/Kit Houghton.

Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED):  It was amazing, he (Zenith) suprised me with what he did in the Team Competition and today I thought he would be over as he is very inexperienced at this level and it would be too much today but it wasn’t too much for him and he surprised me, which was unbelievable. He was not tired at all, even in the second round he was still bucking and playing. I want to enjoy the Final Four tomorrow, I have seen it many times before, but this is the first time I have ridden in it. I know all the other horses very well; we see them every week at the other shows so we don’t really need to prepare differently.

Show Jumping Coverage Links:

Normandy Discipline Page

A Chat with Beezie Madden

Tickets Booked for the Grand Finale

After the marathon phase of the driving competition, the U.S. finds themselves down in the standings, even with a strong showing from Chester Weber and Allison Straud. The Netherlands, Germany, and Hungary hold the podium positions going into the Obstacle Cone phase, with the U.S. in fourth on a score of 292.28.

Individually, Australia’s Boyd Excell takes the lead from Chester Weber on a total score of 125.83. Chester follows in silver position on a 128.6, and the Netherlands’ Theo Timmermann is in bronze position with a 133.88. Competition concludes with the cone course tomorrow.

Driving Coverage Links:

Normandy Discipline Page

Drivers React to a Challenging Marathon Course

 

 

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