Willem Greve stamps his authority in Stuttgart
An elated Willem Greve (NED) capitalised on his pole position of final draw in a seven-strong jump-off to take victory in the fourth leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ 2025/2026 qualifier held in Stuttgart (GER) aboard the exciting 10-year-old mare Pretty Woman van’t Paradijs N.O.P. In doing so he relegated Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida’s (POR) early target-setting round to second with the exciting grey mare Karonia.L whilst Peder Fredricson (SWE) claimed the final podium position aboard Alcapone des Carmille.
Martin Fuchs (SUI) was the first athlete to provide all the answers to Christa Jung’s 13-fence track. Incorporating three combinations including a double of verticals, a vertical-oxer- vertical treble and a Liverpool oxer to vertical double, her course demanded accurate riding, a fine balance of power and finesse alongside top rideability and obedience from equine athletes. Testament to her course building prowess, four faults was par for the course and many brilliant rounds were denied a clear round with the dislodging of a rail.
Fallen fences were evenly distributed around the course with 15 of the 17 jumping efforts hotting the pristine surface over the duration of the first round. Two brilliant rounds of Jumping were marred only by the clock as Alain Jufer (SUI) and Dante MM and Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Untouched LB gave exhibitions of Jumping at the expense of a time fault.
Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida (POR), already a winner this week at Stuttgart and enjoying an incredible year which has seen him rise to 69th in the Longines Rankings, produced the second clean sheet with the 10-year-old Karonia.L from their 17th draw.
Two of the host nations’ pre-class favourites’ chances fell by the wayside in quick succession when both last week’s Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Verona (ITA) victors, Daniel Deusser (GER) and Gangster v/h Noddevelt and Richard Vogel (GER) aboard his dual Stuttgart World Cup winner and reigning Individual European Champion United Touch S both succumbed to a rail down having looked certain of gaining a spot in the jump-off.
Max Kühner (AUT) (Blues d’Aveline), Kevin Staut (FRA) (Visconti du Telman) and Peder Fredricson (SWE) showed their class and experience when producing clear rounds number three, four and five. But it wasn’t until the final few athletes of round one that the sixth and seventh combinations added their names to the start list for round two’s decider against the clock.
Yuri Mansur (BRA) showcased the experience of the ever-green QH Alfons Santo Antonio as the spring- heeled gelding skipped around the track in a manner that belied his 18 years of age. Drawn 37th of the 40 pre-qualified athletes, Willem Greve them produced a textbook round that epitomised horsemanship and harmony between horse and athlete to produce the seventh and final clear thus cementing their place with pole-position in the jump-off.
Jung presented athletes with an unusually long jump-off track comprising nine fences and ten efforts. Martin Fuchs set the pace with a classy quick clear aboard the 10-year-old stallion L&L Lorde in 47.00 seconds. The on-form Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida followed with his exciting partner, the 10-year-old grey mare Karonia.L. Having impressed in round one with her athleticism, adjustability and quick reactions, she once again matched her jockey’s enthusiasm stride for stride as she sped around the track’s twists, turns and long gallops; ears pricked, attentive, the pair in total harmony. The clock stopped at 45.08 seconds to award them with a commanding lead.
Kühner faulted early in his attempt to catch the leading pair before Staut and Fredricson challenged with smart clears in 46.47 seconds and 45.29 seconds respectively; both falling short of the standard demanded by Giesteira Almeida. When Mansur faulted there was only one man that could deny the Portuguese star of the greatest win of his career. Aboard another eye-catching 10-year-old mare in Pretty Woman van’t Paradijs, Greve was not about to throw away this golden opportunity of last to go in a Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualifier.
Ever the competitor he set sail from the off and matched the tight turn back to the vertical at fence three and the six strides down to the wall that followed. Then he switched his mount into sports mode, setting a formidable pace on the run down to the oxer at fence five. He saw a risky forward distance to it a way back and committed, his decisiveness instilling such belief and confidence in the game chestnut mare that she didn’t have time to question him and took off a long way back from the fence amid gasps of disbelief from the sell out crowd.
Read more:
https://www.longinestiming.com/equestrian/2025/stuttgart-german-masters-stuttgart/resultlist_09.html
