Swiss rider Steve Guerdat wins silver in Paris

Only one trio out of 30 finalists completed the course—a testament to the challenging task that demanded the utmost from horse and rider, overtaxing some of the duos. Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

Steve Guerdat wins the silver medal in the individual competition at the Games in Paris with the mare Dynamix. The Olympic champion is the German Christian Kukuk on the gelding Checker.

Guerdat was one of only three riders to clear the normal course. It was a prelude to the final day, which placed higher demands on horse and rider in the park of the Palace of Versailles than almost ever before in a championship.

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Only one trio out of 30 finalists completed the course—a testament to the challenging task that demanded the utmost from horse and rider, overtaxing some of the duos.

In the jump-off, Guerdat was the last rider to fail at the second-to-last obstacle, a steep jump—securing victory for Kukuk. The rider from the stable of compatriot Ludger Beerbaum, also an Olympic champion, was the only one to complete the shortened course without faults. The third rider in the group, Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten, also had one knockdown with the gelding Beauville.

Five days earlier the Swiss team failed to qualify for the team competition. Keystone

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Twelve years after his Olympic gold medal victory in London, Guerdat has won silver in Paris. Overall, he ensured the sixth Swiss medal in the individual competition. Kukuk was the first German show jumper to win a medal in 28 years, following Ulrich Kirchhoff’s triumph in Atlanta.

Five days earlier, the mood in the Swiss camp was somber after failing to qualify for the team competition, which had led to significant disappointment.

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Martin Fuchs, who had also remained clear in the preliminary competition on Monday with the grey gelding Leone Jei, was on the verge of securing a place in the jump-off. However, the rider from Zurich made a mistake at the last obstacle. Fuchs’ slipped out of the stirrup with his left foot shortly after starting his ride and was unable to correct the mishap.

Translated from German by DeepL/amva

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