A total of ten combinations qualified for the jump-off, five of them under the Belgian flag. This gave the home crowd a 50% chance of seeing a winner from their own country. However, Hans-Dieter Dreher and Vestmalle des Cotis (Balou du Rouet) flipped the odds and secured a German victory. Gilles Thomas had to settle for silver aboard his Olympic mount, Ermitage Kalone (Catoki), while Pieter Devos took bronze with his own bred Casual DV (Cornet Obolensky).
"My horse jumped amazing and I could trust him 100%," Dreher said after winning the World Cup. "Vestmalle is normally a very sensative horse. Today he was a bit nervous but we could handle it. To be honest, the course builder did a really good job and it was a very fair course to ride."
"My main goal is now to go focus on Basel. Thanks to this win I'm qualified and will start my preparations for it," the German rider concludes. Pieter Devos (BEL) was close again. Last year he finished fourth. "I will have to come back competing in Mechelen until I win this World Cup," he smiled afterwards.
Exciting Jump-Off delivers the win!
Jos Verlooy was the first to start with Parise van den Dael (Zazu) but incurred a jumping fault at the entrance to the double due to a slight loss of tempo. Gilles Thomas started sharply, immediately capturing the audience’s attention, who leaned further forward in their seats. Riding Ermitage Kalone (Catoki), the Olympian and double Belgian champion delivered the first clear round, clocking in at 36.22 seconds. The Belgians followed each other smoothly, with Gregory Wathelet entering the arena third on Bond Jamesbond de Hay (Diamant de Semilly), another Olympic ace like Thomas. The stallion responded perfectly to his rider's commands, finishing with only half a second more on the clock. Final time: 36.76 seconds.
More Olympic power entered the ring with 25-year-old Edouard Schmitz from Switzerland, riding the 15-year-old Quno (Quo Vados). The pair started slightly slower but perfectly mimicked the turns of their predecessors, finishing faultlessly in 38.20 seconds. Another Belgian appeared through the gate: Olivier Philippaerts rode Precious Dwerse Hagen (Cornet Obolensky) back into the Christmas arena. The pair maintained a smooth rhythm but could not match Thomas's round, ending with a time of 38.31 seconds.
One of the most formidable opponents entered the ring: Willem Greve with Highway TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek). Earlier this year, Greve narrowly missed World Cup victory in Amsterdam and was undoubtedly eager for redemption. Like Verlooy, the rail fell on the first jump of the double, albeit with a slight delay. Erika Lickhammer - Van Helmond was the first female rider to compete, on I. Comme Tessa Vhl (Comme Il Faut). The duo was faultless but posed no threat to the Belgian leader. Sandra Auffarth, the second and only other female rider, rode Quirici H (Frh Quaid). Again, the turn to the double proved costly for this combination.
Two riders remained. Before Pieter Devos could take the spotlight, Hans-Dieter Dreher entered the arena with Vestmalle des Cotis (Baloubet du Rouet). Having come close to victory in both 2022 and 2023, could he finally claim the win this time? With just eight-hundredths of a second, the German dethroned Gilles Thomas, securing at least a podium finish.
Only Pieter Devos remained with a chance to bring the victory home. Riding the 9-year-old Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky), a horse of his own breeding, Devos delivered a spectacular performance. The top three finished incredibly close, but with a time of 36.26 seconds, Devos claimed the bronze medal.
"My horse jumped amazing and I could trust him 100%," Dreher said after winning the World Cup. "Vestmalle is normally a very sensative horse. Today he was a bit nervous but we could handle it. To be honest, the course builder did a really good job and it was a very fair course to ride."
"My main goal is now to go focus on Basel. Thanks to this win I'm qualified and will start my preparations for it," the German rider concludes. Pieter Devos (BEL) was close again. Last year he finished fourth. "I will have to come back competing in Mechelen until I win this World Cup," he smiled afterwards.
Exciting Jump-Off delivers the win!
Jos Verlooy was the first to start with Parise van den Dael (Zazu) but incurred a jumping fault at the entrance to the double due to a slight loss of tempo. Gilles Thomas started sharply, immediately capturing the audience’s attention, who leaned further forward in their seats. Riding Ermitage Kalone (Catoki), the Olympian and double Belgian champion delivered the first clear round, clocking in at 36.22 seconds. The Belgians followed each other smoothly, with Gregory Wathelet entering the arena third on Bond Jamesbond de Hay (Diamant de Semilly), another Olympic ace like Thomas. The stallion responded perfectly to his rider's commands, finishing with only half a second more on the clock. Final time: 36.76 seconds.
More Olympic power entered the ring with 25-year-old Edouard Schmitz from Switzerland, riding the 15-year-old Quno (Quo Vados). The pair started slightly slower but perfectly mimicked the turns of their predecessors, finishing faultlessly in 38.20 seconds. Another Belgian appeared through the gate: Olivier Philippaerts rode Precious Dwerse Hagen (Cornet Obolensky) back into the Christmas arena. The pair maintained a smooth rhythm but could not match Thomas's round, ending with a time of 38.31 seconds.
One of the most formidable opponents entered the ring: Willem Greve with Highway TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek). Earlier this year, Greve narrowly missed World Cup victory in Amsterdam and was undoubtedly eager for redemption. Like Verlooy, the rail fell on the first jump of the double, albeit with a slight delay. Erika Lickhammer - Van Helmond was the first female rider to compete, on I. Comme Tessa Vhl (Comme Il Faut). The duo was faultless but posed no threat to the Belgian leader. Sandra Auffarth, the second and only other female rider, rode Quirici H (Frh Quaid). Again, the turn to the double proved costly for this combination.
Two riders remained. Before Pieter Devos could take the spotlight, Hans-Dieter Dreher entered the arena with Vestmalle des Cotis (Baloubet du Rouet). Having come close to victory in both 2022 and 2023, could he finally claim the win this time? With just eight-hundredths of a second, the German dethroned Gilles Thomas, securing at least a podium finish.
Only Pieter Devos remained with a chance to bring the victory home. Riding the 9-year-old Casual DV Z (Cornet Obolensky), a horse of his own breeding, Devos delivered a spectacular performance. The top three finished incredibly close, but with a time of 36.26 seconds, Devos claimed the bronze medal.