Six of the world’s top ten show jumping athletes were among the 60 who lined up for Guilherme Jorge’s (BRA) course for the 1.55m WEF Challenge Cup. Sweetnam led the charge with his 10-year-old Zangersheide gelding (Comme Il Faut 5 x Lord Z Z) owned together with Voquest, LLC.
“Any win in the WEF is a big deal,” said Sweetnam, who won the Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup during Week 10, also aboard Coriaan van Klapscheut Z. “There were two plans for him this week—one to qualify, and two to win the class.”
With his qualification complete, Sweetnam has elected to pilot his Olympic mount, James Kann Cruz, in the Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix on Saturday.
Stopping the second-round clock at 39.71 seconds, Sweetnam was one of only two double-clear rounds. Reigning European Champion and World No. 4 Richard Vogel (GER) was last to go and a notch too slow to match Sweetnam’s time. He settled for second in 40.53 seconds riding Cloudio, a 12-year-old Casall Ask x San Patrignano Cassini Holsteiner stallion owned by Vogel & Will Equestrian GmbH.
Pushed to third after cinching the fastest time (39.55 seconds)—but suffering an unfortunate rail—was Israel’s Daniel Bluman riding Abigail Wexner’s Hummer Z, a 12-year-old Zangersheide stallion (VDL Harley x Hemmingway).
“He’s brilliant, so consistent, especially now in the last six weeks. We’ve figured each other out, and we’re in contention for most classes,” said Sweetnam of Coriaan van Klapscheut Z. “I felt Coriaan could go clear and have a chance of winning, so I figured it was a good gamble. It keeps Gizmo [James Kann Cruz] fresh for Saturday night.”
The Rolex Series includes seven events—beginning in Wellington and culminating in Brussels—with the world’s top riders competing for the podium. The $1m Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix kicks off the series during Saturday Night Lights on March 28. Thirty athletes from Thursday’s WEF Challenge Cup qualify for Saturday night.
“The Rolex finale at WEF is always a big deal,” continued Sweetnam, who dedicated Thursday’s win to his wife Ali after celebrating her birthday a day earlier. “There’s a real big grand prix feel about it—not just for America—but for really for the world. Now being a million dollars this year, it has even more. It’s a big part of the calendar every year for the best horses.”
