On Friday evening, The Longines Christmas Cracker took centre stage in London’s Olympia arena. The international 1.55m jump-off class counted for the Longines Ranking and attracted a field of 35 combinations. The outcome was decided in a lightning-fast jump-off, where the top five all stayed faultless and the final placings were separated by mere hundredths of a second.
Victory went to Luxembourg’s Victor Bettendorf aboard Doha de Riverland (Nabab de Rêve), who kept a clear round in the jump-off and stopped the clock in the fastest time of 28.45 seconds.
Great Britain’s Donald Whitaker followed in second with Millfield Colette (Cornet Obolensky), also producing a faultless jump-off in 28.58 seconds. Third place went to Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen with the Zangersheide mare Cupcake Z (Chacco-Blue), jumping double-clear to secure a podium finish in 29.01 seconds.
Jessica Mendoza finished fourth with In the Air (Air Jordan) after a clear jump-off in 29.13 seconds, while France’s Marc Dilasser completed the top five with Make my Day Z du Gevres (Mylord Carthago HN), another Zangersheide-bred horse, also faultless in 29.37 seconds.
