Deusser does it again: victory in Challenge Cup Wellington

Deusser does it again: victory in Challenge Cup Wellington


Daniel Deusser (GER) continued his winning ways at the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF), this time aboard Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, owned by Stephex and Scuderia 1918, taking top spot in the $73,000 Adequan® WEF Challenge Cup Round 7 held in the International Arena on Thursday, February 25, at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC).


Week 7 of WEF runs from February 24-28 and features exciting CSI5* competition sponsored by Lugano Diamonds, along with a concurrent CSI2*. Friday’s schedule is highlighted by the $37,000 Bainbridge Companies 1.45m Classic CSI5* and $37,000 Griffis Residential 1.45m Qualifier CSI2*. Saturday night all eyes will be on the $401,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSI5* as part of “Saturday Night Lights,” followed by the $73,000 CaptiveOne Advisors 1.50m Classic CSI5* and $50,000 Griffis Residential Grand Prix CSI2* taking place on Sunday.

Deusser, who has already picked up three wins during the 2021 WEF winter circuit including the CSI4* grand prix during WEF 4, piloted his veteran partner Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide stallion by Tangelo Vd Zuuthoeve x Mr Blue, to a double-clear finish. The pair executed the track with precision, leaving out a stride for an efficient turn between fences one and two, as well as one less stride down to the delicate Lugano Diamonds double combination, which proved to be a difficult test in the jump-off round. Deusser and ‘Tobi,’ who arrived in Wellington less than a week ago, stopped the clock in 39.15 seconds to take the victory by a margin of nearly one second.

“We have been a team for many, many years,” said Deusser. “There is a reason why he’s been my number one horse. I know him well, and he knows exactly what to do in the ring. On Sunday, I jumped a couple of jumps because he hasn’t shown in two months and I thought he might be a little rusty and stiff. I started yesterday in the 1.40m competition just to see how he was in the ring but even yesterday, straight away, it was a different feeling. He knows that it counts in the ring. That’s why I entered him today, and you couldn’t really see that he’d had a two-month break. In the end, he shows he’s a bit cleverer than most of the other horses I ride.”

Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes captured second place with H5 Elvaro for H5 Sport Horses, LLC. Menezes and the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion by Calvaro F.C. x Heartbreaker, set the pace for the class as the first to return for the second round, jumping double clear in 40.12 seconds.Wednesday’s 1.45m CSI5* winner McLain Ward (USA) jumped his Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final winning partner HH Azur, owned by Double H Farm and Francois Mathy, to a third-place finish. Ward and the 15-year-old Belgian Sport Horse mare by Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Sir Lui put forth a double-clear effort in 40.58 seconds.

Deusser, who sits third in the world rankings, continues to produce clear rounds each week at WEF. The latest member of his string of horses to join him in Wellington is one he’s found a great deal of success with including a third-place finish with the German team at FEI Nations Cup™ Final in Barcelona and a fourth-place finish at the FEI World Cup Final™ in 2019.