AUSTRIA’S Max Kühner and the Irish Sport Horse gelding EIC Cooley Jump the Q won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup at the London International Horse Show on Sunday.
Just five combinations made it into the jump-off, with the 12-year-old Pam Walshe-bred gelding proving unbeatable when posting the fastest of three double clear rounds in 33.94 seconds. Britain’s Donald Whitaker had held the early lead with Millfield Colette and went on to finish as runner-up with a clear in 35.52, while Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and the 12-year-old gelding Chatolinue PS finished in third place with the only other double clear in 37.24. Tipperary’s Tom Wachman took 10th place with Tabasco de Toxandria Z after picking up just two time penalties in the opening round..
“It’s a really good feeling today. In a jump-off like that we listen to the horse and they tell us what’s possible and what’s not. Today we had a very clear communication, I could really feel him telling me what to do and asking which kind of support he needed. It was just a very smooth feeling – we were floating,” said Kühner.
“It’s for sure good and it’s also a good finish of the season which hasn’t been my best season, but it’s now a little bit better than before. I’ve been second here with Elektric Blue when he was 10 years old but I could never win the class, so it’s good to have that in my pocket.”
Irish course designer Alan Wade set a testing first-round track and, of the 37 starters, only five combinations progressed to the jump-off on a zero score.
Several riders delivered clear jumping rounds but were edged out by time faults, including Tom Wachman, the Netherlands’ Hessel Hoekstra, Britain’s Ben Maher, Denmark’s Zascha Nygaard and Belgium’s Rik Hemeryck.
Britain’s Donald Whitaker set the early pace in the jump-off with Milfield Colette, crossing the line in 35.52 seconds to put the pressure on the rest of the field.
“It’s the class at London that you always want to win. I’ve watched all my family doing it – John, Michael, Will. Obviously I wanted to win it, but second, I will take that all day,” said Whitaker.
Reflecting on the jump-off, he added: “She’s naturally fast, so normally I just tried to follow her. Maybe I could have kept it a bit cleverer and a bit tighter in the jump off. I was a little wide and fast whereas Max was cleverer and tighter.
“I can’t be disappointed, though as she tried her absolute heart out, which she does every time. It’s devastating, but at the same time it’s amazing and fantastic. She keeps getting better and better. I don’t know what else she can do. She has done everything this year, at every show. She is one in a million. [She’s] the best horse in the world in my mind, so I’ve got to look after her.”
Second to go, Kühner and EIC Cooley Jump the Q stayed composed and shaved more than a second off Whitaker’s time, taking the lead with a clear round that proved unbeatable.
O’Connor completes the podium
Ireland’s Cian O’Connor finished third with Chatolinue PS after producing the only other clear jump-off round, opting for a steadier approach with the 12-year-old Oldenburg gelding as the partnership is still new.
Britain’s Robert Whitaker looked set to challenge after posting the quickest jump-off time, but a rail down left him fourth with Vermento. France’s Pénélope Leprévost completed the top five with Baloubet de Talma after also finishing on four faults.
After six legs of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League 2025/2026 series, Max Kühner has propelled himself to the top of the league standings with 45 points ahead of Willem Greve (NED) in second on 40. Richard Vogel (GER) lies in third position on 36 points just ahead of Yuri Mansur (BRA), Ben Maher (GBR) and Kevin Staut (FRA) who occupy fourth, fifth and sixth positions respectively on 29 points apiece.
The League resumes with its next stop in Mechelen (BEL) on December 30th. The series then moves on to Basel for leg eight on January 11th before heading to Amsterdam.