Swiss Star Is On A Roll

Martin Fuchs’ incredible year ends with World Cup spoils, while two Brits impress in the jump-off

- Penny Richardson And Sarah Radford

London International Horse Show, Olympia

MARTIN FUCHS has been on fire this year. The Swiss rider became an individual European champion this summer, added the first leg of the Rolex Grand Slam at his home show in Geneva earlier this month and finished in style by taking the Longines World Cup honors at Olympia.

Course designer Alan Wade tested the riders with a first-round track that demanded scope and care from horses and technical expertise from their riders, but six top combinations made it through to the jump-off.

There could easily have been more, as American rider Laura Kraut was foot-perfect on her lovely gelding Confu, only to finish a heart-breaking nine-hundredths of a second over the time allowed. Brits Ben Maher (F One USA) and his young compatriot James Wilson (Imagine De Muze) also had to settle for lower placings after the lightest of touches left them both on four faults.