The King retains his crown

Global superstar King Edward joins the ranks of such legends as Milton and Shutterfly as a back-to-back World Cup winner

- MARTHA TERRY

KING EDWARD added yet another jewel to his gleaming crown by successfully defending his FEI World Cup Final title with Henrik von Eckermann. At the end of three days’ jumping in the Saudi Arabian capital of Riyadh, King Edward was the only horse to go through the three classes without lowering a single pole. He won the speed class, he won the jump-off class and on the final night, he won the two-round decider.

As the only pair to complete the five rounds on a clean sheet, this valiant chestnut was spared a jump-off as the outright winner of the finale. 

He is the first horse to win back-to-back World Cups since Shutterfly did so in 1998/1999, joining an illustrious list that also includes Milton and ET.

But it was not totally plain sailing, as the Swede fell off in the warm-up.

“I’ve been second a few times lately, so yesterday in the jump-off I did not want to be second again; maybe I exaggerated that and paid the price today because it was not as smooth,” said the world number one. “It was a long week. I feel empty now, like someone has pulled the plug out! It is pressure but I like being in pole position so I can focus on myself, and not hope the others have faults.”

Henrik’s jump-off round on day two was astonishing. Landing deep at the second last he “had to go for it to the last and got a bit of a flyer”, to beat compatriot Peder Fredricson and Catch Me Not S by more than two seconds. Peder in turn was nearly three seconds ahead of eye-catchers Jill Humphrey and Chromatic BF. It was an extraordinary rout of a stellar field.