Perfection Under Pressure: The 2024 GCL Super Cup

The energy in the arena was electric as the competition unfolded in Riyadh for the €6.5 million GCL Super Cup. As the world’s best riders prepared to face two challenging 1.60m courses, the stakes could not have been higher. Every stride and every jump carried the weight of a team’s season-long aspirations, culminating in a showdown that pushed the boundaries of athleticism, precision, and teamwork.

Round 1

As Round 1 got underway it seemed to be anyone’s game. The top three teams of the season, including defending Super Cup winners Riesenbeck International powered by Kingsland Equestrian and 2024 Season Champions the Cannes Stars powered by Iron Dames, had qualified for the Final alongside 2019 winners the Shanghai Swans. 

2024 Season Champions the Cannes Stars had yet to have the Super Cup they were hoping for, having qualified for the Finals by the slimmest of margins as the sixth-place team in the Semi Final. But with the scoreboard reset to zero, it all came down to the Final.

Setting off on course looking for redemption, Sophie Hinners and Iron Dames My Prins had one rail down, putting the team on 4 right out of the gate. With 8 penalties for Katrin Eckermann on Iron Dames Cala Mandia NRW, the hopes of the Season Champions sweeping the year and securing a Super Cup win seemed to slip away. A final rail down for Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmerman on Messi van ‘t Ruytershof meant four rails down in Round 1 for a total of 16 penalties. The Stars’ chances of securing a podium finish among such a prestigious field of competitors looked slim.

The Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses wowed the crowd as they took to the arena, with all three riders coming home clear. Nicola Philippaerts riding Katanga v/h Dingeshof, Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Indiana, and Julien Epaillard on Donatello d’Auge had delivered a masterclass of perfection. The Hearts had put the pressure on the teams to come.

Defending victors Riesenbeck International had managed a strong showing in the Semi Final, securing a good starting order as the second to last to go in Round 1. The kings of consistency got it done, with Eoin McMahon aboard Mila and Christian Kukuk on Checker 47 coming home clear and PhilippWeishaupt with Coby 8 acquiring just 4 faults. The defending winners sat in second place going into the final round.

The team that had emerged as the powerhouse team over the Quarter and Semi Final, the Shanghai Swans, seemed to be the favorite headed into the Finals with their star-studded lineup and stellar horsepower. With Ben Maher and Point Break and Daniel Deusser on Killer Queen VDM posting clear rounds, it looked like the Swans might sweep the finals and become the first team ever to win the Super Cup twice. Third to go for the team was Max Kühner on Elektric Blue P. An uncharacteristic 2 rails on course meant that the Swans went into Round 2 on 8 penalties.

Round 2

As the doors opened for Round 2, teams had one last chance to fight for the jaw dropping €6.5 million and spectacular prize of a trip to the Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay presented by Hilton Luxury Brands.

Sitting on their Round 1 score of 16, the Cannes Stars rode into the ring knowing that in show jumping, it’s never over till it’s over. Their hopes were high, but even as Katrin Eckermann and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmerman delivered clear rounds, the powerhouse team of the season would not be able to claim one final podium in 2024.

The Shanghai Swans, with their dream lineup of show jumping heavy weights, entered as favorites. Point Break, piloted by Maher, made history as the first horse in GCL Super Cup history to jump quadruple clear rounds. Kühner’s near-perfect ride on Elektric Blue P was undone by a single rail, leaving the Swans on 12 penalties but still in the lead with just two teams to go.

Riesenbeck International knew that an unprecedented back-to-back Super Cup win was within reach. Eoin McMahon delivered a brilliant clear on Mila, but it was not Philipp Weishaupt’s day as the German talent added eight penalties to the score. The incredible duo of Christian Kukuk and Checker 47 set off on course with Ludger Beerbaum’s anxious gaze from the sidelines. The pair added one final rail, dropping the team to 16 penalties and second place behind the Swans, dashing their hopes of a repeat victory.

Last to go, the Stockholm Hearts entered the arena, armed with a plan and unwavering focus. Nicola Philippaerts on Katanga v/h Dingeshof started strong despite a rail in the tipple combination, setting the stage for Malin Baryard-Johnsson and her legendary H&M Indiana. A flawless round brought the crowd to their feet, and Baryard-Johnsson’s radiant smile told the story of a job well done.

The final rider, Julien Epaillard, knew what was at stake. Known for his incredible speed, the crowd waited with bated breath as the flying Frenchman set off. Riding Donatello d’Auge, Epaillard delivered a masterful round, blending precision and speed to bring home the win. The packed crowd erupted as the pair crossed the finish line to clinch victory for the Stockholm Hearts.

With that, Riesenbeck International and the Shanghai Swans were denied a second Super Cup victory. The Stockholm Hearts had won their first ever Super Cup, sitting atop the leaderboard after a regular season that saw them settle for third place. Taking home the lions’ share of the €6.5 million on offer and a trip for each of the riders to the Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay presented by Hilton Luxury Brands, 2024 ended on the ultimate high for the Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses.