SWITZERLAND’s Martin Fuchs and Clooney 51 finally took the top spot on the podium last Sunday evening after two runner-up finishes at previous championships in the last year.

In what was one of the most exciting final rounds in many years, 27-year-old Fuchs pipped Britain’s Ben Maher at the very end to become the sixth Swiss rider in the 62-year history of the event to claim the individual gold medal.

There were no Irish representatives in the show jumping final following the decision by Peter Moloney, who was lying 13th, and Darragh Kenny (in 17th), to withdraw and save their horses for the upcoming Nations Cup Final in Barcelona following the failure of the team to secure one of the three Olympic qualification places on offer.

Sunday’s final for the top 25 began with Maher in pole position aboard Poden Farms’ talented Explosion W. The pair began well in Wednesday’s opening Table C to lie in third place, and jumped themselves into the lead in the first round of Friday’s team final.

Fuchs faulted once on the opening day to finish in 20th position but, helped by two masterful clear rounds over Thursday’s and Friday’s courses, lay in bronze position going into the final day, just behind Belgium’s Jos Verlooy and Igor, the combination who were part of the gold medal-winning team on Friday. There was less than a fence between the top three.

Maher was foot-perfect over the first round on Sunday’s final to hold onto the lead, but when Verlooy faulted at the triple combination, Fuchs moved into the silver medal position.

Just 12 of the top-25 went into the second round over another superb track designed by The Netherlands’ Louis Konickx. In the closing stages defending European champions Peder Fredricson with H&M All In, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann with Toveks Mary Lou and Simone Blum from Germany with DSP Alice all faulted at the triple combination before it came down to a fight to the finish between the top three.

Verlooy was foot-perfect second time out, collecting just a single time fault, and when Fuchs did exactly the same then all the pressure was on the British rider who was last into the ring.

And he looked to have gold in the bag until the pole on the water-tray vertical two from home fell to gasps from the crowd, meaning he had to settle for silver, catapulting Fuchs to the gold medal.

The Irish connection

Hi groom, the person by Fuchs’ side and always looking after Clooney, Irishman Sean Vard, was first to congratulate the rider. Sean is the son of Taylor Vard, who is part of the Irish show jumping team management and was also in Rotterdam.

Speaking about Vard, Fuchs said: “Sean has been with me a couple of years and is a great groom, friend, supporter and the best person that has ever followed me to the shows.”

His girlfriend, American show jumper Paris Sellon, had a feeling he was going to win the gold. “Unfortunately my girlfriend Paris couldn’t be here this week. I had a little chat with her before my second round today. She just said don’t worry you will win it, she’s been saying that for the last three days and I kept saying don’t jinx it, touch wood, touch wood!

“It looked very much like I would be second again, Ben has been great over the past two years and especially at this championship again I didn’t think I would beat him or that he would make a fault, but obviously I am very happy to be winning here,” he added.

Ben Maher of Britain with the silver medal, Martin Fuchs of Switzerland with the gold medal and Jos Verlooy of Belgium with the bronze \ Dean Mouhtaropoulos Getty Images for FEI

Maher was still delighted with Explosion, jumping his first championships as a 10-year-old. “I really believe in Explosion, he’s giving me some great rides. We always have high expectations coming into a championships, especially with a horse like I am riding now. We are just so lucky to have him, I have had many great horses, but he really loves his job,” he added.

Bertram Allen was in Rotterdam to support his good friend Jos Verlooy on Sunday. “He [Igor] jumped great and I’m very happy that I have given him this medal, he really deserved it,” Verlooy said.

An emotional Martin Fuchs after winning gold

Blum just off podium

Reigning world champion Simone Blum finished fourth aboard DSP Alice. Blum had some time out of the sport earlier this year after surgery on her shoulder. “The following months after Tryon were really hard for me. There was a lot of interviews and not that much time for riding. Then I had a bad fall with Alice in Verona, but we came back, it was actually not a problem.

“I had surgery on my shoulder in the middle of December and had three months break and that was the best decision ever. It was an old injury and after Tryon, I had some back luck and it was two times dislocated so it wasn’t that easy to ride.”

HORSE TO WATCH

Holly Smith’s incredible big gelding Heart Destiny looks to be a horse that will jump at many more major championships in the years to come. Still only a 10-year-old and having already jumped at the 2018 WEG, the pair finished in 10th place overall last week.

British-bred, the Heart Throb gelding jumped at one show in Cavan in November 2015.

“A few people passed by the chance to buy him then. He was a late horse to develop, a big weak horse. The breeder, Stephaine Scott, she gave him all the time in the world. In the middle of his eight-year-old year, he had jumped three 1.20m classes and done working hunters and a few days hunting,” Holly explained.

One year late he was on the British team in Tryon, and now he has contributed to a team bronze medal. “I believe he is one of the best horses in the world,” Smith said.

There was just one Irish-bred show jumper in Rotterdam, and that was the Justin Burke-bred Luibanta BH (Luidam), ridden by Amanda Derbyshire and also part of the bronze medal-winning British team.