Swiss Rider Regains Longines World No.1 Title for New Year

Swiss Rider Regains Longines World No.1 Title for New Year

Swiss Olympic showjumper, Steve Guerdat, has reclaimed the Longines World No.1 title nudging the current leader Harrie Smolders, into second.

Guerdat, who took individual Jumping gold at the London 2012 Olympic Games, has now jumped ahead of the Dutch athlete [Smolders] with a 55-point advantage in the rankings published today by the FEI.

The four-time Olympian last topped the world rankings in November 2012 and his return to the number one slot, on 3,050 points, follows a series of impressive results last month, most notably an emotional victory in the IJRC Top 10 Final on home turf at Geneva.

Individual bronze medallist at the FEI World Equestrian Games Tryon 2018 last September, Guerdat also leads the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League standings and will be aiming for a third victory in the seasonal Final at Gothenburg (SWE) in April after back-to-back wins in 2015 and 2016.

Germany’s Marcus Ehning, fourth in the rankings published at the beginning of December, has now switched places with McLain Ward (USA) to sit third on 2,936 points, 59 adrift of Smolders and just 16 clear of Ward. European champion Peder Fredricson (SWE) remains fifth on 2,815.

Daniel Deusser (GER), Ben Maher (GBR), Henrick von Eckermann (SWE), Beezie Madden (USA) and Guerdat’s compatriot Martin Fuchs (SUI) complete the top 10.

View the complete Longines Rankings here.

Suzanne Ashton

Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.