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Peder and All In star at home – photo Stefano Grosso/LGCT Press Release: LGCTEcstatic Swedish fans celebrated late into the night as home star Peder Fredricson pulled off an epic fairytale win at the debut LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm against compatriot Malin Baryard-Johnsson. In a nail-biting climax to the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Stockholm Peder and H&M All In took the crowd’s breath away with a sensational jump off in the City’s stunning and historic Olympic Stadium. Malin and H&M Indiana finished in second place with Belgium’s Jos Verlooy in third with Caracas. Peder is now qualified for the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Playoffs in Prague in November and rocketed up the overall LGCT ranking to third place behind Daniel Deusser and Pieter Devos. He said: “I am really happy I have qualified for Prague it is a great show.” Emotional after his extraordinary win Peder admitted: “Today feels like the biggest one (win). I am so, so happy, it is a great feeling winning in front of this home crowd in Sweden. It is the best crowd in the world – thank you for coming here today. I am really happy we have another great show in Sweden and I am really grateful for this.” As the Swedish national anthem played out on a warm balmy evening, the ice cool show jumping supremo sang along with the crowd and a beautiful choir before the lap of honour which was overflowing with patriotic pride.
It was an exceptional night in front of a sell-out crowd in Sweden’s beautiful capital city under a full moon as the world’s best riders and horses went into combat in the Olympic Stadium where stars like Ludger Beerbaum competed 30 years ago and the Olympic Games were staged in 1912. It was the LGCT circuit’s first-ever event in Sweden and in Scandinavia and today’s LGCT Grand Prix was a Hollywood script writer’s dream right down to the spine tingling jump off. Jump Off Young Belgian Jos Verlooy and Caracas set the pace rolling back efficiently to the Stadium upright and spot on into the Longines combination before slicing the blue Stockholm City fence and galloping to the finish to stop the clock in 36.82. In front of a full house Leopold van Asten (NED) took seven strides to the VW oxer and was tighter to the Stadium vertical but despite pushing hard to the finish he was slower in 37.33. Speed ace Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) riding Ensor de Litrange LXII was brave from the start but fell out of contention with four faults at the VW oxer. Michael G Duffy (IRE) and Lapuccino were not fast enough despite six strides to the VW oxer by the big striding grey finishing in 38.58. Verlooy watching rider after rider fail to beat his time including Great Britain’s Ben Maher who was slower in 37.91 and Belgium’s Wilm Vermeir who had the penultimate vertical down for four faults. story continues below
Three-time LGCT Grand Prix winner Marco Kutscher was faster at the split time mid course but his hopes were dashed when he knocked the penultimate vertical for four faults. Young Dutchman Frank Schuttert and Lyonel D set off at a lightning pace and although they were slower in the mid section of the course they made up time and stopped the clock in 36.90 a fraction behind Verlooy who puffed out his cheeks in relief. The atmosphere was electric ahead of the final two riders Malin Baryard-Johnsson and Peder Fredricson. Malin and H&M Indiana, one of the leading horses on the circuit, were instantly fast and ahead at the Stadium fence. It was stunning jumping as the quick but careful mare went in front at the split time by a second. There was an unbridled explosion of joy as Malin and H&M Indiana jumped into the lead in 35.36. Malin punched the air and the stadium was buzzing. It was down to the wire in Sweden and the gloves were off as Peder Fredricson and H&M All In entered the stadium arena looking formidable. Spectators held their breath and there was a deafening silence as Peder and H&M All In were ahead by more than half a second at the mid point. The extraordinary combination sliced the blue Stockholm City fence at an amazing angle edging further ahead. The power over the final fences was breathtaking as they flew over the last to triumph in a blistering 33.95.
Photo – Stefano Grasso The crowd were on their feet in a frenzy of delight. Peder blew a triumphant kiss to the fans and made a victory salute. It was a Swedish one two for Peder and Malin and the super-talented H&M horses. A perfect ending to the inaugural LGCT of Stockholm. |
but wait, there’s more…
Photo – Stefano Grasso
Next day it was a fairytale finish for Peder Fredricson (SWE) as he closed the Longines Global Champions Tour of Stockholm weekend with another win in Sweden in front of passionate crowds.
After a spell-binding performance in yesterday’s LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm, which saw the Swedish Olympic Stadium filled to the rafters with passionate fans, home hero Peder reigned supreme in the 1.55m Agria Djurförsäkring competition, this time riding his 12 year old bay gelding H&M Christian K.
As the Swedish national anthem rang out, the crowd’s voices filled the stadium in harmony in a moving and emotional display, echoing the special moment yesterday which left all within the stadium with goosebumps.
An emotional Peder said: “It’s one of these weekends – the horses feel great, it’s a great atmosphere. I’m really happy for my team, owners, and horses, and that Stockholm has been such an amazing event for the first time. I’m really proud and happy to be able to deliver these rounds on home ground.”
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Sweden’s capital city has been a bustling metropolis in the lead up to the Longines Global Champions Tour of Stockholm, with Barack Obama visiting to speak at the ‘Brilliant Minds’ conference, created by the Founder of Spotify.
The final course of the weekend was a flowing, turning challenge with a time allowed of 86s, set by Italian maestro Uliano Vezzani. A delicate vertical underlined with green bushes caught the eye of some horses, their focus momentarily lost and meaning poles would roll. A Longines oxer, and a Longines plank dropped a few hopes, and control, pace and precision were the top talking points today for those contesting the €145,700 prize purse.
Fresh from his LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm win yesterday Peder Fredricson (SWE) received a huge round of applause as he entered with H&M Christian K. As the final duo to go, silence fell across the arena as they took their chance to sweep the final win of the weekend. They had a few scary moments, but they delivered, Peder in prime position as last to go in the nine rider jump-off.
Jump-off
First to return to the ring, Harrie Smolders (NED) knew he had to throw down the gauntlet to the rest of the field and worked hard to put the pressure on the rest of the riders. With his famously smooth style, he piloted Cas around the fast course, opting to go wide around the Longines fence to take a better approach to the fourth fence. But the first part of the double came down after a long curving gallop. They finished on 48.01s, with a benchmark on time for the rest to follow.
Ben Maher (GBR) and Tic Tac asked course designer Uliano Vezzani one final question before they set off on a gallop to the first. They too jinked to the outside of the Longines fence, keeping their flow and were clear on 46.56s, a delighted Ben patting Tic Tac in delight as they trotted out of the arena.
Mark McAuley (IRL) and Valentino Tuiliere looked faster from the off, but lost time after an initially strong start. But the penultimate fence, the Longines vertical set on a roll back, put paid to their chance of a win today.
Young Dutch rider Kim Emmen (NED) and Delvaux took a gutsy five strides to the second fence, but the second part of the combination came down after they lost a little control after their forward approach.
Michael Whitaker (GBR) was a medallist at Stockholm’s Olympic Stadium in 1990 at the inaugural World Equestrian Games. Today he was looking for another podium position with Valmy de la Lande, and managed the keen grey horse beautifully to deliver another strong clear – just a fraction behind the time in 46.70s.
The crowd cheered as Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and Que Bueno de Hus Z entered the arena. They threw caution to the wind, galloping to the fences, but it came undone the double, the horse paddling at the second oxer and dipping a toe in the middle to finish their chance of a win today.
Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) and Veronese Teamjoy kept a steadier pace, Edwina opting for a controlled ride and tighter turns to make up time. The Australian rider picked every stride perfectly, finishing clear but just behind in 47.54s.
Frank Schuttert (NED) and Queensland E won this class at LGCT Madrid just a couple of weeks ago, and clearly wanted to add a Swedish trophy to their accolades. The pair lost grip in a tight turn to the roll back to the Longines vertical and had it down, with only one rider left to come.
The crowd once again cheered in appreciation as Peder Fredricson (SWE) and H&M Christian K entered the arena. The huge-striding horse powered around the course, the pair exactly level with Maher at the halfway stage. They sprinted down the final line and took an angle to the last, shaving milliseconds off the time to take the win in 46.11s.
Peder Fredricson – the interview with Christopher Hector
Peder Fredricson has been one of my heroes since I saw him go all show at the Rio Games without his horse All in, having a rail. He is just the ultimate, no-nonsense, sympathetic rider.
We saw you in Rio with a mega-star, All in, at Tryon you are riding Christian K, can you tell me a little about him?
“This is a horse I’ve had for two years. He’s a Dutch horse but he came to Sweden as a young horse. He was being ridden by a Swedish boy, I liked it, so I bought him. He’s a small horse but he’s got a big stride and apparently he can jump this size of fences.”
Christian K at Tryon
Is there something… you suddenly see a horse and think, that could be a horse for me?
“First I check the results. This horse was going well with the boy, not on a high level but he was clear a lot. I always look at the results. It doesn’t really matter the quality of the rider, a good horse normally goes clear. I check the pedigree, some videos of the horse jumping, then I go and try them, and when I try them, I just go with my gut feeling if I really like the horse or not.”
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What are you looking for when you look at the pedigree?
“That it looks like there is jumping in the pedigree. This horse is by Namelus R, and they are normally really careful horses, Concorde horses (Namelus R is by Concorde), and it is a good mix with Calvados which is scopy, but pedigree is not the main thing, just an extra.”
“The main thing is when I try them, I get a good feeling. You should have the feeling that they really don’t want to knock a pole down, that’s the feeling you want to have.”
You seem to have the ability to bring horses out in big competitions, and win very quickly, you don’t seem to have to give them miles on the road to get there…
“I’ve been lucky. All in I bought as a seven-year-old, with him I took it fairly slowly as an eight and nine-year-old, and when he was a ten-year-old, he was ready to go. Christian K, was going with another rider, not in the biggest classes, but he had mileage already, a lot of starts and seen a lot of courses, just not on a higher level. He was ready to go.”
If you had to describe your style of riding, is there anything particularly Swedish about it?
“I think to describe my style, it’s fairly uncomplicated. Now when I’ve got older I have more found my own way of riding. When you are younger you have to try and learn, you watch others, and you try to ride in the different styles. You train with George Morris and you try to train like him. Then I was with Franke Sloothaak and I tried to ride like him, with Mark Todd, I tried to ride like him. All these things together creates the base of your riding. I now have that as a foundation, but I ride the way my personality is. I think it is fairly uncomplicated. I have my system, of course I adjust to every horse, but I try to keep it uncomplicated and horse friendly.”
George Morris has been a big influence?
“I learnt a lot from George, he’s a big part of it. Even yesterday, he called me after my round, he’s so supportive.”
For you it is still important to come to the World Equestrian Games – that is more important than making a lot of money on the Longines circuit?
“I don’t mind doing both. It is an interesting question because the sport is growing so much now, which I think is fantastic, more and more good shows, more money, I think is amazing – but still I think it is the Championship that counts. At the end of your career, that’s what you are going to remember, championship titles. I do think it’s important that the championships also go in the same direction as all the other shows, if they want to keep it that way. The sport is always going to be a bit where the money is, and if the good riders and the good horses are not coming to the championships, they are going to lose value, and I don’t want to see that. I think it is very important that there is also good prize-money in the championships, so we get the best horses and best riders there.”
What does the sport hold for you now, you’ve been there done that…
“That’s why Henrik and me, we were really eager to win the gold medal yesterday. When I won my first team silver at the Olympics, I was really happy. Now I have a silver medal in the Olympics, silver medal team at the Europeans and now a silver at the World Championships – so we were both really wanting gold. But it didn’t happen.”
So Tokyo?
“Maybe it will keep us fighting a few more years.”
Peder and All In at the Rio Games (Photo – Rebecca Ashton)
