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Amsterdam CSI-W 2008

Jumping Amsterdam

Jumping Amsterdam is the name of the Dutch World Cup qualifier and it's the oldest of the many indoor shows in The Netherlands. Jumping Amsterdam features world-class equestrian sports and is a FEI World Cup qualifier both in jumping and in dressage. Stal Forstén-Pentti is represented by both Noora and Mikko, with Noora using the Finnish lot in Sunday's World Cup and Mikael aiming for it by jumping a qualifier on Friday.

Sunday: Mikael and Isaac jumped in Amsterdam a historical World Cup WIN!!!!

Noora jumps in Amsterdam with Atlas, Evli Popcorn and Evli Cagliostro. Noora told her plans for Atlas are now limited to gain more common experience and Cagliostro will be her obvious choice for the World Cup. Mikael managed to get a late place for Amsterdam and is now offered the opportunity to qualify for only a few free places left in the World Cup. His plans are to jump Vanity in this pre-qualifying class on Friday, a first ever attempt for the mare on this high level. Other horses for Mikael are Isaac du Jonquet and Tosca's Lena.

Friday

It was with great joy Mikael recollected how he debuted with Vanity on Friday in bigger classes. It became soon a fact that horse and rider had managed to qualify for Sunday's World Cup class. In Amsterdam Noora is using the Finnish World Cup lot and Mikael's slim chance to also enter, was to be among the best riders without an automatic place in Friday's qualifier.

Mikael told Vanity was outstanding from the get-go and was jumping splendidly already in the warm-up and did a great job on the course. An unlucky rail down on second last fence, a triple combination's last part, was no disaster for them either. Mikael told the mare simply jumped that big on the two first parts that they ran out of space for the combination's last jump. Noora jumped the WC pre-qualifier with Atlas and, according to Mikael, did a good job, with horse not being the easiest to ride at the time.

Earlier in the eve Noora and Mikael jumped in two smaller classes. Here Mikael was delighted with Isaac, which jumped superbly in a 1m45 two phases. Mikael retired after a clean first phase, as a Table C (knock-downs converts to time) second phase didn't seem a good idea. It was a part of the later fulfilled plan that he would manage to qualify with Vanity to the World Cup, and have in Isaac a fresh horse on Sunday.

In Friday's first endeavour Mikael jump with Tosca's Lena a good round on two knock-downs. Mikael reminded the talented young mare is still inexperienced. With more than a year of the shows after an accident where the mare jumped out its pasture, the tall horse will get all the time she needs, and minor mistakes are no big deal at this stage.

Saturday

For Saturday's GP Noora had Atlas, whereas Mikael let Isaac rest for Sunday's World Cup. Both riders also jumped smaller classes on Saturday. Noora placed 7th with Evli Popcorn after jumping a fluent and clean second phase in Saturday eve's 1m45 class. Mikael on his part did a clean round with Tosca’s Lena in a 1m40 speed derby.

The Amsterdam Grand Prix was not the success Noora had hoped for, but she did a good effort with Atlas, where the gray stallion unfortunately didn't appear to be at its best.

Sunday

In Sunday morning's 1m45 Accumulator with Joker Noora jumped 37 points out of 44 with Evli Popcorn. Throughout the course Noora's mare did several huge and flashy jumps, but had an unfortunate knockdown on the hind rail of a big white oxer, which was the second last fence on the course. The last fence, the Joker they then cleared with apparent ease.

Mikael told Noora’s Popi displays now a lot of potential, but they have a clear plan of rushing things slowly with the mare.

World Cup

Mikael did history on Sunday by winning as first Finn ever the World Cup in Amsterdam.

- Unbelievable! I’ve dreamt about this day for 20 years. Yesterday I decided to go for it, tomorrow I shall win, flat out, all or nothing, yet this is hard to understand, Mikael told as he was climbing on his victorious mount Isaac du Jonquet and heading for the price giving ceremony.

- At first it seemed frustrating that so many did it for the jump-off, but soon it only gave me more spirit, now I would do it!, Mikael remembered.

Mikael was the underdog in terms of starting order, but did a determined and swift clean first round with Isaac as third horse and rider. Mikael first round time as fourth fastest was the storm warning, nothing was to lose today. Making things much tougher all in all 15 horses and riders headed for a jump-off.

The deciding jump-off was a breath-taking show. Mikael went out third and did all he could riding both faster and cleaner than the first two. Mikael told it came together, all turns and distances matched exactly as he had planned.

The remaining 12 horses and riders did also their best, many of them succeeding in riding both fast and clean, but eventually no-one came under Mikael’s and Isaac’s time. The two closest were Gerco Schröder and Heinrich Hermann Engemann, but even these normally ever so fast riders had to acknowledge Mikael as the better.

Mikael was rewarded with 20 World Cup points, which added to the 14 made 34 points. It is quite possible this would make Mikael a strong candidate for the World Cup final. The 18 best riders from the Western-European league will get their ticket for Gothenburg and Mikael is now 11th with his 34 points.

Looking back at Sunday’s success, Mikael underlined also the weight of the outstanding performance of Vanity in Friday’s qualifying class. It was the mare’s début on such high level, but certainly not the last. By jumping Vanity in the qualifier Mikael could save Isaac fresh as possible for Sunday.

Noora and Evli Cagliostro had an unfortunate two rails down in the World Cup and they placed outside the points. Mikael told Noora did a splendid job and her efforts could as well have been awarded with a clean round.

- One can always speculate about should one have done something different or should one have been somewhere a bit more aggressive, but in my eyes Noora kept her part of the bargain with a clear margin.

Both Noora and Mikael are heading next for Bordeaux next weekend. There Mikael jumps the World Cup and Noora defends her last year’s success in the Ladies Only classes.