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The third leg of the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup Western European League delivered championship-caliber competition at Italy's Jumping Verona, held within the 127th edition of Fieracavalli. Course designer Uliano Vezzani set a 1.60m track that earned universal praise from the 40-rider field for its technical precision and delicate challenges.

The course's specifications were demanding: 13 obstacles, 16 jumping efforts across 465 meters, with a tight 80-second time allowed. Vezzani's design achieved its intended purpose perfectly, filtering the elite field to exactly seven clear rounds—a 17.5% clear rate. The track's brilliance lay in its complexity rather than relying on a single bogey fence; only two of the 16 jumping efforts remained in their cups throughout the entire class.

Daniel Deusser captured the strategic nature of the challenge. "We have some really big fences!" was his first thought walking the course. After watching early rounds, he thought, "Ok it's easy!" The track proved otherwise as the class progressed, revealing itself as "a complicated course" that demanded total concentration and committed riding.

The jump-off presented an eight-fence, 300-meter test with a 52-second time allowed. The drama unfolded across seven attempts:

Armando Trapote (ESP) and Tornado VS went first, faulting to leave the door open at 4 faults in 36.79 seconds. Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) and Esteban de Hus sent the 5,000-seat Pala RAM crowd into a frenzy with the first double-clear, setting the target at 37.54 seconds.

Richard Vogel (GER), the 2025 European Champion, and Cloudio delivered the fastest round of the jump-off at 35.44 seconds but clipped the fourth vertical for 4 faults. Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) and Equine America Harwich VDL met the same fate at fence four, finishing on 4 faults in 38.72 seconds.

Christian Kukuk (GER), the 2024 Olympic Champion, and Just Be Gentle executed a smooth clear round in 37.31 seconds to take the lead. Daniel Deusser (GER) and the 11-year-old stallion Otello de Guldenboom, riding penultimate, delivered the winning performance in 36.13 seconds. Final challenger Alain Jufer (SUI) and Dante MM produced a flawless clear but their time of 36.92 seconds secured second place.

Deusser's victory came down to a single calculated risk on the approach to the FEI vertical. "I had a bit of doubt going seven (strides) to the FEI vertical…" Deusser explained. The decision to take the riskier, faster seven-stride line was made by his stallion, who showed "plenty of confidence" through the early fences. "Otello gave me a good feeling at one, two and three so I thought now is the time to try it," Deusser said. "In the end I was lucky that I did it as I think that was where I made the time up!"

The win was Deusser's second World Cup Grand Prix victory in Verona, his first having come seven years earlier aboard Calisto Blue. "It's an amazing day. It's the best placing that I've had in a World Cup," Deusser stated.

The official times reveal the precision required: Vogel's 4-fault round was fastest at 35.44 seconds but too risky. Kukuk (37.31s) and Jufer (36.92s) were clear but conservative. Deusser's 36.13-second round achieved the ideal balance.

CSI5-W 1.60m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Verona Podium: Full Results

The Grand Prix victory capped a dominant weekend for Deusser and Otello de Guldenboom, who had already won Friday's 1.55m Equipe and Kask Speed Test with a clear round in 63.07 seconds, ahead of Julien Epaillard (FRA) on Acatitla LS (64.20s) and Duarte Seabra (POR) on Dourados 2 (66.00s).

Italian riders provided consistent entertainment for the packed home crowd throughout the week. Emanuele Gaudiano and Vasco 118 claimed two victories: Friday's 1.50m Banca Passadore Speed Class with an unbeatable time of 56.37 seconds from a 12th-to-go position among 53 starters, and Sunday morning's 1.45m Sergio Grasso Accumulator with maximum points in 43.68 seconds.

Piergiorgio Bucci and Pallieter vd N. Ranch delivered Saturday's highlight, winning the €106,000 1.55m Crivelli Prize. Vezzani's course produced 11 clears but also 8 retirements and 3 eliminations. Bucci's jump-off time of 36.55 seconds secured victory before a crowd on the edge of their seats.

The 20 points from Verona created significant movement in the Western European League standings. The Top 5 following Leg 3 of 13:

Gulliksen took the league lead without winning a leg, earning 15 points for 3rd in Oslo and 10 points for 7th in Verona. This demonstrates the "consistent campaign" model versus the "big win" strategy employed by Deusser and Perreau, who each hold 20 points from single victories.

The championship picture remains wide open with 10 legs remaining before the 2026 World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas.

Belgium's Gilles Thomas and the mare Qalista DN (by Emerald) won the CSI4* 1.55m Grand Prix of Maastricht with a blistering jump-off round in 35.49 seconds. Thomas revealed after the win that this was Qalista DN's "very first indoor show," marking a remarkable debut for the mare who also won the LGCT Grand Prix of New York earlier in the season.

The jump-off produced a rare dead-heat for second place. Great Britain's Robert Murphy and the 13-year-old Hulde G (by Vigo d'Arsouilles) delivered a flawless round in 36.51 seconds. German veteran Christian Ahlmann and the 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion Dourkhan Hero Z (by Don't Touch Tiji Hero) matched the performance exactly, stopping the clock at an identical 36.51 seconds to share second place. Eight combinations qualified for the jump-off from the 38-starter field set by course designer Louis Konickx.

Saturday's CSI4* 1.50m Van Mossel Automotive Prix saw Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and Calizi claim victory with a calculated performance. The track, described by von Eckermann as "delicately built" with a "tight time allowed," produced only three clear rounds. Von Eckermann rode last and stopped the clock at 34.57 seconds to beat Hessel Hoekstra (NED) and VDL Mindset ES, who had set the target at 35.35 seconds.

CSI4 1.55m Grand Prix of Maastricht Podium: Full Results

The second week of the Mexico Fall Tour at Club Hipico La Silla concluded with Mexico's Nicolas Pizarro and Pia Contra winning the CSI4* 1.55m Grand Prix on Saturday, November 8. The victory continued strong Mexican representation at the venue following the previous week's historic 1-2-3-4 Mexican sweep in the CSI5* Grand Prix.

CSI4 1.55m Grand Prix of Monterrey Podium: Full Results

The CSI3*-W 1.50m Perlage CAVALIADA Grand Prix in Warsaw, a qualifier for the Central European League's Northern Sub-League, saw Czech rider Natalie Kovarova and the mare Chloe (by C-Ingmar) produce the only double-clear round of the competition. From 41 starters, only four combinations advanced to the jump-off.

Kovarova's flawless round in 36.65 seconds put pressure on the three remaining riders, all of whom faulted: Andrea Marchese (ITA) and Menzo de Toxandria finished second with 4 faults in 40.42 seconds, while home favorite Maksymilian Wechta (POL) and Mystique took third with 4 faults in 47.66 seconds.

CSI3-W 1.50m Grand Prix of Warsaw Podium: Full Results

At the Moura Tours in Valencia, Italy's Nico Lupino and Iniesta (by Balloon) won the CSI3* 1.55m Grand Prix. Nine combinations qualified for the jump-off from 57 starters, but only two finished double-clear. Lupino's time of 48.33 seconds edged Jan Vermeiren (BEL) and Qmusic-K van't Kattenheye, who stopped the clock at 49.08 seconds. Jens Baackmann (GER) and Zealand 3 posted the fastest jump-off time at 44.15 seconds but dropped to third with a rail down.

CSI3 1.55m Grand Prix of Valencia Podium: Full Results

At the Autumn MET II in Oliva Nova, Spain's Julio Arias Cueva and the 10-year-old stallion Filou du Manoir (by Salto de l'Isle) won the €57,300 1.50m Longines Ranking class. Cueva stated after the win, "All the work from last year is finally starting to pay off." Stephan de Freitas Barcha (BRA) and Dinozo Imperio Egipcio finished second, with Jérôme Guery (BEL) and Qartouche de La Pomme d'OR taking third.

CSI3 1.50m Grand Prix of Oliva Podium: Full Results

The FEI General Assembly, held November 6-7, 2025, approved a restructured set of FEI Jumping Rules that includes a fundamental change to the handling of blood on horses. The new rule, formerly Article 241 and now Article 259, will take effect January 1, 2026.

The new rule eliminates the subjective "minor" blood distinction that previously led to inconsistent application. Under the approved structure:

The restructure shifts the rule from a subjective, punitive field-of-play decision by stewards to an objective, veterinary-based welfare assessment.

The rule passed by a vote of 56 to 20, with two abstentions. Several national federations, including British Equestrian and British Showjumping, expressed "disappointment" with the outcome. These federations' position is that "the presence of blood during or after a round should result in elimination," arguing that lesser measures risk undermining the sport's integrity and public trust.

The Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA) announced a partnership with 1/ST and the Split Rock Jumping Tour establishing a new "Thoroughbred High Point Award." The award, which includes a $2,000 prize, will be presented at the upcoming Santa Anita shows and is open to all Thoroughbreds competing in any division.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ CSI5-W Stuttgart (Germany, Nov 12-16)

The fourth leg of the Western European League takes place at the 39th Stuttgart German Masters. Following the standings shuffle in Verona, league leader Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen will defend his position while Daniel Deusser brings momentum from his Verona masterclass. Previous leg winners Sanne Thijssen and Olivier Perreau will aim to add to their tallies after non-scoring performances in Italy.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ CSI5-W Toronto (Canada, Nov 11-16)

The Royal Horse Show hosts its Western European League qualifier with the $280,000 Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Toronto on Saturday evening, November 15. The field includes Daniel Coyle, McLain Ward, and Canada's 2024 Olympic team.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ CSI4 Valencia (Spain, Nov 11-16)

⭐⭐⭐ CSI3 Oliva (Spain, Nov 11-16)

⭐⭐⭐ CSI3 Wellington (USA, Nov 12-16)

⭐⭐⭐ CSI3 Arcadia (USA, Nov 12-16)

This week earns an 8.0/10 for exceptional quality of sport combined with significant championship implications. Uliano Vezzani's technical masterpiece in Verona produced a perfect 17.5% clear rate and seven-horse jump-off, showcasing the ideal balance of challenge and fairness at the World Cup level. The field strength was elite, with the Olympic Champion, European Champion, and reigning World Cup Champion all competing in Italy.

The entertainment value delivered through Daniel Deusser's strategic masterclass—his calculated seven-stride risk making the difference between victory and a conservative clear—and the rare dead-heat for second at Maastricht. The World Cup standings reshuffle established clear narratives heading into Stuttgart, with Gulliksen's consistency model proving equally effective as the single-win strategy.

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