20 October '25
Sanne Thijssen and Cupcake Z turn Oslo upside down
© FEI
Last weekend, in the heart of the Norwegian capital Oslo, the new World Cup season in the Western European League got underway and it happened straight away with a bang! In an atmospheric Telenor Arena filled with enthusiastic spectators, it was Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen and her talented mare Cupcake Z who provided fireworks. The Dutch duo rode a rock-solid competition and gave our blue and yellow colours of Zangersheide a dream start to the World Cup season.
The Longines FEI Jumping World Cup on Sunday afternoon in Oslo was the absolute apotheosis of the weekend and immediately created excitement and sensation. Italian course designer Elio Travagliati had mapped out a technical and selective course for this World Cup for what was also the first indoor competition of the season for many. With obstacles at a maximum height of 1.60m, it was immediately a tough test, which took its toll in numerous places. In particular, the winding line from obstacle 9 to the double jump at 10ab, followed by a line to a delicate plank at obstacle 11 proved to be the troublemaker for many. As the eighteenth combination to start, it was Sanne Thijssen who broke the spell with a first clear round. Together with her 12-year-old top mare Cupcake Z (Chacco Blue x Caretano - Breeder: Sandra van den Broek-Wilmes), with whom she had already gained a 4th place in the 1.50m class on Friday, she kept her cool and secured herself a place in the jump-off. Ten other combinations followed her, making it a final 11-strong jump-off.
In that decisive jump-off, Thijssen Cupcake Z was allowed to take the lead and they did so with a masterful round! With formidable pace, razor-sharp turns and razor-sharp lines, they sped to the finish in 38.28 seconds, a time no one managed to improve on. This secured them a glorious victory in the opening stage of the World Cup series.
Sanne Thijssen: "I still don't really realise or believe it happened! Even going into the jump-off, I thought, 'It's not going to happen, it's not going to happen.' I know she can be fast, but I had to take some time to the double jump. But after that, she was just unbeatable. The second part of the jump-off was, in my opinion, impossible to go faster."
With three top 10 placings, it was also a fruitful weekend in Oslo for 'home amazon' Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer and the 11-year-old mare Carabella vd Neyen Z (Carrera VDL x Lux Z) from the breeding farm of Yves Claes. Lyngvaer and Carabella vd Neyen Z started their competition on Thursday with a nice 6th place in the 1.50m class and also managed to jump into the picture during the CSI5* Grand Prix and the World Cup. During the Grand Prix on Saturday evening, it was with an 8th place, while during the World Cup they secured 9th place.
During the CSI5* Grand Prix, we also saw a second Z-horse in the prizes thanks to Lyngvaer's compatriot Victoria Gullliksen and the 10-year-old chestnut mare Moonshine Van 't Ameldonk Z (Marius Claudius x Casall ASK) from breeder Bart Bomeré van Ameldonk BVBA. In both the basic round and the jump-off, the duo produced a flawless performance, finishing in 6th place.
Earlier on Saturday, a 1.45m speed class also took place for the five-star competition and in it too we saw a Z-horse at the top of the leaderboard. That honour went to French rider Kevin Staut and the 9-year-old chestnut mare Vida Loca Z (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Cornet Obolensky - Breeder: Soc. Agricola A R.I. Edeldame). A clear round in 62.53 seconds just also earned them 6th place in the rankings.
Two-star competition
In addition to the five-star competition with the first World Cup of the season, the past few days in Oslo also saw jumping at two-star level, and in this too some horses showed their qualities. In the CSI2* Grand Prix on Friday evening, there was a top five placing for Danish rider Soren Moeller Rohde and the 11-year-old stallion Action Man Ask Z (Action-Breaker x Calvados Z - Breeder: Ann Van Heyst). Moeller Rohde and Action Man Ask Z provided a flawless performance in both the basic round and the jump-off, securing 4th place.
Another notable combination within the two-star competition were Swiss rider Barbara Schnieper and the 10-year-old stallion Coco G Z (Cornet Obolensky x Contendro I - Breeder: W. Van Gestel). They immediately achieved 5th place in the 1.40m class on Thursday during the opening day, while on Sunday they finished the week with 3rd place in another 1.40m class.