The European Championship is a dream of every equestrian on the continent. It is one of the prestigious events that an equestrian wants to glorify his career with its medal. This year the FEI Jumping European Championship was held in Milan. The event drew eighty-five participants from across Europe to claim European glory. The week-long event saw many formidable performances with neck-tight competition.

The competition was so intense that any jumper was not able to take a clear lead until the final round. In the end, the one who kept his composure amid intense pressure prevailed. The event was won by the Swiss veteran equestrian Steve Guerdat who rode his fabulous mare Dynamix de Belheme. Guerdat is the third Swiss to claim the European title. His final round performance and calm are what the people are talking about.

Equestrian pressure handling in a tight situation

During the FEI Jumping European Championship, Steve Guerdat had two close competitors namely Philipp Weishaupt of Germany and Julien Epaillard of France. According to Horse Daily, Guerdat had throughout the week managed to jump clearly without any fault but with Weishaupt and Epaillard tailing behind he couldn’t afford any single mistake.

On the last day of the event, he had a lead but a single rail fault would alter the standing and place the German on the top. At this moment, riding on a perfect horse the Swiss gathered all his experience and applied it to the jump. He completed the event without a fault and the gold medal.

Everyone was wondering how he managed to stay calm under such a pressure situation. The 41-year-old said he didn’t do anything different. It was his routine job to jump the bar without pulling the rail which he does in every competition. He mentioned that it was his mare’s first competition and his priority was to keep her fresh for the last round.

Therefore, he planned and managed his jump limiting it to five to six to preserve the horse’s strength. This was the secret behind his perfect jumping in the last round. Guerdat said, “I just try to focus on my job so she can express herself at her best, and that’s what she did and I’m delighted with her and the result!” Guerdat was very happy with whom he had expectations from the early days.

Equestrian praises his mare

Steve Guerdat has a long equestrian career during which he has ridden many horses but for him Dynamix de Belheme special one. Speaking of her he said, “Basically she has all the qualities that all my superstars have had and she has it all in the one horse, and that’s why she’s very, very special!” Hence, he doesn’t want to put pressure on her and let her develop the way she has.

Read More: “Unbelievably Proud of Him”: 26-Year-Old Equestrian Highlights on Equine Partner Months After Becoming World Champion

When Dynamix de Belheme reaches home there is a present awaiting her. In Guedat’s home, there is a picture of all his champion horses. This time there will be an addition to it in the form of a Dynamix de Belheme picture.

It’s not an easy task to maintain composure in tight situations and neither everyone is capable of it. Experience is visible in action and what the people saw at the last round of the European Championship in Guerdat was the best display of it.

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