The final day of Olympic show jumping competition carried a palpable hum and buzz at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With scoring sheets wiped clean from the previous day’s qualifying round, today’s final round was heavy with the hopes of the 30 riders whose blood, sweat and tears have brought them to this moment—a final precipice to climb with the ultimate reward waiting at the peak.
Germany’s 34-year-old Christian Kukuk came into Paris under the radar with the 14-year-old Westphalian gelding, Checker 47 (Comme Il Faut 5 – Pamina x Come On). Kukuk is lighter on Championship experience, having competed in Tokyo in 2021 as an individual and finishing 31st overall with Mumbai, but a strong string of results in 2023 and 2024 set him up for this success in Paris with Checker 47.
In truth, Kukuk said until March of this year Checker 47 had been somewhat under Mumbai’s shadow as his potential top horse for the Olympics. Victories in the $500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI5* in Wellington, Florida, as well as the Rome leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour, however, quickly proved to Kukuk that Checker 47 would be the horse for his first Olympic team appearance.
Individual Show Jumping Focus for Kukuk
Setting aside his disappointment to have finished just off the podium in fifth with his German teammates last week, Kukuk shifted his focus to the individual rounds. A pole down in the qualifier yesterday wasn’t ideal, but a quick time meant his would be one of the 10 four-fault rounds to move forward to the medal round.
Fans had to wait eight rounds to see the first clear of the day as the work of course co-designers Santiago Varela and Gregory Bodo quickly churned the final individual field to separate the cream from the crop.
By the time the dust settled on today’s final, just three riders had cleared the 18-effort strong course sans penalties, setting up a jump-off to determine the final podium placings. One of those, and the first we saw today, was Kukuk’s.
‘The Highest You Can Achieve’
“It’s the most emotional day in my life, honestly, in my career,” Kukuk, who admitted the emotions from today have yet to fully sink in. “This is the highest you can achieve in our sport. I’m one of only a few who can call themselves an Olympic champion and gold medalist. That is something that will stay.”
Did Kukuk feel any pressure coming into the jump-off, knowing Germany had thus far swept the individual gold medals across disciplines? For him, the achievement of the past two days and the knowledge that he was guaranteed a spot on the podium was very much enough.
“We only had three clear rounds, so I knew I had a medal. But I also knew what my horse was able to do and what I was able to do,” Kukuk, always the competitor, said. “We had won already at Grand Prix this year. I tried to find a balance and not over-try. But I knew we were that quick so the others would have to take some risks.”
Kukuk was complimentary of today’s course design. “I think the courses were very fair for the horses. That’s the most important thing. And the fact that it got three clear rounds, that’s what you wish for. That shows how incredibly tough this course was, but what a job to get this result. We had the best course design here this week.”
Kukuk’s individual win seals the deal on a banner Olympic Games for Germany, who is now in possession of three individual gold medals, as well as a historic team gold in the dressage competition.
Switzerland’s Guerdat Takes Second Olympic Show Jumping Medal
Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, reigning European Champion and London 2012 individual gold medalist, piloted the 11-year-old Selle Francais mare, Dynamix de Belheme (Snaike de Blondel – Soudaine du Montet x Cornet Obolensky) to the individual silver medal, coming home with one pole down in the jump-off. En route to the jump-off, Guerdat was 25th in the order and the final rider under pressure to jump clear on a day when going clear was ever elusive.
“It’s very special,” he said. “My horse was spectacular today. Of course, I’m very upset about my jump-off, but it is really not what I want to focus on. I’m just very proud and happy about our second medal.”
While Guerdat kicked himself for the pole down, he aims to let it go to celebrate and truly enjoy this achievement with his family.
“Today I was kind of confident because it was doable,” Guerdat continued, speaking about a loss of focus that led to the rail. “The time was not absolutely crazy. But it was a mess and definitely not good enough. Right now, I just want to enjoy the medal. I got the luck to have another one.”
Dutch Rider van der Vleuten Makes Show Jumping History
Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z (Bustique – Wrinton x Jumpy des Fontaines) made history today. They became the first pair to win two individual Olympic medals (2021 and 2024). This was on top of their individual World Championship medal (2022).
Despite having one rail down in the jump-off today, van der Vleuten expressed pride in his horse. He and the 14-year-old Zangersheide gelding have been parters since the horse was 7 years old. Patience and the intentional cultivation of partnership has been the key to success for this pair, whose consistency at this level certainly speaks for itself.
“To have three individual medals in a row is something to be very proud about,” van der Vleuten said. “I owe a lot of credit to my horse, who is always fighting his heart out to get these results. This year we brought all the experience we’ve gained since Tokyo with us. He’s an extremely careful horse, but he also has this fighting mentality. When I go into the arena, I know he will give everything for me.”
The Dutch rider, however, noted that this partnership took time to develop.
“This takes a lot of hours, days, years of practicing. We took a lot of time in the beginning to get confidence in each other. I needed to understand my horse in and out, and the other way as well,” he said. “Once I had the feeling he was believing in me, I think we got to a very great partnership. And that has already brought us fantastic memories.”
Single Rail Knocks U.S.’s Kraut Out of Medal Contention
A podium finish was not meant to be for the two remaining U.S. competitors in the final.
First to go was Laura Kraut and Baloutinue (Balou du Rouet – Utika x Landor S), who’ve been plagued by “what-ifs” throughout the team and individual classifications, single rails in each round preventing them from being more competitive.
It was true heartbreak for Kraut today, who jumped a near-flawless round with the 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding save the very last fence, a looming oxer decorated in homage to the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Games. It was set at a deceptive angle, and Kraut lamented her choice not to stay wider for one extra stride. This resulted in a distance that, despite Baloutinue’s heroic efforts, could not be saved.
“I just looked at the video. If the angle to the last fence had a straighter shot to it, it would have been fine. But I was almost parallel to it going in. And then I just couldn’t get his right shoulder out,” Kraut said. “And darn if he didn’t try to clear it. I mean, he did everything in his power to not have it down. But pure rider error there for sure, which I’m gutted about.”
Kraut remains pragmatic and complimentary of her horse. “He’s been just spectacular this week,” she said. “A few little errors on the last three goes. At least on this one, I can blame it all on me. But I can always work on me when I know I have a powerhouse like him underneath me.”
More Disappointment for U.S. with Karl Cook’s Round
Karl Cook also ended his weekend in heartbreak, lowering two rails in a tricky triple-bar to a vertical question with Caracole de la Roque (Zandor – Pocahontas D’amaury x Kannan). Cook’s devastation was palpable as he left the ring. Having been highly touted as a medal contender today, he instead watched those hopes evaporate.
“We made a mistake around the turn, and I probably cut the turn too sharply and took my first distance. I need to be more patient,” Cook said. “I think the one I tried to fit in was the correct one. But it was obviously done impossibly too late. But the mare was jumping amazing before, so it just sucks. As far as I’m aware, she’s the best horse in the class. You just have to find your distances.”
Cook finished 16th individually, while Kraut was the highest-placed U.S. rider in eighth overall.
The U.S., however, can hold their heads high as they leave Paris with their strong team silver medal bolstering a disappointing ending to the individual rounds and providing momentum on which to build looking ahead to the World Championships at Aachen in 2026 and the next Olympics in 2028.
Miscommunication Results in Early Dismount for von Eckermann
The individual course was a herculean effort. That applied to both the designers as well as the horses and riders. With 18 jumping efforts featured on the first round, the course truly tested not only the athleticism of each pair but also the stamina and fitness built up for this all-important test.
The day was not without shockers within the sport’s inherent drama. Late in the order, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward, the reigning world No.-1 pair, experienced an unusual miscommunication and loss of balance that ultimately ended with von Eckermann unceremoniously dumped in the dirt midway through his final round.
Von Eckermann alluded to a cumulative effect of the jumps before leading to his demise, adding that his own loss of balance trying to make a right-hand turn after fence 9 disrupted his communication with King Edward, causing the horse to skirt off to the left and lose his rider in the process.
“I got a little bit close to the water. And I didn’t see the six because we landed a little bit steep on the water,” von Eckermann said. “So I really had to get him back for the seven. And that made a short distance over the Paris jump, and then I really had to go for the five. He turns easy to the right, and I followed too much to the right to go with him. In one second, he went a little bit left and I lost my balance to the right. He felt that I wasn’t really balanced and went a little bit left again. I really tried to get him right, but I couldn’t get him in front of the start stands. I tried to the last but couldn’t.”
More Drama Ensues Before Final Ends
Another pair, Mexico’s Andres Azcarraga and Contendros 2, parted ways today just before the liverpool question at fence 6. Both horse and rider were uninjured.
Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs made a valiant effort to produce a clear round with Leone Jei. Despite losing a stirrup very early in the course, he proceeded without it for the majority of the remaining fences. Heartbreakingly, Fuchs lowered just the last fence on course to remove himself from the jump-off and medal contention.
Three pairs—Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom, Ireland’s Daniel Coyle and Legacy and Japan’s Takashi Haase Shibayama and Karamell M & M—retired after lowering multiple rails on course.
Equestrians Bid Paris Warm Adieu after a Thrilling Games
And thus, the sun sets on a thrilling week of Olympic show jumping action. The Paris Games revealed new champions, household names and, in some ways, a passing of the torch to a new name followers won’t soon forget.
Above all, we celebrate the horses—the places they take us, the efforts they make for us and the fulfillment they bring us. Our equine partners don’t aspire to travel the world to win medals or championships. They want our respect, our empathy, and in return, we achieve our dreams.
“In this moment, you realize why you actually do this,” Kukuk said. “We work 24/7 on every detail with the horses. We always try the best for our horses. And in these moments you just realize that’s why we do it. It gives me goosebumps.”
