London, Dec 22 (IANS): German riders dominated the seventh leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping 2014/2015 Western European League at Olympia here, with Marco Kutscher steering his stallion Cornet's Cristallo to victory ahead of defending series champion Daniel Deusser riding Carriere.
Sunday's competition sizzled from start to finish, with 13 of the 38 starters qualifying for the second-round jump-off against the clock, reports Xinhua.
With time running out, defending champion Deusser took command with a superb run from the 11-year-old mare Carriere who broke the beam in 38.44 seconds, but his lead was short-lived as fellow-countryman Kutscher galloped through the timers in 37.66 seconds despite an unsettling moment at the double at 9.
"The beginning of the jump-off wasn't perfect and I wanted to do one less to the double but he was a bit behind me - he really helped me there. I was very deep, very close - but he made it," Kutscher said afterwards.
Sweden's Malin Baryard-Johnsson with her H&M Tornesch took third while Britain's Robert Whitaker with his Catwalk IV was fourth.