Olympic silver medallist Steve Guerdat had to cancel due to injury, but Edouard Schmitz on Gamin van't Naastveldhof was the third Swiss to qualify for the prestigious event alongside Martin Fuchs (winner 2022) – at the last moment. As eighth at the Longines World Cup in Gothenburg, the last tournament that counted towards qualification, the 25-year-old secured 17th place overall – the 18 best in the Western Europe League are eligible to compete. The competition takes place over three days with three jumping competitions and four rounds, each rider is allowed to enter two horses. Edouard Schmitz is very much looking forward to it.
Edouard, you have qualified for the World Cup Final for the second time since 2023, what is special about this participation?
The World Cup series is something very special for me. I've been following the Swiss successes on TV since I was a child, and with each passing year, the series became more and more of a priority. The fact that I am now able to take part in a final for the second time after Omaha 2023 makes me very proud. I'm even happier because it's taking place in Switzerland this year. Things haven't always gone as hoped over the past few months, but my team and I have worked very hard. For us, this qualification is confirmation that we are on the right track.
In Omaha you were the second youngest back then, what experiences and progress have you made since then?
I've experienced a lot in the last two years, especially at the Olympic Games last summer. You learn something new at every tournament, especially in the difficult moments. So I've gained a lot of experience and I'm going to Basel much better prepared this time than I was in Omaha. I've matured and also improved technically. Over the last two years, I've put a lot of heart and soul into my daily work and I feel stronger and better prepared as a result. This has helped me to develop an even deeper relationship with my horses and I hope this will lead to a good result in Basel.
The final is a long competition. Are you using two horses - and if so, which ones and why?
The plan is to ride only Gamin in Basel. Gamin is a very fast horse, which is crucial in two of the four competitions. In addition, Gamin is constantly improving in a long competition. If it were necessary for any reason, Quno would of course be used. We prepare both horses for the final straight away.
What are the particular challenges of a three-day competition?
It is crucial to maintain a consistent performance. In concrete terms, this means being mentally and technically on top of every challenge.
The journey is short this time, what does the home advantage mean to you?
Of course it's an advantage not having to travel so far, especially when I think of Omaha! But competing in Basel also means that we will be jumping in front of our home crowd. This is both an advantage and a disadvantage at the same time, as we are certainly putting a lot more pressure on ourselves in return for the fantastic support of the audience.
The last time you managed to qualify for the final day, you finished 23rd. What goal have you set yourself now?
The goal is to finish the week among the top 10 riders. The standard is extremely high this year and it will certainly be very difficult to achieve this performance. But it's part of my character to set myself high goals. I'm really looking forward to the final!
