Swede Success: Fredricson wins Euro title on home soil — Ireland’s O’Connor third

Capping off a nearly-perfect 2017 Longines FEI European Championships with the fantastic H&M All In de Vinck, Fredricson captured the title by a narrow margin over Harrie Smolders of the Netherlands, who came from far back to grab the silver medal with the powerful and courageous Don VHP Z. The bronze went to Ireland’s Cian O’Connor and his impressive mount Good Luck. A look back at a Final which lived up to its promise.

Six years after an outstanding performance by compatriot Rolf-Göran Bengtsson, Peder Fredricson became the second Swedish rider to win the European show jumping title Sunday afternoon in this Scandinavian city on the country’s southwest coast. Fredricson, nicknamed ‘Swedish Steel’ and the ‘Swedish man of steel’, was able to handle the big pressure of the event in front of a partisan home crowd. Indeed, the rider — somewhat to his own surprise — had led the championships since they kicked off last Wednesday, also helping his team to a silver medal Friday. And in fact, he had been targeting a gold since his silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“I knew I was going to be under pressure when I came here, but riding in a Championship in Sweden in front of this crowd has been amazing,” Fredricson said. “Ever since I arrived and unloaded my horse a week ago everybody I met said ‘best of luck, I hope you win!’. It’s been a long week and this has been my goal for the whole week but at the same time I knew I had only one thing to do – go in and jump clear inside the time!”.

In additional to the gold medal, the top spot on the podium brings a monetary prize of €108,000.

Son of the former director of the Swedish national stud farm in Flyinge, younger brother of the excellent Jens Fredricson, and husband of Lisen Bratt Fredricson, herself a high level rider until recently, the accomplished horseman and former Eventing rider definitely gave the 15,000 spectators in the majestic stadium — finally almost full — a lot to cheer about in the end.