Steve Guerdat will once again be the center of attention at the CHI Geneva this weekend. The fact that the rider from Jura is even competing at the Palexpo is considered a minor miracle.
12.12.2025, 05:00
12.12.2025, 05:01
SDA
The 43-year-old returns to the saddle three months after another back operation and presents himself fit to compete again just in time for his favorite tournament. The Olympic silver medallist in Paris had his back operated on for the second time this year in September. At the end of November, he made his comeback at smaller tournaments in order to get his horses - including the showpiece mare Dynamix - in shape for Geneva.
Despite longer breaks, Guerdat maintained a good position in the world rankings. The first operation in February had slowed him down for months and also forced him to cancel the World Cup Final in Basel. He made an impressive comeback in the summer with strong results.
Guerdat just managed to qualify for the top ten final late on Friday evening thanks to a number of withdrawals - unlike Martin Fuchs, who had won in 2024. The prestigious competition brings together the best ten riders in the world and enjoys a high status among active riders. Not only because of the prize money of 535,000 euros, but also because of the exclusive line-up. The format is organized annually by the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC), the union of show jumping riders.
In Geneva, Guerdat has long since made history in the top ten final: He is the only rider to have won the competition three times (2010, 2018, 2023). He also has four victories in the Grand Prix, the highlight of the CHI on Sunday - in 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2015. While these successes are somewhat in the past, the triumphs of his colleague Martin Fuchs in 2019 and 2021 are still fresh in his mind.
