Sport & Results
Mändli Wins World Cup Opener in Traverse City with Qoachella
Beat Mändli and Qoachella claimed victory at the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League opener in Traverse City on September 20, 2026, as the only double-clear combination.
Equidara editorial team · 21 September 2026 · 1 min read
Beat Mändli and his ten-year-old mare Qoachella kicked off the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ North American League season in style, securing a fantastic win in Traverse City on September 20, 2026. This impressive pair was the only combination in the competition to produce a double-clear performance, marking the mare's first World Cup victory.
Double-Clear Round Secures the Win
In the initial round, under a tight time limit, Mändli opted for a remarkably efficient track. While other top contenders incurred time faults, he, along with Shane Sweetnam, Christian Kukuk, Mark Bluman, and Charlotte Jacobs, qualified for the jump-off. Jacobs ultimately chose not to compete. As the first to go in the jump-off, the Swiss rider once again delivered a flawless performance, stopping the clock at 38.03 seconds. Sweetnam, riding James Kann Cruz, unfortunately had a rail down at the final fence, placing him second with a time of 35.61 seconds and four faults. Christian Kukuk and Akarad Tivolli Z secured third place with 37.68 seconds and four faults, after Kukuk attempted a risky rollback in the penultimate line.
Horse Originally Intended for Dinan
Mändli commented that sometimes everything just clicks, and this time, it certainly did for him, his horse, and the entire team. The mare was initially intended for his student, Katie Dinan, before the 2007 World Cup Finals champion took over the reins himself. With 20 points, Mändli now leads the overall standings of the North American League.
Read more about it at FEI.
Sources
- Mändli exhibits mastery in Traverse City (FEI) (20.9.2026)
- Titelfoto: PaterMcFly, Wikimedia Commons (zugeschnitten)
- Lizenz des Fotos: Creative Commons CC BY 4.0
Written by Equidara editorial team. Last checked: 3 October 2026.
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