Alessandra Volpi & Gipsy Love Continue U.S. Push for Podium at 2025 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final

By Jumper News USA on April 5, 2025

Basel, Switzerland – April 04, 2025 – Alessandra Volpi (USA) and Gipsy Love stamped their mark on the second day of jumping competition at the 2025 FEI Jumping World Cup Final in Basel, Switzerland, earning third place and stopping the timers in 45.78 seconds to move up to seventh in the overall standings. Lillie Keenan (USA) and Kick On also remain in the top five, tied for fourth, with an exciting finish to come Sunday. Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Leonie Jei took the win in Friday’s class with a jump-off time of 40.77 seconds, followed by Max Kuhner (AUT) and Elektric Blue P in second on 42.32 seconds.

“Two nights in a row we’re on the podium. We sent a younger group over here, a group that we’re excited about, but still gaining experience, and we’ve been on the podium both nights. It’s pretty good,” said Chef d’Equipe Robert Ridland. “Lillie and Alex are well positioned going into Sunday. Lillie had a great round today and even with an early rail she was able to make sure she had a prompt time to keep her up there, but the two of them are in a great position for Sunday, which is exciting for everyone.”

Volpi (Elk Grove, Calif.) and Gipsy Love jumped an excellent clear round yesterday in the speed and came ready to deliver today in Round II. The pair were one of just six combinations to jump clear across today’s challenging track, which tested each combination’s ability to navigate a large track in a tight arena, with several technical lines influencing the overall standings. The duo was sharp and impressive, delivering their second clear of the week in front of a packed house in Basel.

“My horse gave me everything and I really tried my best to show her the way and we came out with a clear so I really couldn’t have been happier,” said Volpi after the first round. “It’s just amazing. She’s really blown my expectations for the week already without it even being over, but I’m just proud of her. She’s incredibly talented and intelligent.”

The pair have steadily built their partnership over the last year since Gipsy Love joined Volpi’s string of talented horses. With no experience together in an indoor setting, the duo trained in small arenas around their home base of Wellington, Fla., to prepare for this event, which has proven to be a major confidence building step in their success together as a combination.

“It’s taken us a bit of time to get to know each other because she is tricky and she really likes things the way she wants them, but I feel like now that we’re coming together as a combination, we’ve put in a lot of solid rounds, and it’s helped us build a lot of confidence and that’s paying off. I’m really honored to be riding her and doing my best to also keep up with her,” said Volpi of the 2014 Silesian Warmblood mare (Guidam Sohn x L’Espirit) owned by Cedar Fox Farm and cared for by Yuliya Pachtsennaya.

Lillie Keenan (New York, N.Y.) and Kick On still hold a very competitive place in the overall standings and sit in a three-way tie for fourth with Kevin Staut (FRA) and Ben Maher (GBR), after just dropping the B element of the triple in today’s class, adding four to their score, but putting in one of the fastest four fault rounds of the evening.

“The triple combination for my horse was going to be challenging, he’s still inexperienced and I need to get better at helping him in a better way. We came in with a little bit too much pace and we learned from that and I’m still happy with where we are, but I couldn’t be happier with him. Even after our rail, he fought for me and tomorrow we’ll rest and be back on Sunday and hopefully in a competitive place.”

The U.S. has three combinations inside of the top fifteen before the Final with Katie Dinan (New York, N.Y.) and Out of the Blue SCF, a 2014 Belgian Warmblood mare (Verdi TN x San Patrignano Cassini) owned by Grant Road Partners and cared for by Lou Beudin, in a tie for 15th place overall with Marcus Ehning and Coolio 42. The pair had two down for a total of eight faults and will enter Sunday on a total of 13 penalties.

The next highest placed combination following Round II, is Kristen Vanderveen (Wellington, Fla.) and Bull Run’s Jireh, a 2014 Holsteiner gelding (Uriko x Colman) owned by Bull Run Jumpers, Inc. and cared for by herself, who added eight faults to their score from yesterday and currently hold 24th overall on 19 penalties.

Kaitlin Campbell (Temecula, Calif.) and Castlefield Cornelious, a 2011 Oldenburg stallion (Cornet Obolensky x Conteder) owned by Mirasol Equestrian LLC and cared for by Erick Garcia, jumped a great round and were on four faults up until the last fence adding eight to their total score with 21 total penalties.

Shawn Casady (Harriman, Tenn.) and Cool Quarz, a2012 Holsteiner gelding (Quarz x San Patrignano Cassini) owned by Morning-Star Sporthorses, LLC and cared for Cristofer Mendoza, are the final combination to continue forward to the final round of competition, after finishing in 29th place on 26 penalties overall, making the cut for the 30 top combinations to move forward to the Final on Sunday.

Alise Oken (Charlotte, N.C.) and Gelvera, a 2011 KWPN mare (Quality Time TN x Numero Uno) owned by Hi Hopes Farm LLC and cared for by Gail Sheperd and Lucile Thomas, and McKayla Langmeier (Wellington, Fla.) and Mimosa vd Rollebeek, a 2012 Belgian Warmblood mare (Castelino van de Helle x Toulon) owned by Rafferty Farm LLC and cared for Beth McGranahan, will not contest the final round on Sunday.

Final Results – €150,000 FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final – Second Competition CSI 5*-W

1) Martin Fuchs (SUI) & Leone Jei – 0 / 0 – 40.77

2) Max Kuhner (AUT) & Elektric Blue P – 0 / 0 – 42.32

3) Alessandra Volpi (USA) & Gipsy Love – 0 / 0 – 45.78

FULL RESULTS

course map

Standings – FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final after Second Competition CSI 5*-W

1) Julien Epaillard (FRA) – 0

2) Martin Fuchs (SUI) – 4

3) Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) – 5

4) Lillie Keenan (USA) – 6

7) Alessandra Volpi (USA) – 9