The second day of the sensational Longines Global Champions Tour of Vienna delivered an atmosphere worthy of its majestic stage as Martin Fuchs and the brilliant 14-year-old gelding Conner Jei soared to victory in the CSI5* 1.50m Jump-Off class presented by KRONEN ZEITUNG. Against the baroque splendour of Schönbrunn Palace, history came alive in the Austrian capital as the Tour returned to Vienna for the first time since 2016. A crisp autumn day greeted sold-out grandstands, the skies clearing to set the perfect scene for world-class show jumping that turned every head in the crowd.

Chasing Fuchs all the way, Eduardo Pereira de Menezes and H5 Knockando delivered a lightning-fast round to briefly take the lead before being edged out in the closing stages. While Katrin Eckermann with her sensational mare Chao Lee once again proved their consistency at the top level, producing a daring clear that secured the final spot on the podium.

Speaking after his win, Martin said –”It was a really great jump off for us today with some long gallops - he has a huge stride - I saw Eduardo before me and he was really really fast, but I wanted to win tonight so it’s a beautiful run!”

He went on to add, “Already last night a full crowd, today again - I really enjoy riding in front of a crowd, and in a facility like this which is so incredible. Connor Jei has won all over the world now to be able to win here in Vienna.in front of the castle, he really deserved that win!”

The course demanded sharpness and focus from the very start. Rails tumbled in the opening round, not at any single test but across the track, cutting down a number of serious contenders who otherwise looked set to challenge for the jump-off. Among those denied a place by a single fence were home hero Katharina Rhomberg with Colestus Cambridge, Harrie Smolders on Devino vd Weretherbach Z and Maikel van der Vleuten with Quastor vd Heffinck.

Agonisingly close to joining the jump-off, Sara Vingralkova with Rock’n Roll MXL and Lara Tryba aboard Shot Gun each picked up a single painful time fault despite otherwise flawless rounds, while Ben Maher and Ginger-Blue produced the fastest four-fault performance of the day, their lightning pace spoiled only by one unlucky rail.

In the end, nine combinations delivered clear rounds to progress, setting up a thrilling battle against the clock:

First into the ring, Jana Wargers and I Know set a strong benchmark with a stylish clear in 36.67s, laying down the time to beat for the rest of the field. Hot on her heels, Katrin Eckermann with Chao Lee shaved fractions off the clock, stopping it 0.14s faster to slide into the provisional lead and raise the pressure.

Third out, the female fire power just kept coming as Edwina Tops-Alexander and Caetlin vd Heffinck Z produced a foot-perfect double clear, choosing precision over risk to leave everything standing with her new mount but outside the current top two times.

Then came Eduardo Pereira de Menezes aboard H5 Knockando, who lit up the arena. Flying across the ground, he was 0.99s quicker than Eckermann and stormed into pole position with a breathtaking round.

There was disappointment for Bassem Mohammed and F One USA, two early rails quickly ruling them out of contention and putting them to the bottom of the leaderboard. The atmosphere changed when Martin Fuchs with Conner Jei entered the ring. Riding with absolute determination, he took every risk and launched to the final fence on a flyer, stopping the clock at exactly 34.00s – a full 1.29s faster than Eduardo to seize the lead in dramatic fashion.

Bianca Babanitz and Dakato opted for safety, delivering a smooth double clear but well off the leading pace while Victor Bettendorf on Doha de Riverland gave it a good shot, but an early pole down ended his chances of a podium finish.

The jump-off ended with a twist – Philipp Weishaupt, last to go with Kilmister, chose not to start, saving his talented nine-year-old for the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Vienna the following day.

And with that, it was Martin Fuchs and Conner Jei who emerged triumphant, their daring 34.00s round proving untouchable, with Eduardo Pereira de Menezes and Katrin Eckermann completing the podium in second and third place.

The grandeur of Schönbrunn Palace provided an unforgettable stage – every corner steeped in history, every stride cheered on by a full house. With Vienna’s return to the Tour marked in such style, anticipation now builds for tomorrow’s headline act. The Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Vienna takes centre stage on Sunday 28 September at 20:15 local time, promising another evening of top-class drama in one of the sport’s most spectacular new venues.

FULL RESULTS