ROAD TO ROLEX IJRC TOP 10 FINAL: Steve Guerdat

STEVE GUERDAT (SUI) - 10/06/1982 

With his victory in the 2023 edition of the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final on Venard de Cerisy, the Swiss rider set a new record: no one had ever been on the roll of honour of this prestigious event three times. The victory came at the end of a spectacular jump-off. The Palexpo favourite was the only one of the three riders admitted (he was joined by von Eckermann and Farrington) to score a clear round.  

Prior to the 2023 edition, the Swiss star, who is a phenomenon in the world of show jumping, had already won this competition in 2010 (Jalisca Solier) and in 2018 (Alamo).

In the last twelve years, Steve has only missed the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final twice, in 2015 and 2022.

He shines with passion and talent and he was also very lucky to have a father, Philippe, who put aside his sporting career as an international rider and trainer to pursue his son's sports career.

Enfant prodige, aged 20, he became the youngest rider to break into the Top 10.

His achievements are nothing less than extraordinary: 6 Olympic participations (the first one in Athens 2004 when he was 22, the latest one in Paris where he won the individual silver medal), 8 European Championships (the first one in San Patrignano in 2005). He won individual gold in London 2012, scored three victories in the FEI World Cup finals, was individual bronze medallist at the 2018 World Championships in Tryon and bears the 2023 European Championships winner's sash earned in Milan.

His headquarters are in Elgg in the Zurich district, in the former stable of the great champion Paul Weier.

Chat on the sidelines

2025 has been a complicated season for you. What do you consider  your highlight and how are you approaching 2026?

« Yes, 2025 has been a challenging year for me. Obviously, I had to face a different approach to the season to what I had planned. Even so, we were able to have some good results and qualify for the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final which is something I consider a real highlight. That’s one of the strongest achievements of the season: attending very few shows we were still able to qualify for one of the most prestigious classes. Another highlight was, without doubt, the third place in two legs of the Grand Slam, in Aachen and Calgary».

Have you already made up your mind about the horse you’ll be riding in the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final?

« I'm not sure yet which horse I'm going to ride. No, I don't know. I'm now at a small show in Riesenberg to get the horses going again. I'm going to come to Geneva with Venard, Dynamix and Iashin, but I’ll have to see how they feel in the coming days before I decide».

You’ve topped this class three times… What are your feelings about this year?

« I feel very lucky I was able to top the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final three times and add a few podium finishes to the wins. It makes me very happy. For this year, I don't have big expectations. I'm very happy that I'm allowed to ride this class once again even if this is due to the fact that a few riders that were better placed in the ranking are not coming. I was a little bit lucky but… That’s life! I'll be in the class: that’s the most important thing and I'm very happy about it. I think after such a season it's already a great achievement to be part of it. We all know that anyone can win this class and I'll give my best even if I don't see myself as a favourite on this occasion. We will see We will see anyway…».

©IJRC