AUSTRALIAN jumping riders set yet another record on Sunday at the Leipzig International Five Star show in Germany with two Australians finishing in the top 10.
Edwina Alexander, of Glenhaven, and Phillip Lever, of Somerville, placed second and eighth respectively in the tough International 1.55m World Cup Qualifier.
Ladies dominated the line-up in the eighth leg of the European Rolex FEI World Cup series, where Ireland's Jessica Kuerten produced a devastating burst of speed to pip the runner-up - Australia's golden girl Alexander - and third-placed Frenchwoman Penelope Leprevost, in a 16-way jump-off.
The girls simply out-galloped the boys against the clock.
Lever, 24, riding his father's lovely big grey Ashleigh Drossel Dan and currently based at Lastrup in Germany, was second to go against the clock and set the standard at 45.04 seconds.
It was amazing to see Lever - an international rookie - having his first start in a jumping world cup qualifier and placing eighth against the best in the world.
Riders had some tough decisions to make as the snaking second-round course asked for some super-tight turns.
As it emerged however, it was simply the exceptional speed of Kuerten's Castle Forbes Libertina - arguably the fastest show jumping horse in the world - that would win the day.
A daredevil turn after the double by Leprevost saw her fly through to the finish in 41.13 seconds.
Next out was Alexander for Australia.
She shaved almost a full second off the target with a fabulous round riding the diminutive chestnut gelding Cevo Itot du Chateau to finish in 40.71 seconds.
Kuerten jumped a thrilling round to finish in 40.52 seconds to win.
Kuerten, and the 9000 spectators applauded her brilliant 14-year-old mare.
Alexander said of her jump-off round: "In the jump-off there was nothing I could do but to ride as quickly as I could - and I couldn't have gone any faster!"
Alexander now moves into 14th position on the European World Cup leader board.
Her next qualifying event will be at Zurich in Switzerland next weekend.
The Jumping World Cup final will be held in Geneva on April 18.
Chris Chugg of Glossodia has already qualified to represent Australia at the final. Alexander and Victoria's Harley Brown, of Montrose, are looking to qualify.
