<P> Puissance is the high - jump competition in the equestrian sport of show jumping . </P> <P> The competition involves a maximum of five rounds - opening round followed by four jump - offs, not against the clock . The first round consists of four to six large single obstacles including the puissance wall, the starting height of which may vary from 1.70 to 1.80 m (5 ft 7 in to 5 ft 11 in) in height . For the jump - offs, in which the fences are raised for each round, there are only two obstacles--a spread fence and the wall--although an optional practice fence is included . In the event of equality after the fifth round, riders share first prize . </P> <P> The puissance wall often has become taller than 2 metres (6 ft 7 in). The current indoor record for puissance is held by German rider Franke Sloothaak, who in June 1991 jumped 2.40 m (7 ft 10 in) in Chaudfontaine, Belgium on Optiebeurs Golo, breaking his previous record set on Leonardo . </P> <P> The puissance is similar to, but not the same as, the equestrian high jump competition, which consists of a single, slightly sloping fence made from a hedge topped with timber rails . The record for the high jump stands at 2.47 m (8 ft 1 in), and was achieved by Captain Alberto Larraguibel Morales riding Huaso ex-Faithfull, at the Official International Event at Viña del Mar, Chile, on 5 February 1949 . </P>

The height franke sloothaak jumped to achieve the world puissance record in 1991