Dutchman Albert Zoer and his irrepressibly bouncy horse Oki Doki saved the best until last in the Olympia Grand Prix, becoming the fourth Netherlands pair to win in the 33-year history of the competition. Oki Doki is currently one of the best horses in the world – he and Albert are reigning World and European team gold medallists.
But it was at the expense of Robert Whitaker on Lacroix 9, who had set a blistering target of clear in 39.27sec that only Albert, the penultimate competitor in the nine-strong jump-off could beat, scraping ahead of the British pair by a heart-breaking 0.07sec.
Norway’s Tony Andre Hansen, third on his European championship ride Camiro 19, had earlier scored his first Olympia victory. He won the KBIS British Equestrian Insurance Speed Stakes on ET Royal Volo. While several riders opted for a steady clear, three competitive rounds, by Jessica Kurten, Leon Thijssen and Robert Smith, last to go on Mr Springfield, came unstuck after they made over-ambitious turns to the third fence.
Tony, 28, is a full-time rider and was a member of the first Norwegian team to qualify for the Olympics – they finished seventh at the Europeans last year and clinched the last qualifying place for Hong Kong – but he has a second string to his bow in the form of a singing career with the Norwegian band Ovatia.
Meanwhile, John Whitaker, at 52 Olympia’s most senior rider – he has ridden at every Olympia bar one since 1972 – was the popular winner of the Hong Tourist Board Speed Stakes on the rising star Casino.
RESULTS
12 THE OLYMPIA GRAND PRIX
Int. jumping competition with one jump-off (1.60 m, Table A)
1 Oki Doki Zoer, Albert NED 12000 GBP 0 faults 39.20 sec
2 Lacroix 9 Whitaker, Robert GBR 8000 GBP 0 faults 39.27 sec
3 Camiro Hansen, Tony André NOR 5200 GBP 0 faults 46.64 sec
4 Nabab’s Son Kutscher, Marco GER 4000 GBP 4 faults 40.66 sec
5 Candy Pollmann-Schweckhorst, Alois GER 3200 GBP 4 faults 40.92 sec
6 Olaf Thijssen, Leon NED 2400 GBP 4 faults 41.09 sec
7 Arctic Aurora Borealis Fredricson, Peder SWE 1600 GBP 4 faults 41.20 sec
8 Opium VS Houtzager, Marc NED 1200 GBP 8 faults 45.98 sec
9 Jalisca Solier Guerdat, Steve SUI 1200 GBP 12 faults 45.18 sec
10 Complete O’Connor, Cian IRL 1200 GBP 4 faults 59.27 sec
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