Forty riders were selected from among the worlds best to compete for the Audi Equestrian Masters trophy. The riders included current Olympic Champion, Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA), the 2006 World Cup Winner, Marcus Ehning (GER), recently crowned World Champion Jos Lansink (Bel) and European Champion, Marco Kutscher(GER). The competition took place in two heats, the second heat being reserved for the 12 top or faultless riders.
Thirty Seven pairs came through the ingate in Sunday’s competition at Brussels, Belgium, an International Jumping Competition at 1.6m, Table A with one jump off against the clock, FEI 238.2.2.
Twelve horse and rider combinations went clear in Round 1. Another two riders had just a time fault but would not make the final which was limited to the top twelve riders.
Great Britain’s John Whitaker was first on the course aboard Peppermill and established the first faultless ride of the day. Eugenie Angot (FRA) the sixth rider on the course aboard Ilostra Dark provided the second clear ride of the day. Kristof Cleeren (BEL), the 9th rider on Sea Coast Conan was also clear as was fellow countryman Patrick Mc Entee (BEL) and Ever Mury Marais Z, the eleventh rider on the course.
9 other riders would go without another clear until Philippe Le Jeune (BEL), 21st to go, guided Ulysse through the course without fault.
Laura Kraut (USA) and Anthem (26th to go) joined the jump off as they sailed through the course in perfect fashion.
After Kaura’s ride the clears increased dramatically.
Steve GUERDAT (SUI) and Tresor in 29th, Gregory Wathelet (UKR) and Nike in 30th position, Edwina ALEXANDER (AUS) and Isovlas Pialotta in 31st, Hubert Bourdy (FRA) riding Toulon in 32nd, Marco Kutscher and Cash in 33rd to go and Rodrigo Pessoa, last to go on Oasis provided the fans with the final clear of Round 1 to make it twelve riders in the jump off.
In the jump off, John Whitaker was again first to go and provided the first double clear and established the time to beat at 39.97. Eugenie Angot managed to beat the time but had a rail for four faults. The three Belgiums Kristoff Cleeren, Patrick McEntee and Phillip LeJuene were next but none of them could go cleanly.
Enter Laura Kraut into the ring and with the second double clear of the afternoon Laura set the new time to beat at 38.21 seconds. Hubert Boudy (FRA) would take a run at Laura with a clear ride but more than 2.5 seconds slower. Gregory Wathelet (UKR) also went double clear but was again more than a second slower than Kraut.
That left it up to the last rider to go, Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA). Rodrigo produced the fith double clear of the day in a time of 36.62 to win the competition.
It was nice to see an American competing with the best of Europe and doing so well.
1 298 OASIS Rodrigo PESSOA (BRA) 0.00 0.00 36.62
2 290 ANTHEM Laura KRAUT (USA) 0.00 0.00 38.21
3 306 NIKE Gregory WATHELET (UKR) 0.00 0.00 39.43
4 317 PEPPERMILL John WHITAKER (GBR) 0.00 0.00 39.97
5 250 TOULON Hubert BOURDY (FRA) 0.00 0.00 42.23
6 313 TRESOR Steve GUERDAT (SUI) 0.00 4.00 36.28
7 234 ISOVLAS PIALOTTA Edwina ALEXANDER (AUS) 0.00 4.00 37.26
8 287 CASH Marco KUTSCHER (GER) 0.00 4.00 38.06
9 264 ILOSTRA DARK Eugenie ANGOT (FRA) 0.00 4.00 39.22
10 256 ULYSSE Philippe LE JEUNE (BEL) 0.00 4.00 39.79
11 232 EVER MURY MARAIS Z Patrick MC ENTEE (BEL) 0.00 4.00 41.10
12 239 SEA COAST CONAN Kristof CLEEREN (BEL) 0.00 8.00 40.38
You must be logged in to post a comment.