Masters – Longines Speed Challenge The city where records are broken

Press release | Showjumping – The name of the fastest man in the world is Kevin Staut. Faster than in LA, faster than Nayel Nasar, the winner of the Longines Masters of Los Angeles, he took off with Elky van het Indihof HDC and nobody could catch them.

The enthusiasm of the spectators had already made the grandstands shake when they witnessed Julian Epaillard’s fabulous round with Cristallo A LM. It was difficult to imagine how it could be possible to go any faster, but a two second penalty for a rail down left the way open for another rider. “You really needed to have experienced horses to jump the sheep pen clear,” said the rider who won the Absolu Trophy yesterday. “When they enter the combination, the horses have no idea where they are going. I have been riding Cristallo for a few years now and we know each other off by heart so I think I had the advantage of experience today.  And he came up to scratch as usual. He rarely disappoints me and he is a pleasure to ride. I thought that my rail down was going to cost me dearly but in the end it didn’t make a difference to the result. I am very pleased with my second place.”

Three horses later, the Olympic champion and the daughter of Toulon, whose big-hearted nature was praised by her rider, stepped into the breach, cheered on by the audience who was going crazy. And better still: even with their scratch time, they achieved the incredible feat of being even faster! Despite this, the leader of the French team reproached himself “for having ridden the first part of the course badly.” Does that mean he could do even better next time?  It’s hard to imagine. Having said that, there was one rider who was capable of worrying him: McLain Ward. The Olympic silver medalist, who was cheered on by the extremely sporting audience, made tight turns, accelerated and jumped clear – but only managed to finish in third place. “To go faster than Kevin, I would have had to do better … on the whole course,” stated the rider after his round. It is worth highlighting the great performance of Niels Bruynseels, who was very fast and one of only three riders to have jumped clear, remaining in the lead for a long time and only dethroned from the podium at the very end of the class.  “The course was very technical; the sheep pen was not the only difficult part,” said Kevin Staut. “In fact it was a speed class for Grand Prix horses.  I take my hat off to Uliano Vezzani who succeeded in creating a thrilling and spectacular competition.”

The indisputable supremacy of a master of riding, style and speed, brought a day of sport and glamour, interspersed by magnificent victories, to a perfect end. It started out with young Paloma de Crozals winning the Institut Esthederm Trophy and then finishing second behind Belgium’s Christophe De Brabander, who is not much older himself, in the Free Lance Trophy. The Invitational riders were lucky to be awarded their prizes by Olympic champion Penelope LePrevost, the ambassador for both the partner brands.  The winners of the Prestige class yesterday were on the highest step of the podium today: Olivier Guillon, the former world silver medalist with the French team, in the Direct Matin Trophy and Belgium’s Zoe Conter, European junior team champion and individual bronze medalist in the Miasuki Trophy, where she beat experienced opponents such as Harrie Smolders and Reed Kessler.

The world’s best riders, of whom many were riding their leading horses, competed in the Masters Laiterie de Montaigu Trophy. However, it is a newcomer to this year’s Longines Masters of Paris, Italy’s Lorenzo de Luca, who was victorious and won over the Parisian audience. An enthusiastic, passionate, sporting audience to whom Kevin Staut wanted to pay tribute: “I would like to thank the audience who are always present, in good times and not so good ones, and who always support us.  It is a real pleasure to ride here before you. The French riders have their heart set on succeeding in all the classes. There are two more days to go: we will have to rise to the occasion!” This was illustrated by the spontaneous Marseillaise which burst out in the middle of the DJ set concert.

Tomorrow promises to be a wonderful day, with very high level sport in the Longines Gold Cup, entertainment and generosity in the Pro-Am for Charity class presented by Hyatt and of course, the after-party which has contributed to the renown of the Longines Masters.

LONGINES Speed Challenge
CSI5*/CSI2* – 1,45 m
1. Elky van het Indihof HDC – Kevin Staut (FRA) 61.81 seconds
2. Cristallo A LM – Julien Epaillard (FRA) 64.80 seconds (62.80)
3. Malou – McLain Ward (USA) 65.53 seconds
4. Angel van T Hof – Niels Bruynseels (BEL) 65.71 seconds
5. Albfuehren’s Happiness- Steve Guerdat (SUI) 65.90 seconds (63.90)
6. H&M Challenge v. Begijnakker Z – Olivier Philippaerts (BEL)66.18 seconds (64.18)
7. Zekina Z – Jane Richard Philips (SUI) 68.12 seconds (64.12)
8. Electric Touch – Max Kühner (AUT) 69.62 seconds (67.62)
9. VDL Groep Quatro – Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) 70.23 seconds (68.23)
10. Papillon Z – Jérome Guery (BEL) 70.26 seconds (66.26)
11.Serise du Bidou – Olivier Guillon (FRA) 70.50 seconds (66.50)
12. Sultan du Chateau – Simon Delestre (FRA) 70.55 seconds (66.55)
Full results

Starts and Results »
Livestream »
FEI TV »
www.longinesmasters.com

Source: Press release