Bruynseels closes off third day at Brussels Stephex Masters with a Belgian win in the CSI5* 1.50m Top Sport Flandres Prize
Press release Stephex Masters – Some of world’s best riders competed against each other in Friday night’s thrilling CSI5* 1.50m Top Sport Flandres Prize worth 62 000 Euro. Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels turned out as the winner aboard his Belgian bred mare Gancia de Muze in front of an extremely enthusiastic home crowd. “To win here in Brussels tonight at one of world’s leading equestrian events is fantastic! Winning never bores anyone,” Bruynseels smiled from cheek to cheek after his victory.
The 1.50m Top Sport Flandres Prize was held over two rounds with 25 percent of the best combinations from the first round going into the second round against the clock, carrying any penalties with them. Only eight pairs managed to keep a fully clean sheet in the first round, and four combinations finished on just a time penalty to all qualify for the second round. Among the qualified were world-class riders such as Billy Twomey (IRL), Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA), Steve Guerdat (SUI), Tiffany Foster (CAN) and Laura Kraut (USA). But eventually, it was Belgium’s superstar Niels Bruynseels who kept the victory on home soil.
With a time of 42.61 seconds, taking all the risk aboard his striking mare Gancia de Muze (Malito de Rêves x Nimmerdor), Bruynseels left the runner-up position to Tiffany Foster aboard Brighton (Contendro II x Quick Star) and third place to Steve Guerdat riding Bianca (Balou du Rouet x Cardento). “All my horses are in great form at the moment, and I am very lucky to currently have an exceptional string of horses,” Bruynseels stated afterwards. “Gancia has been jumping fantastic lately, but except for our victory in the Grand Prix of Bonheiden, we finished second or third each time. To win here, beating some of world’s best and with the crowd behind you, that is just wonderful!”
Niels Bruynseels also took his current top mount Cas de Liberté Z to the Stephex Masters and hopes to pull off some more strong results this weekend. “It gives you a lot of confidence to start off an event like this with the support of the crowd. I hope my horses will stay in the right shape and that I will grow into the event this week,” Niels said also emphasizing the importance of the Stephex Masters for Belgium as an equestrian country: “This event means a lot for Belgium. The true top riders and horses are competing here and today there were many, many people to witness the sport. I think this is of great importance for equestrianism in Belgium!”
Marcel Marschall to the top in CSI5* Clean Box Prize
Marcel Marschall (GER) and Fenia van Klapscheut (Cicero Z x Ahorn Z) delivered the first German victory at the 2016-edition of the Brussels Stephex Masters when winning Friday’s CSI5* Clean Box Prize worth 25 000 Euro. The 1.45m competition against the clock had 39 riders in it, and fifteen of them produced clear rounds.
Stephex Stables’ Daniel Deusser and Happiness van’t Paradijs (Obourg x Quick Lauro Z) were the leaders throughout most of the class, but was overtaken towards the end. First by Constant van Paesschen (BEL) on Carlow van de Helle (Casall x Lord), who brought the time down to 59.75 seconds and quickly thereafter by Marschall whose time was as good as 58.79.
Fourth place went to Pieter Devos (BEL), and fifth to Cassio Rivetti (UKR).
Top Series Miraval Prize to Emily Moffitt
As last to go, Emily Moffitt (USA) snatched the win in Friday’s CSI2* 1.45m Top Series Miraval Prize worth 24 600 Euro.
The competition went over two rounds, with the thirteen best riders from the first one moving on to the second – where the flood lights had been turned on to create an amazing atmosphere for one of the two feature classes of the night.
The three first riders in the ring for round two – Ibrahim Hani Bisharat (JOR), James Davenport (GBR) and Karina Aziz (CAN) – all had poles down and left the door open for those following them.
As fourth to go, Karel Cox (BEL) put pressure on those to come with a fast clear round on Nicole – a horse the Belgian rider borrowed from his fiancée Marit Skollerud for this event. The time to beat was 42.42 seconds, and the heat was on.
Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) followed up with another clear round on his new ride Hermes de Mariposa (Canturo x Power Light), crossing the finish line on a time of 43.98 seconds. Gilles Thomas (BEL) and Christophe Vanderhasselt (BEL) both had a rail each, while Chris Chugg (AUS) chased Cox’s time to slot into temporary second on Cera Cassiago (Cassini I x Carthago).
Jesper Romp (NED) and Jessica Mendoza (GBR) could not keep a clean sheet, although the latter had the fastest time of the day to eventually finish fifth. When Santiago Lambre’s (MEX) rein broke, and Gregory Cottard (FRA) had two down it was looking more and more like the competition would end with a home win for Cox.
However, 18-year-old Emily Moffitt on the impressive 9-year-old stallion Hilfiger van de Olmenhoeve (Dulf van den Bisschop x Querlybet Hero) wanted it different. The American rider went all in, and got a great turn back to the third last upright before she cleared the combination and then closed off with a race to the final oxer – securing the win in the Miraval Prize with a convincing margin of 1.48 seconds.
Emanuele Gaudiano and Carlotta 232 top the Future Stars Godiva Prize
It was Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) and Carlotta 232 that were the quickest in Friday’s CSIYH Future Stars Godiva Prize.
This was the second competition for the 7- and 8-year old horses at the Brussels Stephex Masters, and it went against the clock over a height of 1.35-1.40m.
Gaudiano is well known for his speed in the ring, and today was no different as he raced around to the fastest time of the class aboard the 7-year-old mare by Chaccomo x Cento. Patrick Mc Entee (AZE) and the 8-year-old mare April Mury Marais Z (Air Jordan Z x Quinar Z) finished as runners-up, almost five seconds behind Gaudiano’s incredible time.
Three more 8-year-olds followed: Third place went to yesterday’s Future Stars winners Jérôme Guery (BEL) and Instit de Jucaso (Cooper van de Heffinck x Darco x Marc Quertenmont), while Kevin Staut (FRA) and Unna de Kerglenn (Cap Kennedy*Bois Margot x Diamant de Semilly) were fourth and Markus Beerbaum fifth with Contina R (Contendro I x Coleur Rubin).
Robinson Maupiler makes it a win for the hosts in the Super Cup STX Prize
Robinson Maupiler (FRA) made sure to bring Friday morning’s 1.40m Super Cup STX Prize home to the hosts at the Brussels Stephex Masters. As last to go in the eleven-horse jump-off, the Stephex Stables’ rider wiped out the competition to take the first prize aboard the 15-year-old stallion Norlam des Etisses (Quidam de Revel x Uriel) bringing the time down to 36.99 seconds.
The host team from Stephex Stables were strong in this CSI2* competition, with Stephan Conter’s daughter Emilie Conter (BEL) finishing as runner-up on Viva (Corrado I x Nimmerdor). Third place went to Viktor Daem (BEL) on Extra (Berlin x Heartbreaker), also he double clear.
Clara Hallundbæk (DEN) finished fourth, and Jack Whitaker – winner of the Super Cup Flamant Prize yesterday – fifth.
Tatiana Troiani picks up her second Prestige League win in the Equix Prize
Tatiana Troiani (BEL) took her second win at the Brussels Stephex Masters, when she went to the top in Friday’s 1.30m Prestige League Equix Prize.
Aboard the 14-year-old mare Sister van de Wolvendries (Contra-A x Etretat), Troiani’s winning mount from Wednesday, the Belgian rider produced one of the ten double clears in this two phase competition. With almost two seconds down to runner-up Annette Wolf (NED) on Ewoud J (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Burggraaf), it was once again a convincing performance from Troiani who has had a super show at the Brussels Stephex Masters.
Belgian riders filled up the top five, with Marthe Van Gorp ending third on Diamond Star (Canturano x Tangelo Vd Zuuthoeve ) while Camille Demolie was fourth and Maverick Van Lent fifth.
Source: Press release
