Italy’s “Master of Faster” wins the CSI3* GLOCK’s Opening Competition

Today no fewer than 71 participating duos had themselves registered on the list of starters for the CSI3* GLOCK’s Opening Competition. The first trial of strength between those World and European Champions, Olympic medallists and top international riders present took place in a standard jumping competition over 1.40 m, which 15 duos mastered with no penalties.

Schnell, null, unschlagbar: Gianni Govoni (ITA) und Winn Winn in der CSI3* GLOCK's Opening Competition. © Michael Rzepa — Fast, clear, unbeatable: Gianni Govoni (ITA) and Winn Winn in the CSI3* GLOCK’s Opening Competition. © Michael Rzepa

But there was no way to get past the “Master of Faster”. Gianni Govoni from Italy, with his notoriously agile AES mare Winn Winn, missed no opportunity so save a couple of canter strides and achieved a clearly best time of 59.65 seconds. “Well that was a good way to kick off. For the qualification for GLOCK’s 3* Grand Prix tomorrow I’ll be riding my other horse, Antonio, and I hope things carry on this way.” A justified hope, because Gianni Govoni has travelled to the GHPC Austria particularly well prepared, having won the world ranking jumping at the CSI4* Gaston Glock’s Grand Prix in Salzburg with his 12-year-old KWPN gelding Antonio as recently as December 2016.

Mit Kick like bum ritt Jörne Sprehe (GER) in der CSI3* GLOCK's Opening Competition auf Rang zwei. © Michael Rzepa — On Kick like bum, Jörne Sprehe (GER) rode to second place in the CSI3* GLOCK’s Opening Competition. © Michael Rzepa

Also delivering a masterful kick-off ride were Jörne Sprehe (GER) and her gelding Kick like bum, bred from Kolibri. The duo secured second place in 65.10 seconds. Another great female rider entered the podium in the person of Suzanne Tepper (NED) with Acascia. She took third place in 65.99 seconds. Austria’s Gerfried Puck (St) took fourth place in the saddle on eleven-year-old grey mare Bo (0/66.34), Roland Englbrecht (OÖ) and Chambery came 14th (0/73.52).

Für Suzanne Tepper (NED) und Acascia wurde es in der CSI3* GLOCK's Opening Competition der dritte Platz. © Michael Rzepa — For Suzanne Tepper (NED) and Acascia it was to be third place in the CSI3* GLOCK’s Opening Competition. © Michael Rzepa

10 CSI3* GLOCK’s OPENING COMPETITION
Int. standard show jumping over 1,40 m
1. Winn Winn – Govoni, Gianni (ITA) 0/59,65
2. Kick like bum – Sprehe, Jörne (GER) 0/65,10
3. Acascia – Tepper, Suzanne (NED) 0/65,99
4. Bo – Puck, Gerfried (AUT/St) 0/66,34
5. Delacroix AS – Crotta, Fabio (SUI) 0/66,52
6. Salto Des Nauves H D C – Ekberg, Jonna (SWE) 0/67,52
7. Quabs – Schmid, Maximilian (GER) 0/68,53
8. Cormina – Nagel, Björn (GER) 0/68,99
9. Balermo – Bitter, Eva (GER) 0/69,18
10. H&M Second Chanse – Baryard-Johnsson, Malin (SWE) 0/69,37
11. Checkers – Lill, Maximilian (GER) 0/69,91
12. GLOCK’s Champions Ludwig – Schröder, Ben (NED) 0/70,14
13. Coranto – Muff, Werner (SUI) 0/72,30
14. Chambery – Englbrecht, Roland (AUT/OÖ) 0/73,52
15. Casanova de L‘ Herse – Mathy, Francois Jr (BEL) 0/73,75
16. Connelly 2 – Bruggink, Gert Jan (NED) 1/74,37
17. Chaccorina – Kutscher, Marco (GER) 1/76,53
18. Mercury – Belova, Natalia (RUS) 1/77,82
Link to results