Press release Stephex Masters – It was the perfect ending to a day full of great sport at the Brussels Stephex Masters, with world no. three Kent Farrington (USA) finishing first in the competitive CSI5* Audi Prize worth 35 000 Euro.
Nine riders went clear under the flood lights over the twelve fence track that was set at 1.50m. It was by far the triple combination at 11abc – placed by the in-gate – that caused the most problems, and again and again one or more of the elements here fell to the ground.
First to go, Kent Farrington (USA) showed how to do it on the lovely Creedance (Lord Z x Notaris). Twelve riders later, home rider Constant Van Paesschen (BEL) jumped clear and the crowds went wild – a jump-off was secured. Seven more riders followed up with clear rounds, and the audience was in for a treat with some of the world’s best ready to race against the clock.
As it turned out, it would be all about Farrington. First into the ring for the jump-off, the American rider knew he had to put the pressure on and so he did with a fast round in 43.88 seconds.
However, Farrington had far from the ideal start to the Brussels Stephex Masters. “The first day for me was terrible,” explained Kent. “I fell off at number three, so obviously he improved and then he came back tonight and was more like his usual self. I actually was not trying to go full speed. I was trying to go smooth in the jump-off, but he is a naturally fast horse and just letting him go in his own pace is usually very competitive.”
Tonight it was not only competitive, but also unbeatable. Constant Van Paesschen gave it a go, but missed the distance to the last upright and had it down. Unfortunately, Stephex Stables-rider Daniel Deusser (GER) also had one down and finished on four faults which was the result for Peder Fredricson (SWE) as well.
Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) however gave a master class on Status (Satisfaction I x Sao Paulo), slotting in behind Farrington with a time of 44.30 seconds. Tiffany Foster (CAN) also gave it a real go on Cadalora P (Namelus R x Furore) to give Farrington a run for the money as she crossed the finish line only 0.03 seconds behind, pushing Pessoa down to third.
Slightly slower was Laura Kraut (USA) on Confu (Contact ME x Cambridge), who with a time of 44.84 seconds ended fourth. As last to go Gert-Jan Bruggink (NED) had the chance on Vampire (Marome NW x Voltaire), but it was not to be and the two finished 1.53 seconds behind the winning time to slot into fifth and pushing Douglas Lindelöw – who had the slowest double clear – down to sixth.
“The horse is a real fighter,” Farrington said of his winning mount Creedance that also won the CSI5* Grand Prix in St. Moritz last weekend. “I don’t know what he can or can’t do, and I think time will tell. I am trying to produce him in a good way. I think no matter what, he is going to be very competitive – so I will let him tell me what his level is.”
Emma Augier de Moussac and Diva win Future Stars Final Zangersheide Prize
Emma Augier de Moussac might just have sold her very best horse, but in Saturday evening’s Future Stars Final presented by Zangersheide the Czech rider proved that there is more talent in her stables. In a jump-off that went faster and faster, Emma’s tactic of ‘Give it all or go home’ proved to be the right one to win.
26 horses and riders went into the jump-off after going clear over the first round, a 1.35-1.40m track open for 7- and 8-year-olds. Aboard the 8-year-old KWPN-mare Diva (No Limit x Ticallux Verte), Augier de Moussac turned out to be unbeatable.
Opening with the fifteen best 7-year-olds, the rounds got quicker and quicker. Janne Friederike Meyer on the impressive Hannoverian-gelding Buettner’s Minimax (Cornado I x Antaeus) held on to the lead with a time of 41.59 seconds as it was time for the 8-year-olds. Fractions behind followed Lauren Hough (USA) on the Swedish-bred mare Cassandra (Caressini L x Cardento).
However, the more experienced 8-year-olds turned out to be the fastest. Thursday’s winners Jérôme Guery (BEL) and the BWP-gelding Instit de Jucaso (Cooper van de Heffinck x Darco) showed off with an incredibly fast round to stop the clock on 39.92 seconds taking over the top of the score board.
It was not to last though. As next to go, Emma Augier de Moussac went all in with the scopey and quick Diva to shave off an unbelievable 0.49 seconds on Guery’s time. None of those to come had a chance to catch up with the pair, not even Daniel Deusser (GER) and the Zangersheide-bred Tobago Z (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Mr Blue) that had to settle for fifth.
“I am almost in a shock, because I never go fast with her so this was a trial. And she proved that she can do it,” Emma said after. “She is also the main reason why I sold my best horse Charly Brown; I knew that I have to have something coming up for the future and for me she is even more talented than Charly. She is naturally fast, and so smart with the fences – I can always trust her,” a happy winner closed off.
Home win for Hendrik Denutte in Top Series TVH Prize
Hendrik Denutte (BEL) secured another home win at the Brussels Stephex Masters, when he went off with the victory in the Top Series TVH Prize.
The CSI2* 1.40m competition went against the clock, and no less than 27 of the 49 riders produced clear rounds.
Nobody could match Denutte’s speed however, as he crossed the finish line with a time of 56.98 seconds aboard the 8-year-old gelding Cassis van de Kranenburg (Toulon x Kannan). A little under a second behind followed Karina Aziz (CAN) on Fleur Roosters Van Betz (Winningmood van de Arenberg x Triomphe de Muze).
Third place in this class went to the talented junior rider Gilles Thomas (BEL), who has had a very good show so far at the Brussels Stephex Masters. Thomas was riding his double European gold medalist from Millstreet, Indiana vh Kapelhof (Chatman x Pinkus). Stephex Stables-rider Petronella Andersson (SWE) finished fourth and Hilary Mc Nerney (USA) fifth.
Belgians best again in Super Cup Cavalor Prize
Ten Belgian riders topped Saturday’s CSI2* 1.40m Super Cup Cavalor Prize, with Axel Vandoorne leading the way.
Every Belgian rider in the top ten went clear in this competition against the clock, but it was Vandoorne who took the most risk to finish with the best time of the day aboard the 11-year-old gelding Fighting Bravour vd Basquita (Skippy II x Pik Bauer). It was very close on top though, with Johan Demolder only 0.03 seconds behind riding Goldfee (Flipper d’Elle x Heartbreaker).
Simon Morssinkhof and Gines van de Klunderd (Chatman x Randel Z) followed 0.65 seconds behind the winner to take third, while Evelyne Blaton finished fourth and Nikita Taveirne fifth.
Prestige League Final BHV Prize to Belgium’s Camille Demolie
Camille Demolie secured the third Belgian victory of the day in Saturday’s Prestige League Final BHV Prize.
The CSI1* 1.35m competition saw eight riders going clear over the first round track, moving on to the jump-off where the final upright proved to be the trickiest element. Vanessa Buytaert (BEL), Sophie Gracida (USA), Sander Kenis (BEL) and Marthe Van Gorp (BEL) all fell victim to this upright that finished off a long stretch of galloping before the riders and horses crossed the timers – while Annette Wolf (NED) had to see a rail on the second fence fall to the ground.
The first clear was delivered by Camille Demolie and the 8-year-old mare Chica Fino (Calido I x Levisto), second in the ring for the jump-off. Camille got a great turn to the penultimate upright, and had a good run to the last fence to stop the clock at 37.17 seconds.
None of the other riders could catch Demolie. Closest came Maria-Erietta Katsou (GRE) on the experienced mare Quenndal de Lojou HDC (Le Tot de Semilly x Galoubet A) with a time of 38.45 seconds, while Pauline Moens (BEL) also produced a clear round on Palasco CH (Padarco van het Hertsveld x Philippe) with a time of 40.39 seconds.
Alexandra Crown claims the win in Saturday’s Super Cup STX Finance Prize
Fresh from her two victories in St. Moritz last weekend, Alexandra Crown (USA) continued her winning streak at the Brussels Stephex Masters today taking home the Super Cup STX Finance Prize.
The CSI2* 1.35m two-phase competition had 35 riders in it, and thirteen of them managed to jump a double clear round. However, Crown was the quickest of them all as she aboard the 10-year-old mare Basic (Silverstone x Indoctro) rode a blistering fast second phase to stop the clock at 25.69 seconds.
A little over a second behind followed Janika Sprunger (SUI) and Grand Cooper (Lord Z x Berlin), while Romy Morssinkhof (BEL) took care of third place on Vivolta de Gree (Diamant de Semilly x Sandro Boy) two seconds behind the winner.
Clara Hallundbæk (DEN) finished fourth and Nina Barbour (GBR) fifth.
CSI5* AUDI Prize (1.50m)
1. Creedance – Farrington Kent (USA) 0 43.88
2. Cadalora P – Foster Tiffany (CAN) 0 43.91
3. Status – Pessoa Rodrigo (BRA) 0 44.30
4. Confu – Kraut Laura (USA) 0 44.84
5. Vampire – Bruggink Gert Jan (NED) 0 45.46
6. Udermus – Lindelöw Douglas (SWE) 0 45.52
7. Happiness Van T Paradijs – Deusser Daniel (GER) 4 42.51
8. Calore van de Helle – Van Paesschen Constant (BEL) 4 43.92
9. H&M Zaloubet – Fredricson Peder (SWE) 4 45.03
10.Iq van het Steentje – Vermeir Wilm (BEL) 1 79.56
11.Sea Coast Pebbles Z – Patteet Gudrun (BEL) 4 71.76
12.VDL Groep Miss Untouchable – Van Asten Leopold (BEL) 4 71.89
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Source: Press release