Olympic stars show their form ahead of tomorrow’s Longines qualifier at Verona
Pressrelease Jumping Verona – There was an Olympic ring to today’s competitions at Jumping Verona where 2012 individual gold medallist, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, won the opening class before Rio 2016 Olympic team gold medallist, Penelope Leprevost from France, topped this afternoon’s main event.
Pressrelease Jumping Verona – There was an Olympic ring to today’s competitions at Jumping Verona where 2012 individual gold medallist, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, won the opening class before Rio 2016 Olympic team gold medallist, Penelope Leprevost from France, topped this afternoon’s main event.
Guerdat galloped home to win the Franco Tucci 1.50m Speed with the 10-year-old mare Albfuehren’s Happiness. In the class of 33 starters he was 29th to go and was chasing the target set by the French partnership of Simon Delestre and Sultan du Chateau who he followed into the ring.
The Swiss rider was more than a half-second quicker, and described his success as “a very nice victory for me. The horse went very well and it was a very nice course. It was fast, there was a lot of turning in the course, but she’s been winning a lot this year in this category of competition so it’s nice to win under pressure at a show like Verona!”
Now the man who claimed the Longines FEI World Cup™ title in both 2014 and again in 2015 is fully focused on tomorrow’s Western European League qualifier. “It’s going to be tough, there are a lot of good horses and they are jumping well here, but I have a very good horse and I hope I can make it to the jump-off and then we will see what happens! “ he said.
Leprevost also has her sights clearly set on tomorrow’s qualifier, but she has decided to switch rides following today’s victory in the BMW Small Grand Prix with the brilliant mare Flora de Mariposa. It was Ireland’s Billy Twomey who looked set for success with Diaghilev when posting a fast jump-off time of 37.13 seconds that none of the others could beat until the Frenchwoman took her turn.
“I think it was not an easy class to win with just seven riders into the jump-off, and I was lucky because I was last to go” said Leprevost who put the result beyond doubt when clocking her clear in 36.40 seconds to squeeze the Irishman down to runner-up spot. “I had already seen some horses go, and my mare is so fast, so for me it’s great because since the Olympic Games I didn’t jump so much. I was hurt, I had an injury and it’s my first win since the Games”, she explained. She has now decided to alter her plans for the World Cup qualifier. “For tomorrow I have changed my mind, I think I will ride Ratina, the smaller bay mare, because Flora gave a lot in this class today”, she said.
Leprevost and double World Cup champion Guerdat will certainly face plenty of stiff opposition in tomorrow’s big class including the top two riders on the Longines rankings, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Delestre. A total of 40 will be chasing down those coveted points that could take them to the 2017 Longines Final in Omaha, Nebraska, USA next March and the field of runners is filled with World Cup champions. Ahlmann took the title in 2011, Daniel Deusser claimed the honours in 2014 and his German compatriot, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is one of four riders who have clinched the trophy on three occasions, so it’s going to be hot stuff from the outset.
Italy’s Juan Carlos Garcia will open the action at 14.30 local time and will be one of eight host nation contenders hoping to go into the history books as the very first Italian to win their home leg of this prestigious series.
Results:
BMW presents
Final Small Tour
Int. jumping competition with jump-off (1.55 m)
Competition counts for the LONGINES ranking
1. Flora de Mariposa – Penelope Leprevost (FRA) 0/36.40 sec
2. Diaghilev – Billy Twomey (IRL) 0/37.13 sec
3. Armitages Boy – Lorenzo De Luca (ITA) 0/42.14 sec
4. Triomphe van Schuttershof – Davide Sbardell (ITA) 0/43.27 sec
5. Danique – Alberto Zorzi (ITA) 4/38.59 sec
6.Pacific des Essarts – Martin Fuchs (SUI) 4/39.46 sec
7. H&M Challenge vd Begijnakker Z – Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) 8/40.52 sec
Full Result
CAVALLERIA TOSCANA presents
Int. jumping competition – speed and handiness (1.45/1.50 m)
Competition counts for the LONGINES ranking
1. Moka de Mescam – Juan Carlos Garcia (ITA) 63.74 seconds
2. Flickfox – Mirco Casadei (ITA) 64.95 seconds
3. Larbraker – Gianni Govoni (ITA) 65.02 seconds
4. Little Lord – Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) 67.01 seconds (63.01)
5. Guess – Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) 67.52 seconds (63.52)
6. Quidich de la Chavee – Filippo Marco Bologni (ITA) 68.62 seconds
7. Luce Luce – Simone Coata (ITA) 69.30 seconds
8. Clodia Csg – Paolo Paini (ITA) 69.63 seconds (65.63)
9. Coeur de Lion – Max Kühner (AUT/T) 71.74 seconds (67.74)
Full Result
Starts and Results »
FEI TV »
www.jumpingverona.it
Source: Pressrelease Jumping Verona
