David Will with a win and a second place in Sharjah

After Sophie Hinners was victorious yesterday, it was the turn of her colleague from VW Equestrian, David Will, today. Sophie also jumped into the money today.

The only five-star competition today was over 1.55 meters with a jump-off. The only rider to stay clear twice was the Brazilian João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes De Lima in the saddle of the Kannan son Kenzo Quality. They thus snatched victory and 32,100 euros in prize money – even though they were almost ten seconds slower than the next-placed pair.

That was David Will and his successful partner of recent weeks, the eleven-year-old Big Star son Xixo Borgia. Will very rarely comes home without a ribbon with the OS stallion, was victorious several times in Riyadh in December and was part of the unbeatable Nations Cup team with him in Abu Dhabi at the beginning of the month. Borgia also delivered today: 34.56 seconds, but one down, second place.

Henrik von Eckermann on the ten-year-old Emerald daughter Qasirah van de Reistehoek came third in exactly 35 seconds, also with one knockdown. The Swedish world champion has had the Belgian rider under saddle since May last year. In July, she competed in her first 1.55 meter jumping competition and in August in her first 1.60 meter course. Today was her first top three placing in a jumping competition of this category with a jump-off.

In total, only four pairs reached the jump-off. Thanks to a brisk four-fault round in the normal course, Sophie Hinners on Event de L’Heribus was also able to jump into the placings. She came seventh.

CSI2* Grand Prix

Today was already the most important day for the two-star tour with the decision in the Grand Prix. This went in favor of David Will. Only four pairs had reached the jump-off in this competition too. Will had saddled up the ten-year-old Bavarian DSP gelding Qualido M by Quadrigus M (M for Zuchthof Meindl), who he has only been riding since the beginning of the year (previously he was mainly ridden by Elisabeth Meyer) and secured victory with a penalty-free 45.60 seconds.

Second place was secured by another pair from Germany, albeit competing under the Ukrainian flag. After almost a whole year away from CSI, René Tebbel is riding internationally again. With the twelve-year-old Conthargos daughter Conquida de Revel, he delivered the second of the two clear rounds in the jump-off.

Third place remained in the UAE thanks to Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi in the saddle on the eight-year-old Billy Martini, who is named after the Billy Stud of UAE trainer William Funnell. They had one down.

The fourth pair in the jump-off had no faults, but took it easy: Sophie Hinners on the Marbach state stud stallion Doctor Blue. When the ten-year-old Westphalian by Durango VDL moved to the VW Equestrian stable, he was initially presented by David Will. Sophie Hinners took over the reins in mid-January and built him up through the one-star tour. Today is the biggest success for the pair to date.

You can find all the results from Sharjah here.