Kick-off to the five-star weekend in Doha

Scott Brash is probably annoyed that the World Championships in Aachen are not starting in the next few weeks, he and his horses are performing so excellently in Doha right at the beginning of the year. With their typical casual elegance and suppleness, Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Jefferson took almost three seconds off the competition in the first jumping competition of the five-star tour over 1.50 meters against the clock.

A happy Brash commented: “Hello Jefferson was incredible once again. He is in top form. I know him so well and we just understand each other. He’s already looking for the next obstacle. He knows what he has to do, he loves his job and it’s a pleasure to ride him.”

After 64.10 seconds, they were the penultimate pair to cross the finish line, leaving the previous leader Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann in the saddle on High Level well behind. However, the Holstein Livello daughter lived up to her name with a clear round of 67.19 seconds – second place for her.

Third place (0/67.76 seconds) went to Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli on the Cornet Obolensky daughter Charly Heart, who is registered as a Norwegian Warmblood. The ten-year-old mare had already been presented by Zanotelli’s colleague at Ashford Farm, Jana Wargers.

Ahlmann and Dreher placed

Janne-Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann was not the only one to pick up a ribbon on Ash Wednesday. Christian Ahlmann rode the nine-year-old Diamant de Semilly son Diamantino to seventh place in a penalty-free 69.36 seconds – behind another “diamond”, namely Davenport VDL, formerly successful with Laura Klaphake, who now jumps for Saudi Arabia with Khaled Almotby.

Hansi Dreher and Elysium also finished in twelfth place with a fast four-fault ride.

You can find all the results from Doha here.