Grand Prix at the Saut Hermès to Scott Brash

Only six pairs made it to the jump-off of the course designed by Santiago Varela and his team for the Grand Prix at the Saut Hermès. Although the course under the glass dome of the Grand Palais was only 230 meters long, it featured 14 obstacles, 17 jumps including two over water and three double combinations. So there were plenty of visual and technical challenges and plenty of jumping.

Hello Chadora Lady, Hello Genie

Even the rescheduled longer stay without competition in Doha could not affect the form of Scott Brash’s Hello Chadora Lady, as she demonstrated today in Paris.

Six world-class riders proved to be up to Santiago Varela’s task and Scott Brash and his 13-year-old Chacco Blue daughter Hello Chadora Lady jumped clear of them all. It was fascinating to see how the world number one and the OS mare bred in Lewitz caught every obstacle from a forward distance, but the mare always jumped back a little at the jump itself to give herself room to the pole. As a result, they stayed clear twice and set an unbeatable time of 32.32.

This was Brash’s seventh Grand Prix win since the start of the year.

Split second place

Second place was shared by two pairs who finished in exactly the same time of 33.35 seconds without penalties: Martin Fuchs on Conner Jei and Harrie Smolders with Mr. Tac.

Behind them, Willem Greve once again demonstrated his impressive form of recent weeks with Gothenburg winner Grandorado. The two were also double clear. The clock stopped at 34.17 seconds.

The jump-off was completed by the Belgian European team champion Thibeau Spits on Impress-K van’t Kattenheye (4/36.55) ahead of Geir Gulliksen for Norway with the Zirocco Blue son Island V G (12/42.26).

The German results

Daniel Deußer and Pepita van’t Meulenhof did not make it into the jump-off, but thanks to a fast four-fault round they did finish in eleventh place.

Philipp Weishaupt and Oreo D.K. had two poles down, as did Marcus Ehning and Priam du Roset. Kendra Claricia Brinkop and Gatsby Le Magnific came out of the normal course with ten penalty points.

In the morning, Philipp Weishaupt in the saddle on the Belgian Emerald daughter Lady Concern du Rezidal secured seventh place with a clear round in a 1.50 meter jumping competition over two phases. The winner here was Kristaps Neretnieks (LAT) with Quintair ahead of Jérôme Guery (BEL) and Careca LS Elite and Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) in the saddle on Nikolaj de Music.

You can find all the results from Paris here.