The President of Qatar and Asian Equestrian Federations, Hamad Abdulrahman Al Attiyah posing for a photograph with the podium winners of the feature event at the Longines Arena At Al Shaqab, yesterday.
World No.3 Daniel Deusser of Germany yesterday produced the only double clear round to win the feature event on day two of the 2020 LGCT season opener at Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
Deusser, winner of the CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix at the same venue last week, last night guided 10-year-old Kiana van het Herdershof to a near-perfect run in the jump-off of the 1.55m competition.
Going in second last in the seven-rider field in the jump-off, Deusser knew he would finish second or first since the first five riders had failed to produced a clear round.
A thinking rider who considers every minute detail before entering the arena, Deusser went in slow and then stepped up the gas with Kiana van het Herdershof, clocking a time of 40.54 seconds under lights at the imposing Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
On Thursday, Deusser teamed up with Belgium’s Pieter Davos to clinch the top spot in the Global Champions League (GCL) opening round.
“I am very happy with the results today,” Deusser said yesterday.
“In the first round it was difficult to get a clear round. It was a little funny ride as we had only 7 riders in the jump off. There were not many clears so yeah I am happy. She’s a careful horse. She’s impressed with the Al Shaqab Arena.That’s why respects the pole so much,” he added with a smile.
“We (in the Global Champions League) started really well yesterday. I did well today and I hope it continues tomorrow also,” he added.
Deusser won €37.125.
Davos, astride Espoir, clocked 37.90 seconds but got stalled because of 4 faults to claim the second spot worth €29.700.
British rider Scott Brash, in the saddle with Hello Shelby, secured the third place in a time of 41.20 seconds (4 faults). Brash won €22.275 for his third-place finish.
Austria’s Max Kuhner (Vancouver Dreams,4, 41.20 seconds, €14.850), France’s Penelope Leprevost (Varennes du Breuil, 4, 47.41 seconds, €10.395), Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer (Cortney Cox, 8, 45.98 seconds, €8.167) and Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano (Kingston van het Eikenhof, eliminated)
Earlier yesterday, Belgian Olympic rider Jerome Guery produced a flawless routine with Eras Ste Hermelle to win the day’s second biggest event that featured 34 starters.
The 39-year-old won the CSI5* 1.50m event in a time of 71.59 seconds as 10-year-old stallion looked at ease in finishing his routine. Guery won the top prize of €12,775.
Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann, 38, secured the second spot by maintaining tight lines that saw him clock a time of 71.63 seconds with Best Boy. Von Eckermann won €10,220
Frenchman Roger-Yves Bost savoured another consistent run in Dohas astride Castleforbes Talitha. Bost won €7,665 as his 13-year-old mare clocked a time of 71.79 seconds.
Schwizer (Switzerland, Quatro Rubin, 73.23 seconds, €5,110) and Ireland’s Shane Breen (Compelling Z, 73.48 seconds, €3,577) completed the top five.
Only seven riders out of 34 managed a clear round in the 1.50m.
There was disappointment for Thursday’s star rider Norway’s Johan Sebastian Gulliksen who was astride Gin Chin van het Lindenhof.
However, the 14-year-old gelding had an off-day - despite going into the ring first - with five faults to go down the pecking order.
Dutchman Maikel Van Der Vleuten, astride Edinburgh, clocked 78.18 seconds which wasn’t fast enough as others maintained a better time.
Soon afterwards, winner Guery galloped into the ring with Eras Ste Hermelle who produced amazing tight lines to clock 71.59 seconds to take the overall win.
Veteran Swiss rider Pius Schwizer showed glimpses that he could do well but could not match Guery’s speed managing to grab the fourth fastest time of 73.23 seconds.
Moments later, experience French rider Bost exhibited great connection with Castleforbes Talitha to take the third spot (71.79 seconds).
In the Longines Hathab Series, Qatar’s Khailfa Abdulla Al Khaldi yesterday guided Dusty to the top spot in a time of 52.15 seconds in the 1.15m class at the Longine Arena at Al Shaqab. Al Khaldi won €611 in a field that had 55 riders.
Qatar’s Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (Hugo Z, 52.60 seconds, €489) sealed the second spot (against the clock) while Uzbekistan’s Abdushukur Sobirjonov (Kapitel, 54.74 seconds, €367) completed the podium spots.
Qatari duo Mohammed Nasser Al Qadi (Galwaybay Merbreaker, 54.85 seconds, €244) and Ali Mohammed Al Marri (Fernhill Friendly Touch, 56.92 seconds, €171) finished in fourth and fifth spots respectively.
In the Medium Tour (Accumulator on Points), Uzbekistan’s Sobirjonov grabbed the top spot with Demilion in a time of 51.60 seconds. Sobirjonov won €1,221.
Qatar’s Khalid Mohammed Al Emadi, astride Eglantine du Castelet, secured the second spot in a time of 51.71 seconds. Al Emadi won €977.
The third place on the podium was grabbed by Qatar’s Ghanim Nasser Al Qadi (Numero Uno - T, 52.07 seconds, €733).
Promising Qatar rider Mubarak Yousuf Al Rumaihi (Cantaro 32, 52.70 seconds, €489) and compatriot Salman Mohammed Al Emadi (Zorro Z, 53.34 seconds, €342) completed the top five out of 55 entries.
