Olympic gold medallist Steve Guerdat wins Rio grand prix
Olympic gold medallists Steve Guerdat and Nino Des Buissonnets triumphed in the €330,000 to the winner Rio grand prix.
The 30-year-old Swiss rider remained on a zero score over the three-round competition at the Athina Onassis Horse Show in Rio De Janeiro and showed tremendous speed for a great jump-off victory.
Australian rider Edwina Tops-Alexander (Cevo Itot Du Chateau) took the runner-up spot, with another Swiss rider, Clarissa Crotta, third on the 13-year-old Baloubet Du Rouet gelding West Side V Meerputhoeve.
The fourth jump-off rider France’s Olivier Guillon (Lord De Theize) retired when something looked amiss.
Michael Whitaker was best of the Brits in fifth – having jumped clear throughout but accumulating a time-fault in each of the first two rounds. Beatrice Mertens’ GIG Amai looked in tremendous form and Michael collected a cheque for €60,000.
British Olympic gold medal-winning team members Nick Skelton (Big Star) and Ben Maher (Tripple XIII) were also in action in this valuable competition. Nick jumped clear in round one but hit the middle oxer element of the treble combination in round two for 12th. He won €10,000. After a tortuous delay to their flight, Tripple X was found to be feeling a “bit tired” and the Hertfordshire rider withdrew in the opening round.
Ireland’s Denis Lynch, a winner earlier in the week on Night Train, picked up 12 penalties in round one riding All Star 5, while Jessica Kurten (Vincente) opened with four faults.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.