CSI2* Brussels: The 2016 Stephex Masters has kicked off!
The 2016-edition of the Brussels Stephex Masters kicked off on Wednesday, with excellent conditions for horses and riders. With 25 degrees, a blue sky and sun – the Prestige League, Super Cup and Top Series got underway
before the five-star and CSIYH Future Stars competitions will complete the schedule for tomorrow and into the weekend.
It was the Top Series that closed off the first day of competition at the Brussels Stephex Masters, and it was Emma Augier de Moussac (CZE) that took home the win after a fantastic round in the 1.40m Stephex Stables Prize against the clock.
Riding the feisty 9-year-old mare Copia (Cobra x Sandro), Emma went all in from the start – and got an excellent inside turn after the vertical at no. two to the oxer at no. three which saved her plenty of time. Keeping the speedy little Copia in top gear all the way around, Augier de Moussac stopped the clock at 65.65 – no less than 1.54 seconds faster than Oliver Lemmer (GER) that finished as runner-up on Dariete Z (Douglas x Grannus).
“Copia is a really fun and quick mare. She turns really fast, so I actually planned to do it from the beginning,” Emma said of the option to go inside to the third fence. “When I was walking the course, I heard Eric Lamaze say that you could go five inside or six outside from fence no. ten to eleven and I was like ‘I am going to do the five. I am going to go for it!’ And I think that gave me the winning time by the end.”
“It’s my first year here, and it is lovely. Stephan always throws fantastic events, so there is nothing to complain about,” smiled Emma when talking about the Brussels Stephex Masters.
Following Augier de Moussac and Lemmer was Hilary Mc Nerney (USA) on Vitesse (Krunch de Breve x Jeraldo) in third, while Gilles Thomas (BEL) ended fourth and Jesper Romp (NED) fifth.
The first victory of the day went to Jimmy Vandeven (FRA), who went to the top in the Prestige League 1.15m Parlanti Prize.
Coming in as no. twelve to go in this 37-rider-competition against the clock, Vandeven set the 7-year-old mare Veyron (Stakkato’s Highlight) in top gear from the outset producing a very fast round that saw the clock stop on 58.21 seconds to take over the lead.
None of those to come could do anything about Vandeven’s time although a total of thirteen riders went clear. Maverick Van Lent (BEL) finished as runner-up on Jiamante van Essene (Diamant de Semilly x Gotthardsen) with a time of 58.93 seconds.
Third place went to Sander Kenis (BEL) on Kizmira (Echo van’t Spieveld x Canturo), who stopped the clock on 59.89 seconds – also clear. Fourth was Estelle Godecharle (BEL) and fifth Tatiana Troiani (BEL).
Kira Kerkorian (USA) and the 10-year-old gelding Cassi (Cassiano x La Zarras) took a convincing victory in Wednesday’s 1.35m Kask Prize in the CSI2* Super Cup at the Brussels Stephex Masters.
Forty riders had lined up to compete against the clock in this class, and half-way it was Marine Lenoble (BEL) and the lovely stallion Cap Diamond d’Hof Ten Bos (Diamant de Semilly x Farmer) that were in the lead after a clear round in 65 seconds.
The Belgian rider was quickly overtaken though, as Kira Kerkorian was up next. With a very fast and efficient round, the American rider managed to shave off no less than 4.01 seconds on the leading time to take over the top of the score board.
It would turn out that Kira’s time was not to be beat. Freddy Demuynck (BEL) tried aboard the 8-year-old gelding Urbin Manciais (Kashmir van’t Schuttershof x Scherif d’Elle) but was still three seconds behind on the clock, and had to settle for the runner-up position. Third place went to Swiss Olympian Janika Sprunger, who has just returned home from Rio – and today she was riding the 9-year-old Grand Cooper (Lord Z x Berlin).
Eventually, Marine Lenoble finished fourth and Evelyne Blaton (BEL) fifth – securing no less than a total of three Belgian riders in the top five.
The home riders dominated the 1.25m CWD Prize in the Prestige League this afternoon, with Tatiana Troiani taking the top honors.
Riding the 14-year-old mare Sister van de Wolvendries (Contra-A x Etretat), Troiani was the fastest one of those six riders that managed to pick up the maximum of 65 points in this accumulator competition.
No less than 4.79 seconds separated Troiani from second-placed Maverick Van Lent on Vermouth Ter Schaatsputte (Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Raffaelli Z), while yet another second behind followed Melissa Zerbini on d’Jet-Set Di Vico-P (Toulon x Zerbini). Amber Bogaert finished fourth and Stijn van Opstal fifth.