Kevin Staut steals the win in the € 71 500 BMW Prize to drive home in a new X1
After a day full of Belgian victories, hopes were high for another home win in the CSI5* € 71 500 BMW Prize that closed off the second day of competition at Knokke Hippique. However, Kevin Staut (FRA) wanted it differently and sealed the deal as first to go in the nine-horse jump-off, to drive home in a brand new BMW X1.
It was no easy task the riders were asked to solve in this 1.50m class with a jump-off. “It was a bit difficult because of the floodlight, and then the oxer at no. three with the water was a bit tricky,” said the winner about Uliano Vezzani’s (ITA) challenging track in the first round. “Many horses, also with experience, got a bit insecure. Also the following oxer and the triple combination was a bit delicate, so it was not easy today.”
Opening the jump-off aboard his Olympic team gold medal winning partner Reveur de Hurtebise HDC (Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Capricieux des 6 Censes), Staut rode an effective yet beautiful round – crossing the finish line in 39.76 seconds.
“I had no plan as I was not sure about whether to go into the jump-off,” detailed Staut after. “This is one of Reveur’s last shows before the European Championships in Gothenburg, and so I am not planning to jump the Grand Prix with him here. The idea was to jump a big class, maybe not even the jump-off but we were just nine riders so I decided to try. It was perfect that I was number one in, I could just do my own thing and did not have any stress with the other riders. I was sure it could be beaten, but in the end I was a bit lucky,” smiled Staut.
Because however hard they tried, none of the remaining riders could catch up with the 36-year-old French rider. Only three more managed to produce clear rounds in the chase, with home rider Niels Bruynseels (BEL) coming agonisingly close aboard the bouncy little Gancia de Muze (Malito de Reve x Nimmerdor) in a time of 40.07 seconds to slot into runner-up position. Then followed Laura Kraut (USA) on Zeremonie (Cero x Quick Star) with a time of 40.24 seconds, while Aldrick Cheronnet (FRA) had the last double clear and took care of the fourth place with Tanael des Bonnes (Watch Me*Hoy x Don Pierre). As last to go, Karim El Zoghby (EGY) took all the risk to sprint to the fastest time of the day but it came on the expense of a rail on the last oxer and he had to settle for fifth leaving the victory with Staut and his 16-year-old partner that he has achieved so much with.
“He is an amazing horse,” said Kevin about Reveur – a horse he has won not only Olympic gold with but also team silver at the 2014 World Championships in addition to numerous major international wins. “He is a horse that does clear rounds weekend in and weekend out. I don’t feel that he is 16, he is still extremely motivated!”
Earlier in the day, Stephex Stables’ own Petronella Andersson (SWE) and Mouse (Limbus x Grundyman XX) won the 1.45m two phase La Reserve Prize – also counting for the World Ranking. Fresh from their victory in yesterday’s 1.40m speed class, the pair set the pace as fourth to go and no one could catch up – no matter how hard they tried. Closest came Marcel Marschall (GER) who half way in the class put Undercontract (Andiamo x Jasper) in top gear, but nevertheless had to see the clock stop 0.60 seconds away from Andersson – settling in for runner-up position this time around. The third fastest combination in the competition was Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) on H&M Second Chance (Carland x White Clover) who was a little over a second behind the winning time. The best home rider was Pieter Devos (BEL) who finished fourth on Haloubet Hitchcock (Baloubet du Rouet x Heartbreaker).
Marie Hécart (FRA) was the winner in the first five-star class of the day, the 1.40m Table A against the clock presented by Albam. Riding the 8-year-old mare Vahinee (Lauterbach x Darco), Hécart took the victory by 0.35 seconds followed by Belgium’s own Constant Van Paesschen on Cavalla (Calvaro Z x Clinton) as runner-up and Nicola Phillipaerts on Ustina Sitte (Clinton x Parco) in third place.
Full results HERE