Friday, 31 January 2014 CSI3* - 1.50 m - LR

Laura Renwick - This is what winners look like

The first CSI3* Longines world ranking 1.50 m jumping competition was decided today with a winning round and was naturally the highlight of the day’s events. In the end the happy winner was Laura Renwick (GBR), ahead of Jur Vrieling (NED) and Max Kühner (GER). Hugo Simon (AUT/St) again produced a textbook round for eighth place and Christian Juza (AUT/S) finished eleventh.

Promising great excitement this afternoon was the first jumping competition counting for the Longines rankings. No fewer than 49 riders saddled their horses for this 1.50 m class that was to be decided with a winning round. Of them, 17 had clear first rounds qualifying them for the decider. Over the shorter course it was a case of no holds barred. As eleven delivered fault-free rounds here too, it was the courage to take risks that paid off.

Laura Renwick (GBR) used her advantage of being the last starter to go into the winning round to great effect. After all, the British rider knew what time she had to beat. Jur Vrieling (NED) was leading the pack with his nine-year-old Belgian-bred gelding Flash Dance V. Kalevallei on 28.37 seconds. No problem for the number 66 in the world: aboard her Selle Français gelding Oz de Breve (by Dollar du Murier) she set the pace right from the outset, took every chance to make tighter turns and galloped to the finishing line in a new best time of 28.20 seconds.

Jur Vrieling (NED) was therefore marginally beaten into second place and Max Kühner claimed third with a terrific performance. The Bavarian obviously feels at ease in a GLOCK atmosphere, as he won Gaston Glock’s Championat at the Salzburg CSI4* in December 2013 with his Clinton progeny Clintop and everything was to his liking again today.

Best Austrian once again was evergreen Hugo Simon. The Styrian piloted his nine-year-old Holstein gelding Freddy 7 with his usual skill in the decider to go clear and take seventh place. Christian Juza however had the bad luck of an early start number in the winning round today. The rider from Salzburg still managed to post a fantastic, balanced round with his Quidam de Revel progeny Never Des Etisses, remained fault free and placed eleventh.

12 CSI3* International jumping competition with winning round - 1.50 m
Competition counting for LONGINES Ranking List
1. Oz de Breve - Renwick, Laura (GBR) 0 - 28.20
2. Flash Dance V. Kalevallei - Vrieling, Jur (NED) 0 - 28.37
3. Clintop - Kühner, Max (GER) 0 - 29.07
4. Coq Rouge - Schwizer, Pius (SUI) 0 - 29.34
5. Essini - Lever, Phillip (AUS) 0 - 29.71
6. All Star 5 - Lynch, Denis (IRL) 0  - 30.76
7. Casallora - Nieberg, Lars (GER) 0 - 30.81
8. Freddy 7 - Simon, Hugo (AUT/Styria) 0 - 31.38
9. Erenice Horta - Tops-Alexander, Edwina (AUS) 0 - 31.60
10. VDL Fakir - Tepper, Suzanne (NED) 0 - 33.22
11. Never Des Etisses - Juza, Christian (AUT/Salzburg) 0 - 34.59
12. Mouse - Deusser, Daniel (GER) 4 - 28.45
13. Quiwi Dream - Dreher, Hans-Dieter (GER) 4 - 29.45
Results link