Brazil shines at GCT Monte Carlo

It was the French that succeeded in winning the classes on Thursday evening at the Cannes International Showjumping Festival, but at the Jumping International de Monte-Carlo, it was the Brazilians who succeeded.

The first class, the Prix de la Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco of 1.45m, was won by Olympic Champion Rodrigo Pessoa, from Brazil. Riding Rufus, he was the 11th starter and kept the fastest time of the 47 starters in total. With 57.01 seconds, Gregory Wathelet was close in beating Rodrigo, but 56.34 seconds was a little too much to overtake. Michel Robert (FRA) took a shot at winning for the French, but with 58.45 seconds, he had to settle for third place with Kronos d’Ouilly.

The beautiful background of the Palace, and the bay with shimmering lights, set the atmosphere for an exciting class with jump-off. You could hear the people gasping for their breath when the riders finished in the jump-off, but it was the first round of this class that was the best. Rodrigo Pessoa, the winner of the first class today, had to start in this class. Having a clear round, everybody thought that he could maintain his form and win the second class of the evening too. There was the jump-off to decide.

Dutchman Gerco Schröder unfortunately did not ride at the world class level, but had 5 poles down. Having 20 penalty points with Eurocommerce Vancouver put him in the last place. The winner of the event in Cannes, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER), is not participating at the International Jumping de Monte-Carlo and Edwina Alexander (AUS), the second placed rider in Cannes, had 4 faults with 77.90 seconds and a 23rd place.

In the jump-off there were 11 starters and Rodrigo had to start again because he had the fastest time. He rode fast and clear, making everybody expect he would win again. Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) came in with Cavalor’s Winningmood and when he finished, people believed he was faster. And he was. A new time was set. Third starter Thomas Frühmann (AUS) and The Sixth Sense had a really fast turn after the second fence of the double, and had a clear round, but was second after Ludo. Bernardo Alves (BRA) had fast smooth turns in his round and finished in a time that was more than a second faster than Ludo, 33.57 seconds. Michel Robert was given the second chance for the French when Julien Epaillard did not succeed. But unfortunately had a pole down and finished 9th. Malin Baryard-Johnsson (SWE) was the only woman in the jump-off. Competing against 10 men, could just give her the advantage, but H&M Espri did not have the strength to jump the fences in a clear round with only 33.57 seconds or less on the clock.

Eventually, it was yet again a Brazilian victory. Bernardo Alves and Olympic horse to be, Chupa Chup 2, were the ones to win, taking home €6,250,-