Schrade a brilliant winner of Les Etoiles de Pau

Dirk Schrade (GER) jumped a beautiful clear round on King Arthus to score the first 4* win of his career in the most sensational style at Les Etoiles de Pau (FRA).

The overnight Cross-Country leader, Oliver Townend (GBR) suffered the kind of misfortune which is the stuff of riders’ nightmares. Townend had already secured the HSBC FEI Classics™ in emphatic style and had a Jumping fence in hand to win Pau, but his mount, the 14-year-old Carousel Quest, who had given his all across country the day before, hit 7 fences and incurred time faults, collecting a cricket score of 31 which dropped him to 8th place.

The Jumping course seemed fairly straightforward, with only two related distances, but there were only four clear rounds. Two of those came from Germany, back at the head of affairs after a disastrous European Championship, and Andreas Dibowski (GER) made it a German one-two when going clear also, on Euroridings Butts Leon.

The home side had plenty to cheer about when Pascal Leroy (FRA) and the exciting prospect Minos de Petra finished 3rd and Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) was best of the British contingent in 4th on the equally promising youngster Granntevka Prince.

The achievements of the two German riders propelled them up the order of the HSBC FEI Classics™, with Shrade taking 2nd place and Dibowski 3rd. William Fox-Pitt (GBR), last year’s winner, slipped to 4th place with 17th place at Pau on Macchiato. Sam Griffiths (AUS), who was not competing at Pau, moved down to 5th place.

GREAT DEBUT

Gwendolen Fer (FRA), 23, the only rider to achieve the optimum Cross-Country time of 10min 37sec, finished 7th and won the HSBC Training Bursary for the highest-placed 4* debutant. Fer, who represented France as a Junior, is based near Toulouse and is taking a correspondence university course in business studies at Grenoble. She is trained by Bruno Bouvier (FRA). Her mother bought her Leria du Ter from Koris Vieules 4 years ago.

“My mare loves Cross-Country and is really fast,” explains Fer, “and I have really enjoyed my weekend as well.”

The 4 other bursary winners this year, who will have training with FEI accredited trainers, are: Jolie Sexson (USA), Elisabeth Power (IRL), Michael Jung (GER) and Kai Rüder (GER).

COMPETITION STATISTICS

25 horses started the Jumping
4 clear rounds
1 horse eliminated at final Horse Inspection (Gang de Forgerie, ridden by Clement Faivre, FRA)
1 horse not presented at final Horse Inspection (Willow Fairgreen Attraction, ridden by Mark Kyle, IRL)

QUOTES

Dirk Schrade: “I had hoped to do well here, but to win is beyond my dreams. I was a little disappointed with my Dressage, because King Arthus is a good mover, and the cross-country was difficult for him because it was twisty and he is a big-striding horse, but he jumped so well today and I am very pleased with him. It’s the biggest win of my career and I hope now that I will get on to the German team for next year.”

Oliver Townend: “I’ve had an amazing season. Obviously this is a bit of a disappointment, but it doesn’t take away from the horse’s achievements this year, and to win the HSBC FEI Classics™ means a lot to me.”

RESULTS

1 Dirk Schrade/King Artus (GER) 46.7 + 0.8 + 1 = 48.5
2 Andreas Dibowski/Euroridings Butts Leon (GER) 43.8 + 4.8 + 0 = 48.6
3 Pascal Leroy/Minos de Petra (FRA) 49.7 + 0.4 + 12 = 62.1
4 Lucy Wiegersma/Granntevka Prince (GBR) 47.5 + 8.4 + 8 = 63.9
5 Jean Teulere/Matelot du Grand Val (FRA) 54.8 + 1.6 + 8 = 64.4
6 Rodolphe Scherer/Fairfax (FRA) 53.8 + 9.2 + 4 = 67.0
7 Gwendolen Fer/Leria du Ter (FRA) 64.2 + 0 + 4 = 68.2
8 Oliver Townend/Carousel Quest (GBR) 42.5 + 0.8 + 28 = 74.3
9 Gianluca Gardini/Lion Dancer (ITA) 59.5 + 12.4 + 4 = 75.9
10 Susanna Bordone/Ava (ITA) 47.5 + 17.2 + 8/6 = 78.7

Follow results on www.event-pau.fr

2009 HSBC FEI CLASSICS™ Final Standings (after 5 of 5 events):
1 Oliver Townend (GBR) 36 points
2 Dirk Schrade (GER) 25
3 Andreas Dibowski (GER) 24
4 William Fox-Pitt (GBR) 21
5 Sam Griffiths (AUS) 20
6 Lucy Wiegersma (GBR) 19
7 Lucinda Fredericks (AUS) 15
8 Michael Jung (GER) 15
9 Bettina Hoy (GER) 12
10 Phillip Dutton (USA) 12