Release date: 24/07/2011 |    

Grand Prix Equidia

Riders had the opportunity to compete in two excellent 5* Grand Prix’s over the weekend of the seventh round of the Global Champions Tour in Chantilly France. Australian Edwina Alexander with Itot de Chateau had won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of France on the Saturday afternoon with celebrations well into the night.

Sunday delivered wonderful sunshine so that by the commencement of the afternoon’s Grand Prix Equidia, the stands and VIP areas were once again packed with 8,000 spectators.

The concluding event on the program was a victory for Alvaro de Miranda Neto (BRA) and AD Wilbert Z (above) in the 56,000 Euro Equidia 1.50m Grand Prix.

Uliano Vezzani of Italy designed the courses in the Arena Maultry this weekend and concluded the weekend with a challenging course including a double of verticals and a big oxer at the conclusion to the track. Twelve of the original 39 competitors were able to go clear in the first round to return for a jump-off. Of these nine nationalities were represented.

A fast pace was set by French rider Roger -Yves Bost riding Castle Forbes Myrtille Pauloisthe however he was rounded up by five riders. The flying Dutchman Gerco Schroder and the horse Eurocommerce Seattle didn’t look a particularly fast horse but covered the ground well and took a shorter track to be home faster 40.14.

Patrice Delaveau had a rush of blood pushing the swishy tailed 9 year old bay mare Ornella Mail to the max.(below). They left out a stride in the first line, however took a pull to the last and were over the line faster (37.47) and the French crowd stamped their feet in the stand with approval.

There was so much talent following with the best efforts coming from Denis Lynch (IRL) finishing clear in a time of 38.70 with the Straumann’s speed king ‘Night Train’.(right)

Mexican Jaime Guerra scurried around on Watch-me van Het Grootveld in a time of 38.79.

These two riders would eventually place 2^nd and 3^rd respectively.

Miranda, last to go, had his tracked planned and all went to order as he came home clean shaving .10 from Deleveau’s time.

“I knew what I had to do to beat him and that if we stayed clean then I could cut out a stride to the last as he is super clean.” explained Miranda. “ Patrice took a check here and this was my only opportunity to win the class.”

And all paid off as Miranda galloped to the last and was home free in a time of 37.37 seconds, although there was a moment on course when he didn’t think it would. “ We had a slip on the surface coming into the oxer at fence 14, the added fence for the jump-off.”

Miranda further commented on the surface. “Today the ground was in much better condition in the sunny weather.  This is one major thing in showjumping that you cannot control.  Wet weather on grass surfaces is very difficult and the organisers dealt with so much and did the best that they could.  In fact Edouard de Rothschild has commented that next year they will have made significant changes and you have to appreciate that.”

Wilbert Z is a chestnut eight-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Picasso Z x Numero Uno. De Miranda spoke about his winning mount after the class, stating, "Wilbert is a super careful and super fast horse that I have had since a 6 year old.  He has over time won a lot of young horse classes Although only an 8yo he has won 5 very good Grand Prix events. I have two very different types and temperaments of my grand prix horses.  Drossel Dan is scopey and this horse is careful and fast, I have the best of both.”

Photos: Stefano Grasso/GCT