Release date: 04/09/2011 |    

German Hans-Deiter Dreher and Constantin B took another win in Rio de Janeiro taking out the Kia Motors Accumulator.

The ten-effort track designed by Belgium Luc Musette was fair, presenting no difficult lines or distances but the oxers were very wide and addressing the ride down to the last KIA Motors vertical (JOKER) standing at 1.65m proved a testing point for most.

The joker really penalised the riders in this class as it felled a total of 20 times of the 34 starters.

As points were gathered per fence (ie fence 1 = 1 point) it was better to have a fence down early in the course than towards the end.

Ten combinations scored a maximum 65 points, but the fastest time went to Germany’s super rider Hans-Deiter Dreher. Hans has a nice crop of horse in his team including his good Grand Prix horse Magnus Romeo who he will start in the Grand Prix later today.

Dreher’s time of 43.89 was good enough to hold at bay Swiss Pius Schwizer and Ulysse by just under a second. Schwizer, who had placed 6^th in the Winning Round 1.45m class on the previous day with Ulysse were 11^th out on course and the third combination to take the full points of 65 for a clear round with a time of 45.07 seconds. (below)

Dreher, on course latter in the field, was faster to fence seven and by the second last was up on time before steadying the horse up for the last joke that stood at 1.65m.

The top two riders were over a second better than their nearest pursuer and last to go, Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa with Palouchin de Ligny who got a standing ovation from the home crowd in appreciation for his efforts. (below)

Cassio Rivetti, Braziian by birth but riding under the Ukraine flag, also received a good reception as he finished fourth with Bockmann’s Lazio with full points in a time of 45.41.

Winning rider Hans-Dieter Dreher was full of praise for his horse Constantin for delivering his second victory of the Global Champions Tour in Rio.

The jubilant German rider said: "It was a really exciting competition and Constantin performed so well again. It has already been a fantastic season and this is a good weekend so far."

Spectators enjoyed the excitement of the 1m45 Accumulator class and the atmosphere intensified as the sun-drenched Rio de Janeiro showground swelled with crowds for the Grand Prix highlight of the weekend.

Photo credits: Stefano Grasso