Tag Archives: CSI5* of Dinard

Competitions, Show Jumping

CSI5* of Dinard – Grand Prix of the City of Dinard

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Bertram Allen / Molly Malone V (Pixel events)

Incredible scenario for the Grand Prix of the city of Dinard, since the public had to wait for the 22nd contender, Kent Farrington, to ride the course to watch a perfect clear round that finally opened a jump off with five riders. In this small elite group were three French riders, Kevin Staut, Aymeric de Ponnat, and Jérôme Hurel, but also the young Irish prodigy, Bertram Allen, who was celebrating his 20th birthday yesterday, and was riding Molly Malone for the occasion.

After a tough battle, the young rider, definitely unbeatable, clinches victory one more time at the highest level, with disconcerting ease, in a time of 46″54, in front of Kevin Staut (Rêveur de Hurtebise), clear as well, in 46″95, and Jérôme Hurel (Quartz Rouge), who crosses the finish line without a fault, in a time of 49″14. Aymeric de Ponnat has one rail down, and finishes 4th, in front of the American, who scores 12 points. This 2015 edition of the new CSI5* of Dinard will leave a very positive impression, not only to some of the best riders and horses in the world, who will be back, for sure, but also to a record number of 14000 people who showed enthusiastic support to their champions for the Derby and the Grand Prix.

Bertram Allen (IRL), n°1
He is very pleased with his mare. “It was a difficult decision for me to bring her here and not take her to Dublin next week because it is the most important show of the year for us, but I hope this will be a good preparation for the Europeans.”

Kevin Staut (FRA), n°2
Kevin Staut is a little disappointed about the way he rode the beginning of his jump off, where he lost time, but still very happy about Rêveur de Hurtebise HDC.

Jérôme Hurel (FRA), n°3
“When I watched the first riders at the beginning of the class, I thought I would never make it within time allowed, so I am very happy about Quartz, but he always takes a little more time than another horse between and over the jumps, which makes it a little difficult to beat the fastest riders.”

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Hunter/Equitation, Show Jumping

CSI5* of Dinard – Derby Tropicana

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Laura Renwick / Rembrandt Blue (Pixel events)

Only the 17 most daring riders had decided to tackle the mythic Tropicana Derby, designed by Jean-François Morand and his team over 1 060 meters sprinkled with more than 25 efforts, namely twice the distance of a regular course, an exercise reserved to the best experts in the world!

Besides an intense effort to maintain for almost six minutes and the difficult combination of mobile and natural fences (banks, water jump) to clear, the challenge of the day consisted in being the fastest to clinch victory.

In full possession of his experience and talent, the British rider Laura Renwick, who holds the record of international victories in 2014, signed the fastest clear round (159″26) with her faithful partner Rembrandt Blue. “My horse was only taking part in a Derby for the second time the first time was in Falsterbö three weeks ago, he jumped fantastic.”

Laura is followed by the Belgian rider Grégory Wathelet, riding for the occasion Eldorado Van Het Vijverhof, who gets one more time to the podium with a clear round in a time of 160″24. Ecstatic about his first experience in Dinard, the rider paid tribute to this show he prefers to some others held on small sand arenas. “The atmosphere is fantastic; the public was there from Friday morning onwards. For us it is as important as the prize money; it is very motivating.” Very happy about his horse, in spite of a short hesitation in front of the water, Gregory said that it was easier for him to be at the end of the list, but that he should have gone a little faster form the beginning of the course to beat Laura. Striking performance to the credit of the French rider Mathieu Billot, who places 3rd, with a clear round in 162″72 associated to Regain d’Helby, ambassador of the regional breeding from Brittany. “I was on the beginning of the list; I thought the course would be more difficult, and my main target was to clear. I came to Dinard especially for the Derby. My horse is a specialist; he already won in Drammen a month ago.”

Congratulations to the Venezuelan rider Andres Rodriguez, who clinched silver medal last week at the Pan American Games. He signs here one of the four clear rounds of the competition with his mare Fifty Fifty and places 4th.

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

CSI5* of Dinard – Prix Hotel Royal Emeraude

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Kent Farrington / Willow (Pixel events)

For the first time since the beginning of this CSI5* of Dinard, the contenders in this Hotel Royal Emeraude class had to qualify for a jump off against the clock. The American Kent Farrington, famous for being one of the fastest riders in the world, clinches victory over the Belgian Gregory Wathelet for two hundredths of a second!

Out of the 38 pairs on the start list, only seven managed to clear the first round before confronting one more time over a course whose distance was reduced, but still highly technical. While Alexis Borrin, the only French chance in this final, decides to retire after a slight misunderstanding with Ruby de la Fosse, Bertram Allen (IRL), who celebrates his 20th birthday today itself, has one rail down, like the Italian Luca Maria Moneta, and the Mexican Jaime Azcarraga. Nicola Phillipaerts (BEL) is sanctioned for his audacity with three rails down, but his fellow citizen Gregory Wathelet, more fortunate, clinches the second place with a double clear round in a time of 38″41, with Riesling du Monselet. Kent Farrington, n°3 on the world ranking, shows one more time his talent and efficiency, and signs the fastest time with his 12 years old grey horse Willow. “It is my first time in Dinard. This is an amazing show – the site is magnificent; the crowd is very enthusiastic. The class was tough, only a few clear rounds, although all the riders here are among the best on the planet, and came with their best horses. Willow has been fantastic; I have been very lucky to win; it was very close!”

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Billy Twomey and Tinka’s Serenade on the Podium

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Billy Twomey / Tinka’s Serenade (Pixel events)

In the Suez Environment class, over 1,55m fences, the Irish Billy Twomey is the fastest of the 46 riders on his 18 years old mare, Tinka’s Serenade.

Like in the previous class, the riders had to clear the course but also be as quick as possible to get to the podium. The technical difficulty of the course, in spite of being fluid, caused a few problems to most of the contenders, since only 8 of them managed to cross the finish line without penalties. While the Canadian Eric Lamaze (2008 Olympic champion) and Fine Lady were in the lead since the beginning of the class, with a time of 71″02 that seemed unbeatable, the Irish Billy Twomey and his faithful Tinka’s Serenade did not hesitate to push them down to second place with a time of 70″92. “Tinka’s has been fantastic, like she has been for the past nine years. She was already excellent as a young horse. She is still very happy, and healthy. I try to save her; she only does two shows a month. She will be in the Grand Prix on Sunday.”

8th and best French, riding Silver Deux de Virton HDC, Olivier Guillon, very happy to see how his partner improved. “I have been riding him for the past four years. Today for the first time I was able to control him all along the course. He did not try to escape. With a lot of work, his behaviour finally changed; he just needed time.”

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

Grégory Wathelet, a Last Minute Win

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Grégory Wathelet / Riesling du Monselet (Pixel events)

Out of the 53 pairs on the start list for this “Ille et Vilaine” County class, 18 managed to clear the fences, but today the winner had to be the fastest as well. The Belgium Grégory Wathelet, riding Riesling du Monselet, surpassed everyone at the last minute.

While yesterday the riders mostly presented the arena to their horses, the scenario of this first 5* class of the day was totally different, since the time was decisive. Over this 12 fences course, with three double combinations, the course designer Jean-François Morand offered the riders wishing to prepare for the Tropicana Derby the possibility to jump the wall and the bank instead of regular mobile fences. The British Laura Renwick, associated to Rembrandt Blue, signs at the beginning of the class a very fast time and takes the lead. It was not until the end that the provisional ranking turned upside down. 49th to go, the French Julien Epaillard, riding Pigmalion du Rozel, is the first to reduce the time of the British by two seconds with 70″36. He places 2nd. “I think I was a bit too slow on one of the oxers, and on the last fence. I wanted to be faster on the last jump, but I did not succeed. I am glad to see Pigmalion in great shape; he already won two classes in La Corona in Spain. He is very careful and competitive at this level.” The Belgian Grégory Wathelet, almost last to go, was riding Riesling du Monselet, 14 years old, property of his father in law. He crosses the finish line in 70″01, and makes the Brabançonne resonate in the stadium for the second time of the week end. “Riesling is a very fast and regular horse in the speed classes. He was off for a while, but came back to the competition in Chantilly two weeks ago. I knew I could be fast, without taking too many risks. I felt so confident that I decided to cut off one stride between two fences; it was good enough to win.” Laura Renwick finally ends up 3rd.

Results: here.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com

Competitions, Show Jumping

CSI5* of Dinard – Day 1

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Jérôme Guéry and Zojasper (BEL).

To celebrate the comeback of the international Jumping of Dinard at the highest level of competition, the magnificent site of the Val Porée, beautifully decorated in pink, was holding the first class of the CSI5*, where the best riders in the world will compete during the next four days.

The challenge of the day, for the 40 riders on the start list in this Alvalle class, was clear: present the showground to the horses, and prepare for the Tropicana Derby, on Saturday, and for the Grand Prix of the City of Dinard, culminating point of the competition, on Sunday afternoon.

On the menu for this opening class, a 12 fences course, at a height of 1m45, in two phases, only the second one being against the clock. Out of the twelve riders who signed a clear round, the Belgian rider Jérôme Guéry was the fastest (40″77), associated to his faithful Zojasper. With a large smile on his face, the rider was obviously very happy about his horse. “He seemed very comfortable on this huge track that can sometimes be impressive. I had planned to be quite fast, but not to push him to his limits. He was very confident and I thought I could ask a little more on the second phase. I did not take the latest risk, but I cut my turns short. Of course, not so many riders decided to play the time, the real sport will only start tomorrow, but begin a show with a win is always encouraging.”

The Olympic champion, Eric Lamaze (CAN), who was leading the class most of the time, finally placed second with Fine Lady 5, in a time of 43″30. The 3rd place goes to the Italian rider Luca Maria Moneta and Herold N (44″40). The French riders, who had chosen not push their horses today, still stand in the top Ten, with Alexis Borrin, 5th with Ruby de la Fosse, who confirms his form at this level, and Emeric George, 7th with Rocker d’Ysieux. “It is a very good start for my horse. He needed this class to warm up and get into the competition. He did it with great style; I had a very good feeling. I hope he will keep on jumping that way; I trust him on this.”

Tomorrow, at 11.30am, the riders will be in the main arena for the “Ille et Vilaine” County class, followed by the Suez Environment class at 2.30pm.

Prix Alvalle results.

PRESS CONTACT:
Véronique GAUTHIER (Consulis) +33 (0) 672 77 06 00 / veronique-gauthier@club-internet.fr
Frédéric TARDER +33 (0) 607 713 060 / frederic.tarder@lesestivalesdelequitation.com