Peder Fredricson (SWE) gave the massive home crowds a real treat when going to the top in Saturday's CSIO5* Falsterbo Derby. It has been thirteen years since a Swede has won the derby. 

“It is always great fun to ride a derby, every fence is a challenge and it is a long course and you never really know how it is going to go until its over,” the happy winner said after the class.

It was as many as four riders, out of the 21 that lined-up, that made it to the jump-off. The Falsterbo Derby goes over the same course year after year and the first round consists of 19 obstacles and 23 efforts – among the challenges is a jump out of the ring, as well as a bank, a devil's dyke and the open water.

Fredricson started the jump-off riding the 12-year-old Catch Me Not S (Cardento x Ramiro’s Son), a horse he won the CSI3* Grand Prix in Knokke on two weeks ago, and used the gelding's big canter to stop the clock on 51,27 seconds.

“I thought that I should try to ride the derby with him," said Fredricson about why he went for Catch Me Not S as his choice of horse for this class. "He is a very clever horse and that is what you need in a derby. A smart horse that figures out how to solve the problems in the course.” 

“I have been riding him for a bit more than two months now and I love this horse, he is fantastic. I saw him this winter, Ebba Berglöf (owner) rode him in 1,50 in Borås and he looked really good. There we started to talk a bit and I tried him and I really liked him,” Fredricson said about his relatively new ride Catch Me Not S.

Next out in the jump-off was Paul O’Shea (IRL) with Skara Glen’s Presence (Contendro x Nekton). O’Shea went all in from the beginning, but had to pay for his risk with three rails down, to end the shortened course on 12 faults.

Kevin Jochems (NED) did a great jump-off with Evita (Canturano x Farmer), but couldn’t catch Fredricson's time. He crossed the finish line in 53,09 seconds to slot into runner-up position.

“It is amazing to ride here. It is my first time in Falsterbo. People told me weeks ago already that it is amazing and that I would enjoy it and it is very, very nice to be here. Evita is 9-years-old, she is owned by Leon Thijssen and I have been riding her for a year. The last 3-4 months we started to get to know each other and the results are coming as well,” Jochems explained.

Last out was the favourite for the win – Billy Twomey (IRL) with Ardcolum Duke (Gypsy Duke x Clover Hill), but with an early fault Twomey had to settle for the third place and pushed O’Shea down to fourth.

“It was really fun to ride the derby today. I really enjoyed it and my horse jumped very well. He was a little bit tired in the jump-off, but he already won two classes here,” Twomey laughed at the press conference and continued: “He is a wonderful horse and most shows he goes to he wins a class. He is a real traditional Irish horse and would go through fire for you, he has an amazing temperament. He is very careful and if he had one inch more scope, I probably would have had the best horse on the planet!"