The Spring MET I 2019 is well underway with its second week of competition, and on Wednesday it was time for the finals for the young horses – presented by Dammann Reitplatz- u. Sportplatzbau GmbH. 

In the final for the 7-year-old horses, Jérôme Guery (BEL) dominated – taking both the 1st and the 3rd place. As last to go in the jump-off aboard Nice Guy Z (Nonstop x Argentinus), Guery snatched the win from Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli (SWE) and Costa Bastante (Conthargos x Elite) when shaving off 0.57 seconds on the leading time. With Cambridge de Hus (Conrad de Hus x Unistar), the Belgian rider – who was third in Sunday’s Grand Prix – took care of the third step on the podium too.

“Nice Guy is a new horse for me, I just bought him two months ago. He does not really have much experience, we started last week out of competition in the 6-year-old class and day after day he has jumped better so I am really happy with him,” Guery said about his young talent. “It was not really my plan to go fast, but he is careful so I tried and he did what I asked perfectly.”

Cambridge de Hus, that placed third, is a son of Gregory Wathelet’s European Vice Champion Conrad de Hus – and Guery has high hopes for this horse. “I think it is an amazing horse. I believe it is a horse for the high-level sport in the future,” Guery said. 

“I was here the first time three years ago, and every time it becomes better. It is an amazing place, and with the beach really close so I am happy to be here with my horses,” Guery said. 

It was Faye Schoch (SUI) and Damocles From Second Life Z (Diamant de Semilly x Caretano Z) that took the top honours in the final for the 6-year-old horses. 

“Damocles From Second Life Z arrived in our stables in December, he is really easy and fun to ride,” Schoch said. “He also won the 6-year-old class last Wednesday with Marc (Bettinger). Marc said I should take him to compete this week – and he has been jumping clear both days with me so it’s been really good.”

“I love coming here to Oliva. It is so well organised and clean, I really enjoy it,” Schoch said. 

The runner-up spot in the 6-year-old final went to Emma Stoker (GBR) and Q Seven (Quaid x Stakkato), after they finished 0.66 seconds behind the winning time in the jump-off. Olivier Bujard (SUI) finished third on Citty Cat PJ (Cador 5 x Clinton I). 

For the 5-year-old horses, it was Lisa Cubitt (NZL) and Lady Angeles (Los Angeles x Lasino) that were the best. There was 0.27 seconds in between Cubitt and runner-up Faye Schoch, this time aboard Jackson F (Kannan x Heartbreaker). Emma Stoker was also on the podium in this class, riding Skylandria Z (Super Trooper de Ness x Indoctro) to the third place – as well as being placed 7th and 8th with two of her other horses.

The Spring MET I 2019 continues throughout the week, and concludes on Sunday with the CSI3* Grand Prix presented by CHG.