Constant Van Paesschen (BEL) and the 9-year-old mare Diaz du Thot (Ready Boy des Forets x Diams du Grasset) topped Friday's CSI4* 1.50m Prix Laiterie de Montaigu in Fontainebleau, France.
A total of 13 horse-and-rider combinations out of 52 starters cleared their way into the deciding jump-off, where the top seven managed to deliver a double clear result. With a time of 33.38, Van Paesschen took home the win, leaving his compatriot Gudrun Patteet (BEL) on Sea Coast Monalisa van'T Paradijs (Bamako de Muze x Emerald) to the runner-up position almost a second behind on the clock. Roger Yves Bost (FRA) on Ballerine du Vilpion (Baloubet du Rouet x Quidam de Revel) took the third place with a time of 34.70, while Benoit Cernin (FRA) on Dynamite du Miral (Nabab de Reve x Alligator Fontaine) placed fourth and Penelope Leprevost (FRA) on GFE Candy de Nantuel (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly) fifth.
“She is unbelievable,” Van Paesschen said about his winning mount, a horse he’s been riding since she was six. “She is fast and so competitive, and she keeps proving herself again and again. It was a very nice class, nicely built and the jump-off was really fast – but I am lucky to sit on a horse like this.”
The second CSI4* class of the day, the 1.40m Prix Les Jardins de Gally in two phases, went to Julien Gonin (FRA) on ABC Private Jet (Je t'Aime Flamenco x Cruising). Mathieu Billot (FRA) on Lagavulin 2 (Ludwig AS x Stakkato Gold) took the runner-up spot, while Guy Williams (GBR) and Rouge de Revel (Ultimo van ter Moude x Quouglof Rouge) placed third. Francois Mathy Jr. (BEL) on Casanova de l'Herse (Ugano Sitte x Kashmir van Schuttershof) took the fourth place and Harold Boisset (FRA) on Divine de la Roque (For Hero de Hus x Kannan) fifth.