Daniel Deusser won Friday's 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier presented by RR Interieur at CSI5* Knokke Hippique.The German rider and the 12-year-old mare Equita van't Zorgvliet (Cassini I x Darco) were just slightly faster than runners-up McLain Ward and HH Carlos Z (Chellano Z x Voltaire) as only 0.03 seconds separated the two in the jump-off. With as many as twelve double clear rounds it was really a race against the clock.
Three Belgian riders followed: Gregory Wathelet with Coree (Cornet Obolensky x Liberty Life) ended third ahead of Nicola Philippaerts with H&M Harley vd Bisschop (Dulf van den Bisschop x Coronado) and Jos Verlooy with Caracas (Casall x Colman).
Earlier in the day it was more Belgian success as Gudrun Patteet rode Sea Coast Calypso vd Zuuthoeve (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Thunder van de Zuuthoeve) to victory in the 1.45 class against the clock presented by Clean Box. Second place went to Egypt's Karim Elzoghby with Colour Girl (Cormint x Locato) and third place to Italy's Lorenzo de Luca with Halifax van het Kluizebos (Heartbreaker x Fetiche du Pas).
Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Jenny Abrahamsson