Edited press release from Oxer Sport

Belgian riders dominated Sunday’s CSI4* 1.55m Equine America Grand Prix at the Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain, with Gudrun Patteet leading the way aboard the 11-year-old mare Sea Coast Kashmira Z (Kashmir van't Schuttershof x Libero H). 

Torrential rain that fell in the morning threatened the Grand Prix, but the David Broome-arena demonstrated its amazing quality and enormous capacity to absorb water – allowing the most important class of this week to take place as planned on grass. The course’s maximum height was 1.55m, and consisted of 13 jumps and 16 efforts. With nearly 60 entries, just nine managed to jump clear in the first round. 

Two Belgian riders took to the top of the podium, with Gudrun Patteet taking complete control of the jump-off with Sea Coast Kashmira Z when there were just a couple of riders left to go. Jérôme Guery – who won last week’s Grand Prix – was riding Grupo Prom Diego (Verdi TN x Gran Corrado) today and went in after Patteet in the jump-off. Guery really chased Patteet's time, but couldn’t quite catch up – having to settle for second place. Sweden’s Douglas Lindelöw, who won the Medium Tour Grand Prix yesterday, also shone today riding a beautiful fast and rhythmic clear in the jump-off with Casquo Blue (Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z) to finish third. Patteet and Guery's compatriot Wilm Vermeir finished fourth with DM Jacqmotte (Toulon x Indoctro), while fifth place went to Egypt's Karim Elzoghby with Zandigo (Zento x Concreto). 

“When I walked the course I thought it was big enough, there were some very big uprights and some very technical combinations,” Pattett said about the course built by French designer Grégory Bodo.  “The last line was difficult with a very short distance from an oxer followed by a very difficult combination. I think there were a lot of faults at this part of the course.”

“Sea Coast Kashmira Z has more experience than the horse I was riding last week and this clearly allowed me to ride stronger and faster,” Pattett commented on her jump-off performance.