Only three riders were able to deliver clear rounds in Saturday's CSI5* 1.55m class with a jump-off at Hubside Jumping in Grimaud, France. First to go in the jump-off, on the only 8-year-old Great Britain V (Nabab de Reve x Carolus II), Belgium's Jérôme Guery set the pace with a time of 38.49 seconds. A second behind followed Brazil’s Marlon Modolo Zanotelli, who had to settle for runner-up position with Icarus (Douglas x Sioux de Baugy). Third place went to Italy's Alberto Zorzi and Cinsey (Contendro I x For Pleasure), with four faults in the jump-off. 

"I'm very happy!" Guery commented. "It's a bit of a surprise win! Great Britain V is only eight years old and has never jumped at this level. Considering the delicate course, I believe that if I had not jumped at the very beginning of the class, I would not even have started. The course was difficult, the time was very short but in the end my horse did not seem in difficulty at any point! For once, going in at the beginning of the class worked to my advantage!"

"I missed my first line a bit,” Guery explained about his jump-off. “I had to come back for nine strides while my two competitors were able to do eight strides very easily. After the second jump, I understood that I had to make up some time so I took risks at the end – especially in front of the combination because I know that my horse jumps this very well. My jump-off certainly put a little pressure on the next two competitors and Great Britain jumped exceptional."

"I bought Great Britain V about a year ago and I have high hopes for him. Here, he did six or seven weeks of competition and he had only one fault in total! It is truly an exceptional horse that one rarely comes across. There aren't many horses his age capable of jumping classes like today's, let alone winning them."

In the CSI5* 1.50m it was a French victory, as Julien Epaillard and Usual Suspect d'Auge (Jarnac x Papillon Rouge) outclassed their competitors. Again, Guery was in the money – 2.28 seconds behind the winning time meant the Belgian rider had to settle for runner-up position with Eras Ste Hermelle (Vargas de Ste Hermelle x Andiamo). Modolo Zanotelli also continued his good form, and finished third with Abelone O.T Lowlands Z (Andiamo Z x Diamant de Semilly).