Text © World of Showjumping

Harry Charles (GBR) and the 16-year-old Casquo Blue (Chacco-Blue x Carthago Z) won Thursday’s CSI5* 1.55m presented by Hermès Sellier at Al Shaqab in Doha, Qatar, where the H.H. The Amir’s Sword 2026 continues.

Uliano Vezzani’s (ITA) first-round track saw ten from the 36 horse-and-rider combinations at start deliver a clear. In the jump-off, Harry Charles and Casquo Blue clocked the winning time of 37.74 seconds, taking the top honours ahead of Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) and Esteban de Hus (Cornet Obolensky x Baloubet du Rouet) in second just fractions behind in 37.77.

“It feels very good to win here. It’s a new week with the Amir’s Sword, and to get off to a great start by winning this class feels fantastic," Harry Charles said in a press release from H.H. The Amir’s Sword 2026. "My horse is in great shape, and I feel very excited for the weeks to come. Casquo Blue is so experienced, he is 16 now, and he makes my life easier. He is very efficient, and we know each other quite well.”

Only the top two kept all the fences intact in the jump-off. With the fastest time of the jump-off – 37.04 seconds – Pieter Devos (BEL) and Primo DV (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Heartbreaker) had to settle for third place with four penalties, while Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) on Fellow Castlefield (Je T’Aime Flamenco x Twister) finished fourth with four penalties in 38.37, followed by Khaled Almobty (KSA) aboard Qaparezzo-A (Arezzo VDL x Corland) in fifth – also carrying four penalties, with a time of 42.18 seconds.

The second five-star ranking class of the day, a CSI5* 1.45m, went to Lara Tryba (FRA) and Flash de Talma (Contendro I x Baloubet du Rouet), followed by Max Kühner (AUT) on EIC Cornets Lady (Cornet Obolensky x Carrico) in second and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) aboard Merciminka (Comme Il Faut x Hors La Loi II) in third.

“Flash is naturally a fast horse," Lara Tryba said in a press release from H.H. The Amir’s Sword 2026. "We made a plan with my trainer, and I tried to follow it. My horse is the best, he jumped six rounds here, won two classes, and in the other 4 classes he was in the top five. He is just incredible.”