Simon Delestre (FRA) and his 12-year-old gelding Chesall Zimequest (Casall x Concerto II) took Friday’s biggest win at CSI5* Jumping International Valence when he went to the top in the 1.55m Prix SFAM, also counting for the Longines Ranking.

Out of the 48 pairs in the class, 11 delivered clear rounds – but after the jump-off there were only four double clears. The quickest of them all, was Delestre who stopped the clock at 40.48 seconds to repeat his victory from last year. Beezie Madden (USA) was not far from taking her second win of the weekend when she clocked the time of 40.69 seconds, ending as runner-up with the 11-year-old stallion Breitling LS (Quintero x Accord II).

Michel Hendrix (NED) on the 11-year-old gelding Baileys (Indoctro x Come On) placed third with a time of 41.35 seconds in the jump-off, while Francois Mathy Jr. (BEL) on the 9-year-old gelding Uno de la Roque (Numero Uno x Kannan) placed fourth with a time of 48.68 seconds. Picking up a single time penalty in the jump-off, Jasmin Chen (TPE) on the 9-year-old stallion Ninyon (Nintender x Careful) ended up fifth with the time of 50.43 seconds.

Friday's U25 class, a 1.45m in two phases, went to Yannis Gregoriades (FRA) on the 9-year-old gelding Uncle Sam (Quincy x Quaprice) with a time of 31.93 seconds. Emily Moffit (GBR) on the 10-year-old mare MTF Madame X (Continio x Corland) placed second with a time of 32.07, while Perrine Mary (FRA) on the 12-year-old gelding Radjah de Turos (Nirvana V x Arlene Pierreville) took the third place with a time of 32.43 seconds.

The last class of the day was the Prix MMA, a 1.50m against the clock, that went to the young and talented Michael Duffy (IRL). Riding the 12-year-old stallion Millfield Ultymate (Ulysses M2s x Condios), Duffy clocked the winning time of 64.74 seconds. Another rising star, Edward Levy (FRA) on the 12-year-old mare Rafael d'Hyverniere (Chef Rouge x Le Plantero), placed second with a time of 67.48.

Carlos Lopez (COL) on the 9-year-old mare Ulhane de Conde (Jarnac x Corland) placed fourth with a time of 69.38 seconds, while Margaux Rocuet (FRA) on the 16-year-old gelding Upper Star (Metall x Zeus) placed forth with a time of 69.48. The fifth spot went to Laura Renwick (GBR) on the 8-year-old mare Shiraz II (Vagabond de la Pomme x Draco) with a time of 71.61.