Sunday’s highlight in Oliva Nova was the CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix presented by Dammann Reitplatz- u. Sportplatzbau GmbH, where France’s Jules Orsolini and the 12-year-old stallion Ibrahim took the top honours. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.
Press release from the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour
The action at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova in Spain resumed this week with the Autumn MET II kicking off another three weeks of competitions. Sunday’s highlight was the CSI2* 1.45m Grand Prix presented by Dammann Reitplatz- u. Sportplatzbau GmbH, where France’s Jules Orsolini and the 12-year-old stallion Ibrahim (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Quidam de Revel) took the top honours after an exciting jump-off.
Eight horse-and-rider combinations from the 61 pairs at start cleared the first-round track set by Gerad Lachat (SUI) and joined the deciding jump-off, where Orsolini clocked the winning time of 37.92 seconds. Douglas Lindelöw (SWE) and Hermosillo d’Aubigny (Cornet Obolensky x Messire Ardent) took the runner-up spot in 38.58, while Lieven Devos (BEL) and Inca’s Big Think (Think Big Van TL x Lanciano) completed the podium in third in 38.90.
Maxim Godecharle (BEL) and Quapito (Kannan x Sheyenne de Baugy) finished fourth with a time of 45.55 seconds, while a fence down in 39.55 left Phillip Spivey (GBR) and NBE Jenny Don’Y Be Hasty (breeding unknown) fifth.
“This year, I must say he has been a little bit unlucky because we were fastest many times, but had one down. Now, finally, he won, so I am really happy for him," Jules Orsolini said. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.
“I have been riding him since he was eight, and I have already jumped 1.60m with him,” Orsolini explained about his journey with Ibrahim. “This year, I must say he has been a little bit unlucky because we were fastest many times, but had one down. Now, finally, he won, so I am really happy for him.”
“The jump-off was really good for us, because there were long lines where I could do one less everywhere since Ibrahim is a horse with a huge stride,” he said about his winning strategy. “It was a perfect jump-off for me. Ibrahim felt very good already during the first round, so I was confident going into the jump-off.”
Orsolini has good memories from the venue at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova. “We normally come for MET III at the end of the year,” he said. “I was also here for the youth Europeans in 2022 where I did well – so Oliva is a good show for me. We come here as much as we can. I will do the two next weeks here and then I will be going to Geneva.”
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