Text © World of Showjumping

After topping Thursday's CSI4* 1.50m Prix Espace Beaujolais Agglo at the 2024-edition of Jumping International Mâcon Chaintré, Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Cancun Torel Z (Cosinhus x Grannus) made it a double on home soil when taking the top honours in Saturday's CSI4* 1.50m Prix ETA Serge Perraud. 

Stopping the clock on 39.24 in a jump-off between sixteen horse-and-rider combinations, the current world number four took the win ahead of Lara Tryba (FRA) and Die Hard of Roses Z (Diamant de Semilly x Cristo) in second in 42.90, while Jennifer Hochstadter (LIE) and Tinka's Hero Z (Tinka's Boy x Caretino 2) placed third in 45.48. 

With the fastest time of the class – 39.29 – Derin Demirsoy (TUR) and O-Kannarock (Rock'n Roll Semilly x Kannan) had to settle for fourth with four faults, while a fence down in 40.24 left Victor Bettendorf (LUX) and Simolo de La Roque Z (Spartacus TN x Casall) to fifth. 

"Cancun has an incredible heart," Epaillard said in a press release from Jumping International Mâcon Chaintré. "She is really a great mare who always does everything for her rider. She doesn't have the biggest stride, so the distances are generally more forward for me, which is advantageous in a jump-off. I thought the first round was very interesting for a 1.50m class the day before the Grand Prix, when we often have less experienced horses in the starting field. I am very happy with this weekend so far."