France's own Julien Epaillard, current world no. three, opened the weekend at CSI4* Jumping International St-Lô with a home win in Thursday’s CSI4* 1.50m Prix France Etalons. 

Riding the 10-year-old mare Caracole de La Roque (Zandor Z x Kannan) in the 1.50m class judged as  a Table A against the clock, Epaillard crossed the finish line in 61.27 seconds, taking the win ahead of Gregory Cottard (FRA) on Bibici (Norman Pre Noir x Nelfo fu Mesnil) in runner-up position – with more than one second separating the two French riders.

Olivier Perreau (FRA) and GL Events Dolce Deceuninck (Toulon x Cartier van de Heffinck) took the third place after crossing the finish line in 63.41 seconds, while the fourth place went to Julien Gonin (FRA) on Valou du Lys (Calvaro F.C. x Galoubet A) and fifth to Nicolas Layec (FRA) on Best of Iscla (Diamant de Semilly x Kannan).