Edited press release from Hubside Jumping
Once again, Julien Epaillard (FRA) delivered a home win at Hubside Jumping in Grimaud, France. Together with Kosmo Van Hof Ter Boone (Arko x Pachat II), Epaillard topped Friday’s 1.55m class – counting for the world ranking – with a jump-off, after stopping the clock at 37.40 seconds.
The runner-up position went to Daniel Deusser (GER) with Killer Queen VDM (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure), after the pair crossed the finish line in 38.13 seconds. Steve Guerdat (SUI) with Albfuehren’s Maddox (Cohiba x Maraton) ended third, followed by Martin Fuchs (SUI) with Conner 70 (Connor 48 x Cosimo) and Titouan Schumacher (FRA) with Atome Z (Amadeus Z*Brimbelles x Toulon) in fourth and fifth.
“Kosmo Van Hof Ter Boone had a great first round, even though I’m not 100% with the settings yet – so I changed the bit for the jump-off,” Epaillard explained. “He is a horse with temperament, blood, great strength but we haven’t been jumping at this level for a very long time. In the jump-off, I managed to take one stride out which allowed me to gain a few tenths of a second, then I made a good turn before the oxer and a great distance came out of that. It is in these two places that I saved time; it was not a course that presented many other options then tightening turns and taking out strides."
The last class of the day – a 1.50m counting for the world ranking – was won by David Will (GER) riding Quentucky Jolly (Nirvana V x unknown). Second place went to Francois Mathy Jr. (BEL) with Casanova de L’Herse (Ugano Sitte x Kashmir van Schuttershof) and third place to Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (ESP) with Mogambo (Diamant de Semilly x Nabab de Reve).
“It’s always great to win a good class. Quentucky Jolly is a very fast horse that always gives everything,” Will said. “We were the last to go in this class, and it’s always an opportunity. I took the time to look at many rounds and had spotted the potential traps to avoid. My position clearly allowed me to take very calculated risks.”