Nicole Holmén and H&M Bahia, winners of the CSI3* 1.50m Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort Grand Prix at Spring MET III 2025. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.
Press release from the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour
The second week of Spring MET III 2025 at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova in Spain concluded with a Swedish victory in Sunday’s CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort.
In a jump-off between seven horse-and-rider combinations, Sweden’s Nicole Holmén and the 11-year-old mare H&M Bahia (Baloubet du Rouet x Coronado II) took the top honours with the only double clear round in the competition.
Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann and Tapioca (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Catoki) had to settle for second when the risk of clocking the fastest time converted into a pole down. While Holmén took the win with a time of 40.23 seconds, Meyer-Zimmermann crossed the finish line in 36.51 – but four faults left her to the runner-up spot. The three pairs completing the top five also had a rail down, Jules van Hoydonck (BEL) and Minte vs Bisschop (Plot Blue x Parco) took third with a time of 36.80 seconds, followed by Justine Tebbel (GER) on Cote de Pablo (Chacco’s Son x Argentinus) in fourth in 38.81 and David Simpson (IRL) aboard Ovidius vd Donkhoeve (VDL Zirocco Blue x Chin Chin) in fifth in 39.08 – all carrying four faults.
Nicole Holmén and H&M Bahia. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.
“My plan was to ride a good round and put a little bit of pressure on the others,” Holmén explained about her winning strategy for the jump-off. “However, I didn't want to risk anything – I just wanted to be clear, first of all, and I got lucky today.”
“She's a special mare that I have been riding for about a year and a half,” Holmén said about her winning mount H&M Bahia – a former ride of Peder Fredricson, who together with his wife Lisen Bratt-Fredricson is Holmén’s employer at Grevlunda Stables in the south of Sweden. “She has got a lot of will, and I have to let her believe that she's the boss. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I've got from Lisen and Peder to ride this incredible horse.”
“I have around 10 horses from Lisen and Peder on my list, and then I also have two horses in training at my own stable through my own company,” Holmén told about her current situation.
“I’m happy to be here again,” Holmén said about the venue at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova, where Spring MET III 2025 continues next week, followed by Spring MET IV 2025 in April.
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