After a thrilling five-horse jump-off, it was France’s Penélope Leprevost and the 13-year-old gelding Texas (Tornesch 1042 x Robin Z) who took the top honours in Sunday’s CSI4* 1.55m Dunas de Barbate Grand Prix at the Andalucía Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain. A qualifier for the 2024 Olympic Games as well as the 2025 European Championship, and counting for the Longines Ranking, the course for the Grand Prix was built accordingly by Italian mastermind Uliano Vezzani in the stunning David Broome arena. 

First to go in the jump-off, Philipp Weishaupt (GER) and Coby (Contagio x Escudo) set the time to beat at 36.48 seconds and it wasn’t until the very last rider out that their time looked under any threat. However, with a flawless round, Leprevost stopped the clock in 36.29 seconds – with the crowd cheering her on underway. 

“I am happy Texas won the Grand Prix; it was really amazing,” Leprevost said in a press release from the Andalucía Sunshine Tour. “To be honest when I walked the course, I said ok, its big enough, but my horse has scope and he knows his job.” 

“We had a super, super, first round…  and in the jump-off, I knew Texas is fast, and it was quick enough for the top spot,” the happy winner said. 

With Leprevost pushing Weishaupt down to second, the podium was completed by the incredible 10-year-old stallion Ermitage Kalone (Catoki x Kannan) beautifully ridden by Gilles Thomas (BEL) to a time of 37.60 seconds. Mel Thijssen (NED) and Imodo (Quasimodo Z x Corland) finished fourth, followed by Adam Grzegorzewski (POL) and Issem (Quality Time TN x Clinton) in fifth.

Guy Williams (GBR) and Ernie Of Greenhill Z (Emerald x Caretino) won the CSI4* 1.50m Medium Tour Grand Prix, also counting for the Longines Ranking. Fifteen horse-and-rider combinations managed to deliver clear rounds in the Hickstead-ring to move on to the jump-off, where Williams was the fastest with his time of 45.85 seconds. Giulia Martinengo Marquet (ITA) and Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe (Cesano x Con Air) finished second after clocking a time of 46.18, followed by Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Bastille (Balou du Rouet x Chacco-Blue) in third in 46.41 seconds. Edouard Schmitz (SUI) and Quno (Quo Vados I x Cashandcarry) finished fourth, followed by Emeric George (FRA) and Calisco de Terlong (Mylord Carthago x Jalisco B) in fifth.

Aboard the 9-year-old stallion Anton SBK Z (Arko III x Quintero Z), Helmut Schönstetter (GER) was the winner of the third ranking class of the day – the 1.45m Small Tour Grand Prix sponsored by Balcris. Two Italian riders completed the podium; Matteo Leonardi and Daytona Della Caccia (Diamant de Semilly x Caretino) finished second, while Eleanora Sanna with Incanto VDL (Kannan x Indoctro) took third.