Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Casall Ask have embarked on their 2017 farewell tour, and in style: On Friday night one of the most successful couples of showjumping won the Golden Drum of Basel.
In November last year, it was announced that the now 18-year-old stallion by Caretino x Lavall I will do the final show of his career in Klein Flottbek, Hamburg, at the end of May. Casall Ask's appearance in Basel is one of his last in the countdown towards the Longines Global Champions Tour in Hamburg.
Casall Ask delivered one of the only five clear rounds in the traditional 1.55m Golden Drum of Basel with 56 riders in it, and in the jump-off the narrowest of margins played their part to crown the winner. It was only 0.03 seconds that separated Bengtsson and Casall Ask from runners-up Lornezo de Luca (ITA) and the 10-year-old stallion Halifax van het Kluizebos (Heartbreaker x Fetiche Du Pas), with the Swedish rider taking the top prize of 18 750 CHF.
None of the other three riders in the jump-off could deliver clear rounds. Simon Delestre (FRA) finished third on the 12-year-old stallion Chadino (Chacco-Blue x Narew XX) with five penalties in the jump-off, while his compatriot Penelope Leprevost and the little mare Ratina d'La Rousserie (Apache d'Adriers) were fourth on eight faults. In fifth followed Niklaus Rutschi as the best home rider on Windsor XV (Karandasj x Wellington), but with fourteen faults in the jump-off.
Earlier in the day Pius Schwizer made it a home win in the 1.50m accumulator competition Prize of Grosspeter Nutzfahrzeuge AG, riding the 11-year-old gelding Leonard de la Ferme CH (Landjuweel x Indigene de Corday). It was 0.13 seconds separating the Swiss rider from runner-up Philippe Rozier (FRA) on Reveur de Kergane (Hornet Rose x Elan de la Cour) while third place went to Luca Moneta (ITA) on Neptune Brecourt (Cumano x Kayack).
The first ranking class of the day, the 1.45m Prize of Thermoplan AG, saw two Swiss riders on top with Steve Guerdat in first aboard Albführen's Happiness (Balou du Rouet x Couleur-Rubin) and Pius Schwizer in second on Balou Rubin R (Balou du Rouet x Couleur-Rubin). Marcus Ehning (GER) finished third on Calanda (Calido I x Chasseur).
Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Katja Stuppia/Longines CSI Basel