It was the special partnership of Sanne Thijssen (NED) and Con Quidam RB (Quinar Z x Cardino) that took the top honours in Sunday’s CSI4* 1.55m Grand Prix presented by Horseware at the Sunshine Tour in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain. 

A total of 48 horse-and-rider combinations had qualified for the Grand Prix, and only seven of them managed to deliver clear rounds over the tricky 1.55m track in the beautiful David Broome arena – making it exciting from start to finish. 

As second last to go in the jump-off, Michael Hughes and Kashmir van d’Oude Pastory (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve x Sun Light vd Zuuthoeve) shaved off 0.65 seconds on Gilles Thomas (BEL) and Luna Van Het Dennehof’s (Prince van de Wolfsakker x Quidam de Revel) leading time when stopping the clock at 45.34 seconds. However, Hughes’ lead was short-lived as Thijssen blazed around the shortened track as last to go in an incredible 40.86 seconds with her 16-year-old stallion. Delighted about her victory, Thijssen said of her incredible partner Con Quidam: “He is a horse that always, in each moment, knows what he has to do even if it is a really demanding track.”

Marcel Marschall (GER) and Extra Strong (Diamant de Semilly x Colino) finished fourth with a double clear round in 48.37 seconds, while fifth went to Karim El Zoghby (EGY) and Gallos (Spartacus TN x Casco) that had the second fastest jump-off time but on the expense of a pole down.

Pénélope Leprevost (FRA) was the winner of the CSI4* 1.50m Medium Tour Grand Prix, riding the 13-year-old Verite Une Prince (Number One D’Iso x Rosire) to a double clear round in a time of 39.11 seconds in the jump-off. Jana Wargers (GER) followed in runner-up position with Chacco’s Lady (Chacco-Blue x Indoctro) with a time of 39.44 seconds, while third place went to Gudrun Patteet (BEL) and Sea Coast Donna Z (Diamant de Semilly x C Indoctro) that crossed the finish line in 40.53 seconds in the jump-off. Lucas Porter (USA) finished fourth with Hope Street (Casall x Quick Nick I) and Gilles Thomas fifth with Calleryama (Casall x Contender).