Edited press release from Andalucía Sunshine Tour

Third to go in a jump-off of sixteen, reigning European Champion Steve Guerdat and the 9-year-old gelding Lucky Fauntleroy (Lord Fauntleroy x Comme Il Faut) set an unbeatable time of 36.28 seconds in Saturday’s 1.45m Small Grand Prix presented by Geolastic at the Andalucía Sunshine Tour 2024. None of those to come were able to better Guerdat’s time in this Longines Ranking class; once again the Swiss icon was in a league of his own with an incredible jump-off performance to take his second Small Grand Prix-victory at the tour.

In the chase of Guerdat, two Dutch riders came closest; veteran Henk van de Pol aboard No Fathers Girl (Verde Gaio x Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN) in 36.97 seconds and the young talent Kars Bonhof riding Ivoor TN (Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN x Verdi TN) to a time of 37.2. Kendra Claricia Brinkop (GER) and Ma Belle (Ugano Sitte x Bayard d'Elle) finished fourth, followed by Mariano Martínez Bastida (ESP) with Quark de Preuilly Z (Quaprice Bois Margot x Cento) in fifth.  

In the two-phase 1.50m Medium Tour, it was another big name that took the win; Daniel Deusser (GER) rode Kiana Van Het Herdershof (Toulon x Lys de Darmen) into first place after stopping the clock in 27.46 seconds. Hot on his heels was Edouard Schmitz (SUI) with Karel Doorman (Dakar VDL x Hickstead) in 27.69 seconds, followed by Gilles Thomas with Toulini Olympic (Toulouse x San Patrignano Cassini) in 28.84. Deusser’s Stephex Stables’ colleague Kendra Claricia Brinkop and Nector VD Bisschop (Echo van T Spieveld x Darco) finished fourth, while Max Kühner (AUT) took the fifth place aboard EIC Schabernack (Cornet Obolensky x Quidam de Revel).