Text © World of Showjumping

The 2022-edition of Commercial Bank CHI Al Shaqab presented by Longines kicked off in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday and it was current world number one Peder Fredricson (SWE) that took the top honours. 

Riding the 14-year-old Hansson WL (Hip Hop x Iowa), Fredricson topped a field of 44 horse-and-rider combinations in Thursday's main class – a CSI5* 1.55m Table A. As the last to go, the flying Swede stopped the clock on 64.83 seconds, pushing Germany's Christian Ahlmann on Solid Gold Z (Stakkato Gold x Calvin Z) – a pair that had kept the lead for the majority of the class – into runner-up position. Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) on Glamour Girl (VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I) took the third place, while Kevin Staut (FRA) on Visconti du Telman (Toulon x Dollar du Murier) placed fourth and Gerrit Nieberg (GER) on Ben (Sylvain x Quincy Jones) fifth. 

"I knew I had to do short turns and leave strides out," the happy winner commented afterwards. "Hansson WL is a great horse with a long stride – I am very happy with him." 

Speaking of his plans for the rest of the weekend, Fredricson said: "I like this position, I think I will try to keep to it." 

Earlier during the day Denis Lynch (IRL) on Cornets Iberio (Cornet Obolensky x Charlottenshof Iberio) topped the CSI5* 1.45m. Geir Gulliksen (NOR) on VDL Groep Quatro (Quaprice Bois Margot x Caletto I) took the runner-up spot, while Simon Delestre (FRA) on Dexter Fontenis Z (Diarado x Voltaire) placed third. Kevin Staut (FRA) on Tolede de Mescam Harcour (Mylord Carthago x Kouglof II) took the fourth place and Gerrit Nieberg (GER) on Blues d'Aveline CH (Baloussini x Coriall) fifth.