Only one horse-and-rider combination managed to clear the Derby Région Des Pays De La Loire in La Baule, France – Holly Smith (GBR) and Fruselli (Zambesi x Karandasj). The pair finished the challenging and long derby course in a league of their own with a time of 130.95 seconds. 

Four riders followed with four faults and fastest of them was home-hero Nicolas Delmotte (FRA) with Citadin du Chatellier (L’Arc de Triomphe*Bois Margot x Diamant de Semilly). Just 0.01 second behind him and in third place was Martin Fuchs (SUI) with Tam Tam du Valon (Ogrion des Champs x Quidam de Revel). Fourth place went to Emily Moffitt (GBR) with Copain du Perchet CH (Conteur x Ragazzo) and fifth place to Paola Amilibia (MEX) with V.I.P. (Berlin x Diamant de Semilly).

“This is my first victory and the first time Fruselli took part in a Derby. I was expecting him to do well, but not necessarily to that extent! On the water jump, I thought I would have a penalty, but in the end everything went well. I managed my tactics well. It is like a marathon, you have 1000 meters to handle, so if you start too slowly, maybe you will clear or get one time penalty point. I was afraid my time would not be good enough, or someone clears and goes faster. I think those who rode after me were maybe impressed and they had faults where they should not have, like Nicolas on the last fence,” Smith commented after her win.