The Swiss have opened strong at the CSIO5* event in St. Gallen, with Paul Estermann and Werner Muff both providing home wins on Thursday. 

Werner Muff won the biggest class of the day; the 1.50 Longines CSIO Schweiz St. Gallen Prize  –  riding the 11-year-old Pollendr (Polytraum x Corrado). Only three riders managed to produce double clear rounds in this competition, and 0.21 seconds behind Muff in the jump-off followed Ireland's Anthony Condon on Aristio (Arko III x Voltaire). Third place went to Egypt's Abdel Said, aboard the 9-year-old Hope van Scherpen Donder (Quadrillo x Balou du Rouet). Two Swiss riders finished fourth and fifth; Christina Liebherr and Martin Fuchs. 

Earlier in the day, Paul Estermann topped the 1.45 Domus & Walter Knoll Prize. Riding the 10-year-old Bareina (Valentino Ddh x Clinton), Estermann left two compatriots behind him in second and third to complete an all-Swiss podium: Evelyne Bussmann on Tafila d'Urville (Jenny de la Cense x Count Ivor) and Martin Fuchs on Coriano Carthago (Coriano x Carthago).

Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © CSIO Schweiz St. Gallen