Text © World of Showjumping

Great Britain’s Scott Brash and the 10-year-old mare Hello Folie (Luidam x Diamant de Semilly) won Friday night's CSIO5* 1.60m Grand Prix of the City of Barcelona at the Real Club de Polo de Barcelona, Spain. "Folie was yet again incredible, I feel very privileged to be riding her," Brash told World of Showjumping. "It feels like she has grown into jumping the top end of the sport more comfortably now and just loves her job." 

The first-round track – put together by Spain’s very own Santiago Varela – counted 14 obstacles and 17 jumping efforts, with the time allowed set to 82 seconds. The best twelve pairs from the 38 horse-and-rider combinations at start in round one qualified for the second, shortened round over ten fences and eleven efforts.

"I thought it was a tough course when I walked it but it rode a bit nicer than I thought it was going to," Brash told World of Showjumping. "There were faults all over, which is always the sign of a good course. The time was very fair and there were decisions to make and I think he got the right amount of clears to have an entertaining class." 

Nine of the pairs advancing to round two were on a score of zero, with the top six eventually delivering a double clear performance. Crossing the finish line in 52.12 in the second round, Brash and his 2025 European double silver medallist Hello Folie took the win, leaving Alex Matz (USA) and Ikigai (Elvis ter Putte x Iroko) to the runner-up spot in 52.90.

Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA) and Kiss Me Fabulesse (Casago x Plot Blue) completed the podium in third in 53.77, while Megane Moissonnier (FRA) and Crooner Tame (Conrad x Quaprice Boimargot Quincy) finished fourth in 55.37, followed by Antoine Ermann (FRA) aboard Floyd des Pres (Vigo Cece x Papillon Rouge) in fifth in 56.86. The host nation’s Alberto Marquez Galobardes and Kelly (Kannan x Baloubet du Rouet) delighted the home crowd by jumping double clear and placing sixth.