Martin Fuchs and Commissar Pezi (Commissario x Böckmann's Lord Pezi) won Saturday's 1.50m Queens Cup Freixenet Trophy. Photos © Jenny Abrahamsson/WoSJ.
Text © World of Showjumping
Switzerland's Martin Fuchs and the 11-year-old gelding Commissar Pezi (Commissario x Böckmann's Lord Pezi) won Saturday's 1.50m Queens Cup Freixenet Trophy after an exciting winning round under the lights at the Real Club de Polo in Barcelona, Spain.
Counting for the Longines Ranking Group C, the late-night competition saw 47 horse-and-rider combinations take to the start with the best twelve qualifying for the deciding winning round. The first-round track set by Santiago Varela (ESP) counted 13 obstacles and 16 efforts, with the time allowed set to 75 seconds. Battling for the twelve spots on offer for the winning round, nine pairs delivered a clear in round one, while eight horse-and-rider combinations left the fences intact but did not manage to stay within the time allowed.
Kevin Staut and Dialou Blue PS placed second.
The first clear came from Sweden's current world number one Henrik von Eckermann and the 11-year-old mare Iliana (Cardento x Gentleman), while Kevin Staut (FRA) and Dialou Blue PS (Tailormade Diarado's Boy x Chacco-Blue), Armando Trapote (ESP) and Diabla PS (Chacco Lover x Toulon), Alex Matz (USA) and Cashew CR (Cassini II x Quinar Z), Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Nadale van Dorperheide (Zilverstar T x Winningmood), Alex Codina Leria (ESP) and Jarno (Non Stop x Sheyenne de Baugy), Fuchs on Commissar Pezi, Kevin Jochems (NED) on Camilla van de Helle (Crumble x Casall) as well as Kim Emmen (NED) aboard Island VG (VDL Zirocco Blue x Indoctro) also delivered a clear.
With a single time penalty each, Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) and Zy-Zento (Zento x Indoctro), Peder Fredricson (SWE) and Alcapone des Carmille (Diamant de Semilly x Heartbreaker) and Jana Wargers (GER) aboard Limbridge (Guardus Limbus x Cambridge) completed the top twelve that moved on to the winning round.
Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and Zy-Zento finished third.
In the winning round, everyone started on a clean slate and it was Modolo Zanotelli and Zy-Zento that really turned up the heat, setting the standard with a clear round in 43.73. Fuchs and Commissar Pezi didn’t hold back though, taking over the lead with a time of 41.71 – which left little room for improvement.
In the end, Staut and Dialou Blue PS got the closest as the last pair out, slotting into second when the clock stopped on 43.15 for the French rider, leaving the win with Fuchs, while Modolo Zanotelli took third, Emmen fourth and Fredricson fifth.
Kim Emmen and Island VG took the fourth place.
"It is very nice to win such a traditional class as the Queens Cup," Fuchs commented to World of Showjumping. "I have been coming to Barcelona for a long time and never won here, so it is a great feeling. Commissar Pezi did a really good jump-off. He was already really good in the Grand Prix yesterday, we had a fault on the last fence, so we were very eager to make up for this today. He performed both rounds fantastic and was really with me throughout the whole course."
Then