Text © World of Showjumping

Falsterbo Horse Show 2024 concluded on Sunday with a German victory in the CSIO5* 1.60m Agria Falsterbo Grand Prix, where only two horse-and-rider combinations delivered double clear performances over Santiago Varela's track. 

With the eleven best out of the 42 participants moving on to the second round, it was Germany's Sandra Auffarth and the 13-year-old Quirici H (FRH Quaid x Escudo 19) that took the top honours with a double clear round in 52.56 seconds.

As the only other double clear of the competition, Ireland's Cian O'Connor and the 9-year-old Fancy de Kergane (Berdenn de Kergane x Cor de Hus) took the runner-up spot after stopping the clock at 53.62 seconds, while a single time penalty in both rounds left Belgium's Abdel Said and Figueras de Laume (Kapitol d'Argonne x Pezetas du Rouet) in third. Italy's Giulia Martinengo Marquet and Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe (Cesano 2 x Con Air 7) finished fourth as the fastest four-faulters, while Latvia's Kristaps Neretnieks followed in fifth aboard Palladium KJV (Falkenhof's Lancer x Cornet Obolensky).

"Today was a super day," Auffarth said in the press conference following the Agria Falsterbo Grand Prix. "The sun is shining, that was the first step for a good day after yesterday. My horse was super concentrated, on Friday he was quite nervous and I was already a little bit disappointed. We did a few mistakes, so I had absolutely no pressure and I thought ‘ok, take it like a round you learn from and you get routine over this size’. Then, he jumped super; he was totally listening to me, and it felt super nice and easy. The whole atmosphere and everything was very special." 

"It was quite a tough course," Auffarth said about the fact that there were only two double clears. "It was quite technical; I think the course builder is clever in how he is building the courses. There were a few distances where you could decide if you did one less or one more stride and the time was quite tight, so there was pressure from that side, and I think that made it quite difficult. Of course, the triple combination with the water in the middle was something special, not so easy for every horse and there were quite a lot mistakes. It was a five-star course." 

"I have great memories of coming to Falsterbo," second-placed Cian O'Connor said. "I came here with the team 24 years ago, in 2000 and we won the Nations Cup that day and I came many times since. It is wonderful; it has not changed very much. The audience are so knowledgeable, and they come out regardless of weather, they love horses, they understand horses and when you ride in that arena, you can feel that kind of support from the audience and it really pushes you to do as well as you can. I was very happy with the horse that I ride for Coolmore Showjumping and Mr. Magnier, Fancy de Kergane. He has jumped several Nations Cups for the team and has always been clear; double clear again on Friday. Then he has a month's break after this weekend, so I thought this Grand Prix would be a nice time for him to step up to his first five-star Grand Prix and he was super again – double clear – so I am really, really happy with him."