Fourty riders took part in Saturday evening's 1.45m class in Rabat, with Switzerland's Nadja Peter Steiner being the best of them all. Together with Celeste 26 (Casall x Landgraf I), Nadja crossed the finish line with the fastest time in the winning round.

There were ten clear rounds, and ten that qualified for the winning round in this competition. Ramzy Hamad Al Duhami (KSA) with High Quality J (Quadrillo x Nabab de Reve) was just left out of the winning round due to one time penalty in the first round.

Robert Whitaker (GBR) started off the winning round riding Cash Sent (Verdi x Niveau). They delivered a steady clear round in 50,39 seconds that didn't look too hard to beat, which would pretty soon turn out to be proved. Luca Coata (ITA) with Crandessa (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Grannus) went for a clear schooling round in 52,70 seconds, before it was time for home rider Abdelkebir Ouaddar with Saphir du Talus (Diamant de Semilly x Voltaire) that didn't find the flow around the course finishing on 13 faults.

Fourth rider Guillaume Foutrier (FRA) with Isperado van het Wingerd Hof (Numero Uno x Ivan Serrano) took over the lead after finishing the track almost three seconds faster than Whitaker. Patrik Spits (BEL) with Verdi vd Withoeve Z (Vigaro Z x Chellano Z) had to see the penultimate fence fall, while Abdullah Al Sharbatly (KSA) and Red Star d'Argent (Quick Star x Jalisco B) ended with eight faults - as did Luca Marziani (ITA) riding Qing D'Amour (Dollar Dela Pierre x Rosire).

Pius Schwizer (SUI) followed on Leonard de la Ferme CH (Landjuweel x Indigene de Corday), and took over the lead after a great round in 44,81 seconds. He didn't get to keep it for long though, as his compatriot Nadja Peter Steiner with Celeste 26 followed and shaved the time down to 44,67 seconds.

The last rider in the ring was Philippe Rozier, but the Frenchman had to see the a-element of the combination fall in his attempt to beat Nadja's time leaving him to sixth place. 

Text © World of Showjumping // Picture © Jenny Abrahamsson