Thrills and spills from the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule

It was jam-packed for Sunday’s highlight at Jumping International de La Baule; the Rolex Grand Prix Ville de La Baule. The enthusiastic and knowledgeable La Baule-crowd – which over the week counted 45.000 spectators in total – created an incredible atmosphere in the François André Stadium, which was filled to the brim as 50 world-class horse-and-rider combinations tested themselves over Gregory Bodo’s masterpiece of a track.

Here we look back at the Grand Prix, which was filled with thrills and spills! First out, Switzerland's Janika Sprunger and her incredible 9-year-old mare Orelie who after jumping clear in her first five-star Grand Prix in St. Gallen the week prior was clear again in La Baule.

All photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.

Steve Guerdat out walking the course with a smile...

...with his daughter Ella.

Cian O'Connor and Max Wachman going through the course.

Edward Levy and Henrik von Eckermann.

Above and below: Richard Vogel, Hannah Mytilineou, Ioli Mytilineou and Sean Crooks, Olivier Perreau, Marc Dilasser and Roger Yves Bost.

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World no. two Julien Epaillard serving as illustration of the size of the course.

Nicola Philippaerts inspecting Gregory Bodo's track.

The first pair to answer all of Bodo's questions correctly were home heroes Gregory Cottard and the lovely Bibici, crowd favourites in La Baule!

One rider later, a jump-off was secured as Nicolas Delmotte and Ilex VP went clear...

...making it explode at the François André Stadium.

Brazil's Yuri Mansur thanks his lovely QH Alfons Santo Antonio for a clear round.

Thumbs up from Switzerland's Edouard Schmitz who posted the fourth clear of the class with Gamin Van’t Naastveldhof.

These two really impressed. After winning Thursday's 1.50m Prix FFE, a Grand Prix qualifier, the relatively unknown pair Marcus Westergren and Fellaini de Liebri Z went on to jump clear in the Grand Prix – making light work of the course.

Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and Deesse de Coquerie posted Brazil's second clear round.

While the third came from this amazing pair: Rodrigo Pessoa and Major Tom, a horse that looks to have everything to become a real super star.

Another horse that has it all is Steve Guerdat's Dynamix de Belheme, who only made a very light fault on the Rolex plank to finish on four faults.

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Half-way into the Grand Prix, the class got an abrupt break when Ben Maher pulled up his Olympic champion Explosion W who all of a sudden appeared lame on his left front leg after having cleared the five first fences of the course. Luckily, medical expertise came quickly to assist, and the 14-year-old gelding was driven out of the ring in an equine ambulance. Unfortunately, Explosion was later diagnosed with a soft tissue injury.

Belgium's Olivier Philippaerts and Le Blue Diamond v't Ruytershof were kept out of the jump-off by two agonising time penalties.

It's not always it goes according to plan. Kars Bonhof's Hernandez TN had a refusal and a bit a hard meeting with the triple bar, and the Dutch rider opted to retire.

Sweden's Henrik von Eckermann and Iliana impressed again with a clear round!

Last year, Canada's Beth Underhill won the Grand Prix in La Baule with Dieu Merci van T&L. This year, she returned with Nikka vd Bisschop and was clear again!

Switzerland's Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei were maximum unlucky and had a pole on the first fence down, then jumped the rest of the course clear.

Nicola Philippaerts and Katanga vh Dingenshof flying through the Rolex triple combination to clear the course.

The one and only Bosty! A national treasure in France.

Belgium's Gregory Wathelet and Ace of Hearts impressed with a clear round.

A focused Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit, who after contributing to Sweden's Nations Cup victory on Friday went on to jump clear in the Grand Prix.