Text © World of Showjumping

Great Britain's Harry Charles and the 15-year-old gelding Borsato (Contendro I x Nijinski) won Saturday's CSI5* 1.60m Coupe de Genève at CHI Geneva. This was a competition over combinations, which was also a qualifier for Sunday's Rolex Grand Prix. With a time of 35.07 seconds, Charles was the fastest of the ten riders that had qualified for the jump-off. 

"It is a cool class, we only see it once a year," the happy winner said afterwards. "It is a Grand Prix qualifier and both times I have come here I have left it to this class to qualify, which isn't ideal. I think it is nice to have a class like this. You see all these formats where the classes are the same, it is great to switch it up every now and then so I enjoy riding it." 

"After watching last night, I was motivated to qualify for the Grand Prix today," Charles explained about his tactic for the day. "We got everything spot on today. When I walked the jump-off course, I  saw there was an option and everything just came out perfectly." 

"I have had him the longest, he is my most experienced horse," Charles told about Borsato. "He has many good results, we have been close many times but this was actually our first win. I have always wanted to win in Geneva. Borsato is brave, he is so scopey, and he is a fighter – he is a fantastic horse, and I am sure he has many more years left in him." 

"I think the partnership with Rolex is a huge thing," Charles said about CHI Geneva. "The Rolex Grand Slam, the Top 10 Final – so many things come together to make this show so special. It is also at the end of the year; it is like a celebration of the sport. For me it is the best indoor show in the world, and it is a pleasure to ride here." 

Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) on Carlito's Way 6 (Casall x Lordanos) took the runner-up position with a time of 36.29 in the jump-off, while Harrie Smolders (NED) on Monaco (Cassini II x Contender) placed third. Zoe Conter (BEL) on Dawa de Greenbay Z (Diarado x Schilling Et) placed fourth and Francois Mathy Jr. (BEL) on Uno de la Roque (Numero Uno x Kannan) fifth.