Scott Brash and Hello Vincent won the 1.55m Allianz Prize at CHIO Aachen. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
Text © World of Showjumping
Scott Brash continued his good form at CHIO Aachen on Saturday afternoon, when taking the top honours in the 1.55m Allianz Prize with the 12-year-old stallion Hello Vincent (Consul de la Vie Z x Fergar Mail).
A total of 32 horse-and-rider combinations had qualified in for this winning round-class, where a total of ten returned to compete against the clock. “It was very well built today, ten were to come back for the second round and it was ten clears so was on line,” Brash commented on Frank Rothenberger’s course, which counted 13 fences and 16 efforts. While far from as tough as yesterday’s RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia, Brash pointed out: “It’s never any class that’s a walk in the park in Aachen.”
Brash was 6th in the order to go in the winning round, which counted nine fences and ten efforts. As he entered the ring, it was Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) that held the lead with Obora’s Choice (Chacco-Blue x Lacapo) with a time of 55.98 seconds. With a beautiful, yet efficient, round from Brash that time was bettered though – as he crossed the finish line with Hello Vincent the clock stopped at 53.84 seconds.
Runners-up: Christian Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
“I just tried to keep it as quick and smooth as possible,” Brash said about his round. “I was quite tight to the Mercedes-Benz oxer, and I thought one to two felt good – I would not say there was one specific place where I saved time though. He’s a fast horse, he’s quick through the air and that helps – especially when it’s a long jump-off.”
Following Brash in the ring, home hero Christian Ahlmann (GER) hunted the time to beat with the stunning 11-year-old stallion Dominator 2000 Z (Diamant de Semilly x Cassini I) but slotted in just behind the British rider in 54.23 seconds.
As second last to go, Darragh Kenny (IRL) jumped himself into another top-three finish at Aachen when stopping the clock at 54.68 with the 13-year-old gelding Idaville d’Esprit (Carabas v. Wateringshoeve x Nabab de Reve) – pushing Modolo Zanotelli down to fourth. Pieter Devos rounded off the top five with MoM’s Isaura (Tinka's Boy x Darco), also double clear with a time of 56.36.
Third place went to Darragh Kenny and Idaville d’Esprit. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
With 33.000 spectators present today, event director Frank Kemperman pointed out that due to the Covid-19 pandemic it’s not a normal Saturday in Aachen – but the riders were nevertheless very happy to be back at Soers with crowds. “I must say, I noticed in the prize givings here – it was fantastic, it’s really nice that we can enjoy the atmosphere again with the public,” Brash said, adding that slowly, but surely it looks like things are turning towards a normal.
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