Text © World of Showjumping

Hans-Dieter Dreher (GER) and the 11-year-old Elysium (VDL Zirocco Blue x Coronado) won Saturday night's CSI5*-W 1.60m Anemone Horse Trucks Grand Prix of Amsterdam powered by Stoeterij Sterrehof at Jumping Amsterdam 2023. 

After the first eight horse-and-rider-combinations out of the 39 at start had jumped, six pairs had already cleared the 1.60m track set by Quintin Maertens (NED) and Louis Konickx (NED). However, in the end, the course proved challenging enough. While some were caught out straight at fence number one, the plank as the front pole on number four, the triple combination at fence five as well as the penultimate green oxer ended up causing plenty of faults, and eventually eleven pairs managed to produce a clear and qualify for the jump-off. "I was afraid that there would be too many clears, but in the end it was top; eleven is a good number," Dreher commented on the course after his victory. 

In the jump-off, only the top five delivered another clear. Stopping the clock on 39.92 seconds as the third pair out, Dreher and Elysium posted a time that could not be matched. "For the jump-off, I had no pressure; I just wanted to do my best, and if we would have had another placing, I would have been happy as well – he jumped amazing today. We found a really good rhythm, and luckily today it was our jump-off," Dreher said about his winning strategy. 

"I have had him for nearly two years, and this is our first big win. I am very proud of him," Dreher said about Elysium. "When he came to me, he had jumped until 1.50-1.55m, but not too much so he needed more experience. He has jumped three Nations Cups and some Grand Prix classes, and I think he has enough experience now to really show his potential: He has all the scope, he is careful. He has a lot of blood, so I have to just make sure he stays as relaxed as possible."

With a time of 39.92, while Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and the 12-year-old Dywis HH (Toulon x Corofino II) had to settle for the runner-up position when the clock stopped on 40.65 for the Dutch combination. Kevin Staut (FRA) and Dialou Blue PS (Diarado's Boy x Chacco-Blue) placed third with a time of 40.81, while Loewie Joppen (NED) and Havel van de Wolfsakker Z (Hos d'O x Bollvorm's Libero H) finished fourth and Przemyslaw Konopacki (POL) fifth aboard Home-Run (Spartacus TN x Concorde).

The hosts showed great form in Saturday's CSI5*-W 1.45m RAI Amsterdam Prize, with Sanne Thijssen (NED) and Clarima (Clarimo x Quintero) taking the top honours with a time of 56.53, ahead of compatriot Leopold van Asten (NED) and VDL Groep Miss Untouchable (Chacco-Blue x Aldatus) who had to settle for the runner-up spot in 56.71. 

"She is really cute, and an unbelievable trier," Thijssen said about the 12-year-old Clarima. "I have only been riding her for about three months. She has done a few 1.45m classes before, but never anything like this. She did a really good job today. She wants to be quick, sometimes too quick – so it is my job to keep her calm. My plan today was just to do a smooth round and to not over-ride. And I think that worked pretty well; maybe I could have done one stride less to the last fence. However, I wanted to be safe and not go flat out. I think it was a smooth and relaxed round, even though we were so fast. It is always nice to win in front of a home crowd!" 

Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Donatello d'Auge (Jarnac x Hello Pierville) placed third when crossing the finish line in 57.56, while Emanuele Gaudiano (ITA) and Vasco (Vivant x Chacco-Blue) finished fourth and Maikel van der Vleuten fifth (NED) aboard Luigi d'Ecplipse (Catoki x Calato).