Text © World of Showjumping

“To win any class in Aachen is huge, and to win a big class like this is something special,” Ireland’s Daniel Coyle said after he and Ariel Grange’s 16-year-old gelding Farrel (Cardento 933 x Stakkato) won Friday’s CSI5* 1.55m – the first qualifier for the Rolex Grand Prix – in Aachen, Germany. “I am delighted that it was Farrel that did it; he has been my best friend and my biggest help in the last few years.”

Besting a field of 49 horse-and-rider combinations over the 1.55m course set by Germany’s own Frank Rothenberger, the Irish rider stopped the clock on 70.99 seconds to take the win ahead of Brazil’s Luciana Diniz and Vertigo du Desert (Mylord Carthago x Robin Z) in second in 71.47.

Kevin Staut (FRA) and Feline de Hus HDC (Kannan x Levistan) completed the top three with a time of 71.57 seconds, followed by Scott Brash (GBR) and Hello Mango (Untouchable 27 x Numero Uno) in fourth and Daniel Deusser (GER) aboard Otello de Guldenboom (Tobago Z x Caretino) in fifth.

“Farrel – where do I start,” Coyle praised his winning partner. “I got him when he was seven and he has been a winner ever since. He is my most winning horse ever. He had two years off where we thought he was finished with the sport, but he came back and has really helped our team. Yesterday, we were not sure which horse we were going to jump in which class, and as we needed to qualify for the Grand Prix, we looked at Farrel as the most reliable. He is only a little pony, but he is a good one, so we chose him for today – and once again, he was a star!”