Emma Augier de Moussac might just have sold her very best horse, but in Saturday evening’s Future Stars Final presented by Zangersheide the Czech rider proved that there is more talent in her stables. In a jump-off that went faster and faster, Emma’s tactic of ‘Give it all or go home’ proved to be the right one to win.
26 horses and riders went into the jump-off after going clear over the first round, a 1.35-1.40m track open for 7- and 8-year-olds. Aboard the 8-year-old KWPN-mare Diva (No Limit x Ticallux Verte), Augier de Moussac turned out to be unbeatable.
Opening with the fifteen best 7-year-olds, the rounds got quicker and quicker. Janne Friederike Meyer on the impressive Hannoverian-gelding Buettner's Minimax (Cornado I x Antaeus) held on to the lead with a time of 41.59 seconds as it was time for the 8-year-olds. Fractions behind followed Lauren Hough (USA) on the Swedish-bred mare Cassandra (Caressini L x Cardento).
However, the more experienced 8-year-olds turned out to be the fastest. Thursday’s winners Jérôme Guery (BEL) and the BWP-gelding Instit de Jucaso (Cooper van de Heffinck x Darco) showed off with an incredibly fast round to stop the clock on 39.92 seconds taking over the top of the score board.
It was not to last though. As next to go, Emma Augier de Moussac went all in with the scopey and quick Diva to shave off an unbelievable 0.49 seconds on Guery’s time. None of those to come had a chance to catch up with the pair, not even Daniel Deusser (GER) and the Zangersheide-bred Tobago Z (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Mr Blue) that had to settle for fifth.
“I am almost in a shock, because I never go fast with her so this was a trial. And she proved that she can do it,” Emma said after. “She is also the main reason why I sold my best horse Charly Brown; I knew that I have to have something coming up for the future and for me she is even more talented than Charly. She is naturally fast, and so smart with the fences – I can always trust her,” a happy winner closed off.
Source: Press release from Brussels Stephex Masters // Picture © Scoopdyga