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Roger Yves Bost wins dramatic Longines FEI World Cup in Mechelen

Friday, 30 December 2016
CSI5*-W Jumping Mechelen 2016

Photo (c) Nanna Nieminen for World of Showjumping.
Roger Yves Bost and Sydney Une Prince won the Longines FEI World Cup in Mechelen. Photo (c) Nanna Nieminen for World of Showjumping.

The 9th leg of the Longines FEI World Cup in the Western European League took place in the charismatic Nekkerhal in Mechelen, Belgium, on Friday evening. The seats were full and the air got thick of excitement as the strong start field of forty tried to solve the tricky course set by Lucien Somers. It was the course designer's last appearance on the international circuit and the Belgian public paid a heartfelt tribute to him before the jump-off. 

The winner of the Sport Vlaanderen Grand Prix yesterday, Holger Wulschner (GER) continued to impress setting a clear round as starter number three on his 12-year-old BSC Skipper (Stolzenberg x Lord Liberty) - as did Juulia Jyläs (FIN) on her 11-year-old stallion Finishing Touch Wareslage (Quival x Toulon) right after him. Gudrun Patteet (BEL) on the 10-year-old Sea Coast Atlantic (Schilling x Aramis de la Cense) and Jos Verlooy (BEL) on the 11-year-old Caracas (Casall x Colman) showed some fighting spirit and made the home crowds happy by riding clear rounds. Pilar Lucrecia Cordon (ESP) on the 10-year-old Galine la Cour Zichlehof (Major de la Cour x Ramiro), Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) on the 10-year-old Mary Lou (Montendro x Portland L), Bertram Allen (IRL) on the only 8-year-old Izzy by Picobello (Cicero Z x Capriano) and Harrie Smolders (NED) on the handsome Don VHP Z (Diamant de Semilly x Voltaire) also rode clear in the first round. 

The number one on the overall standings in the Longines FEI World Cup at the moment, Kevin Staut (FRA), also rode a clear round on the 10-year-old Ayade de Septon et HDC (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Belle d'Avril du Mazy) as did the overall standings’ number two Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) on the 14-year-old Armitages Boy (Armitage x Feo). Denis Lynch (IRL) went clear with the 13-year-old All Star 5 and as the last starter in the class, Roger Yves Bost (FRA) on the 10-year-old mare Sydney Une Prince (Baloubet du Rouet x Alfa D'Elle) did too, it turned out to be a jump-off of twelve. 

And what a jump-off it was! Yesterday's winner Holger Wulschner started off with a clear round, as did Juulia Jyläs right after him. As home hero Jos Verlooy was riding, the audience was giving him all the support they could and the roof in the Nekkerhall was about to blow off as he blazed trough the finish line with Caracas and set the time to beat to 39,71 seconds pushing Wulschner down to a temporary second place.

Both Bertram Allen and Harrie Smolders had a fence down as they tried to catch Verlooy's time. Lorenzo de Luca looked ready to win, but a miscalculation on the last fence set the poles flying. Right after him Kevin Staut had a dramatic fall on the second last fence.

You could have heard a pin drop in the Nekkerhal as the last rider entered the ring: Roger Yves Bost and Sydney Une Prince were the only ones standing on the way of Verlooy's home win. And as they crossed the finish line with the time of 38,86 seconds, it was clear that this time it was the experienced one that won. With his time the French gentleman took home the first prize of 21,152 euros and a brand new Land Rover. 

After the class Verlooy was anyway happy with his second place: "Riding here in Mechelen is something very special. The audience is unbelievable, and they are 100 % behind you when you are in the ring. I get goose bumps just riding in the ring! Bosty has beaten me before during this season, so I knew that if he stays clear he will be faster than me." 

Bosty himself knew his horse: "I watched Jos' round on the screen, but I did know my mare is fast – so I tried my best and it worked out," the happy winner said. 

 

Earlier during the day Pieter Devos (BEL) won the 1.45m Decathlon Trophy with his 9-year-old gelding Haloubet Hitchcock (Baloubet du Rouet x Heartbreaker). The 18-year-old talent Gilles Thomas (BEL) ended his first ever five-star show on a high note by placing second with his 8-year-old mare Indiana v.H Kapelhof (Chatman x Pinkus). Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) took the third place with his Olympic mount, the 10-year-old mare Yajamila (Lux Z x Daimler B). 

 


Text and picture © World of Showjumping by Nanna Nieminen 



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