Press release from CSI2* Vilhelmsborg

The National Equestrian Centre in Vilhelmsborg, Denmark has opened its lovely facilities to a week of top sport. On Friday, the international showjumpers completed four days of competitions with the CSI2* 1.45m Stutteri Ask Grand Prix – a Longines Ranking class. 40 riders were up for the challenge set by course designer Bo Bak Andersen, and only the top ten were allowed back for the jump-off.

There was a lot of thrill and anticipation about the outcome already in the first round. Several riders went clear, which prompted the remaining riders to “go for it” and clear the course in time in order to gain access to the jump-off. At the end of the class, the Danish riders were not at all hospitable to their foreign colleagues taking every spot in the jump-off.

Second last to go in the nail-biting jump-off, Zascha Nygaard Andreasen, based in Germany, rode a very fast and clear round with Quinn, a 10-year-old gelding by Quidam de Revel x Contender bred by Jürgen Hattebuhr. This put her in the lead, but the remaining rider Maria Hjorth Frederiksen and her Danish Warmblood mare Double by Diamant de Semilly x Equest Carnute, bred by Carsten Carstensen, are normally very fast on the course. Today was no exception, but the pair was unlucky and hit the very last fence.

Kasper H. Hansen (DEN) finished second with Contador (Cardenio x Caretino), while Martin Dinesen Neergaard (DEN) ended third with Chadeur (Chacco-Blue x Baloubet du Rouet).

Several riders expressed their gratitude towards the organisers for making the show a reality in the shadow of Covid-19.