The French riders were on fire in Madrid on Friday; Roger Yves Bost won the opening class and Simon Delestre the feature class later in the evening.  

The biggest win belonged to Delestre and his partner Chesall (Casall x Concerto II), who took home the victory in the 1.55 UAX Trophy – which also counted as a qualifying competition for the Longines FEI World Cup that takes place on Sunday. As current leader of the Western European World Cup League, Delestre might have showed a sign of what is to come in the 6th leg of the series.

Out of the 50 riders in the first round, almost half went clear as 24 moved on to the jump-off. Delestre put up a great time at 37.90, that no one could match with the poles intact. Christian Alhmann was actually faster, but knocked the last fence down and fell on the result list. In the end Germany’s Daniel Deusser finished second on Toulago (Toulon x Carthago) with a time of 39.87 seconds, and Finland’s Anna-Julia Kontio third aboard Pacific des Essarts (Diamant de Semilly x Totoche du Banney) stopping the time at 39.89 seconds. 

Roger Yves Bost won the opening 1.45 Mitshubishi Trophy on Pegase du Murier (Adelfos x Le Tot de Semilly), after completing a clear round in an incredible time of 52.62 – which was impossible to beat. Christian Ahlmann, winner of the World Cup in Stuttgart, was second with a time of 54.20 aboard Aragon Z (Askari x Kolibri). Third was Great Britain's Laura Renwick.