Dreher did the double: After topping Friday’s Caixabank Trophy, Hans-Dieter Dreher and Vestmalle des Cotis won Saturday's Longines Grand Prix in La Coruña. Photo © CSI Casas Novas.
Text © World of Showjumping
Germany’s Hans-Dieter Dreher and the 15-year-old gelding Vestmalle des Cotis (Baloubet du Rouet x Landor S) continued their great form in La Coruña, Spain, winning Saturday’s CSI5*-W 1.55m Longines Grand Prix after also topping Friday’s CSI5*-W 1.50m Caixabank Trophy.
Counting for the Longines Rankings Group A, Saturday’s Grand Prix saw sixteen out of the 40 horse-and-rider combinations at start clear the first-round track – set by a team of course designers led by Spain’s own Santiago Varela – and join the deciding jump-off, where a mix of young talents went head-to-head with some of the biggest names in the sport.
Powering through the jump-off track at the beautiful Casas Novas venue, Dreher and Vestmalle des Cotis set an unbeatable standard when crossing the finish line in 37.51 seconds. In the end, not even the current world number one, Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) and his new mount Toveks Azaria Dinero (Mylord Carthago x Drakkar des Hutins) – who were the last pair out – could beat Dreher and Vestmalle des Cotis.
While Dreher recorded his second big win of the weekend, Kevin Staut (FRA) and Visconti du Telman (Toulon x Dollard du Murier) took the runner-up spot with a time of 37.94 seconds, while Iván Serrano Sáez (ESP) and Rain Man (Chacco-Blue x Pilot) placed third in 39.68 – much to the delight of the lively Spanish crowd. France’s rising star Jeanne Sadran and Dexter de Kerglenn (Mylord Carthago x Diamant de Semilly) finished fourth after stopping the clock on 39.91, followed by Jennifer Hochstaedter (LIE) and Golden Lady (Cassini Gold x Sant Patrignano Mister) in fifth in 41.50.
CSI5*-W 1.50m Marqués de Riscal Trophy to Robert Whitaker and Gentlemen vh Veldhof
Robert Whitaker and Gentlemen vh Veldhof won the CSI5*-W 1.50m Marqués de Riscal Trophy. Photo © CSI Casas Novas.
The win in the second CSI5*-W class of the day, the 1.50m Marqués de Riscal Trophy – counting for the Longines Rankings Group C – went to Great Britain's Robert Whitaker and the 18-year-old Gentlemen vh Veldhof (Quite Easy x Calido I).
With a time of 58.47 seconds, Whitaker took the top honours ahead of Iñigo Lopez De La Osa Franco (MON) and Nacco Blue DNL (Chacco-Blue x Rock'n Roll Semilly) in second in 61.4, Edouard Schmitz (SUI) on Gamin van't Naastveldhof (Chacco Chacco x Toulon) in third in 61.92, while Niels Bruynseels (BEL) and Jicarla OL (Caretino Gold x Numero Uno) finished fourth in 65.67 and Daniel Deusser (GER) aboard Pepita van'T Meulenhof BR (El Torreo de Muze x Carthago) fifth in 67.13.
Then