Edited press release from CSI3*-W Budapest

The most anticipated event at CSI3*-W Budapest on Friday was the semi-final of the 25,000 Euro Silver Tour in the Gróf Széchenyi István Memorial for the prize presented by EXIM Bank. Riders also competed for valuable Longines Ranking points. A total of 118 horse-and-rider combinations, a record number in Hungary, lined up in the 1.45m competition.

The track designed by László Karádi met the standard of the competition and, as expected, proved a real challenge for all competitors. However, 25 riders qualified for the jump-off including one Hungarian, Attila Técsy, and ex-Hungarian, Henri Kovács, who is currently competing for Finland. 

Even the first round was extremely exciting, but the jump-off brought even more anticipation. Everyone could feel the tension as the world’s leading riders risked everything for victory. There were many double clear rounds so competitors aiming for the podium had to be really fast. At the end, only very slight differences decided the ranking. The first three riders finished with a time difference less than five hundredths of a second. 

The fastest time was recorded by one of the permanent members of the British team, Laura Renwick on Dublin V (Vigaro x Calvados), ahead of Portuguese Rodrigo Almeida and Edgar (Warrant x Purioso), who managed to make it to the podium in several competitions this weekend. Chad Fellows, also representing Great Britain, finished third on Eindhoven G.H. (Vaillant x Sheraton).