Ten riders took part in the traditional Land Rover Masters at CSI5*-W Mechelen on Tuesday night. The Masters course had six fences in it, with no time allowed and the starting height at 1,50 meters. As they entered the ring, each rider could pick a fence they wanted - and that fence was made higher.
The final fourth round was a treat for the home crowd as Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) with H&M Forever D Arco Ter Linden (Darco x Tenor Manias), Lauren Hough (USA) on Waterford (Coolcorron Cool Diamond x Julio Mariner) and Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) on Chilli Willi (Casall x Lord) battled on to find out who would drive home in a brand new Land Rover. It was excitement all the way to the end - as Nicola Philippaerts saw the last fence falling, the victory went to Lauren Hough and the brave Waterford.
Earlier in the evening the Leon Melchior memorial class Open Sires of The World Zangersheide was won by the Italian rider Lorenzo de Luca on Halifax van het Kluizebos (Heartbreaker x Fetiche du Pas) with a time of 29,48 seconds in the jump-off. Jerome Query (BEL) on Alicante (Casall x Indoctro) got very close to De Luca's time but had to settle for the second place with the time of 29,53 seconds in the jump-off. Third place went to Koen Vereecke (BEL) on Woutland Imagine (Darco x Voltaire) with a time of 32,25 seconds.
Text and picture © World of Showjumping by Nanna Nieminen