Text © World of Showjumping
Austria's Max Kühner and the 10-year-old gelding EIC Cooley Jump the Q (Pacino x Obos Quality) won the CSI5*-W 1.60m Longines Grand Prix of Basel, Friday's highlight at the 2023-edition of Longines CHI Classics Basel, after an electric jump-off. "Very happy with this start for the new year," Kühner told World of Showjumping after his victory.
A total of fourteen horse-and-rider-combinations out of the 45 pairs at start cleared the first-round track – counting 13 obstacles and 16 efforts – set by Gerard Lachat (SUI) and Gregory Bodo (FRA). Sweden's Angelica Augustsson-Zanotelli and Kalinka van de Nachtegaele (Epleaser van'T Heike x Cicero Z) were the first to jump clear in round one, and were joined by Yuri Mansur (BRA) and Vitiki (Valentino x For Expo), Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Vancouver de Lanlore (Toulon x Le Tot de Semilly), Jordy van Massenhove (BEL) and Equine America Verdiamo Z (Verdi TN x Andiamo Z), Alain Jufer (SUI) and Dante MM (Diarado x Luxius), Denis Lynch (IRL) and Brooklyn Heights (Nabab de Reve x For Pleasure), Christian Ahlmann (GER) and Dominator 2000 Z (Diamant de Semilly x Cassini), Victor Bettendorf (LUX) and Mr. Tac ( Non Stop x Toulon), Jur Vrieling (NED) and Griffin van de Heffinck (Castelino van de Heffinck x Contact van de Heffinck), Max Kühner (AUT) and Eic Cooley Jump the Q (Pacino x Obos Quality), Gerrit Nieberg (GER) and Ben (Sylvain x Quincy Jones), Penelope Leprevost (FRA) and Bingo del Tondou (Vigo D Arsouilles Stx x Querlybet Hero), Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRA) and VDL Edgar M (Arezzo VDL x Marlon) as well as Scott Brash (GBR) aboard Hello Jefferson (Cooper van de Heffinck x Irco Mena) in the deciding jump-off.
In the jump-off, it was a case of turn and burn. From the daring roll-back to number three, to catching the penultimate vertical at the exact right angle, to make the tightest turn to the final oxer, Kühner and EIC Cooley Jump the Q were electric, crossing the finish line in 31.81 seconds, taking the win ahead of Nieberg and Ben, who had to settle for the runner-up position with their time of 32.15. Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z ended third after clocking a time of 32.27 seconds, while Mansur and Vitiki finished fourth in 34.17 and Lynch aboard Brooklyn Heights fifth in 34.19.