Philipp Weishaupt (GER) took the top honours on the second day of the Longines Masters of Hong Kong, snatching the victory by 0.10 seconds on Chacon (Chacco-Blue x Aventyno) in the prestigious Longines Speed Challenge. It was a day on which a broad range of equestrian skills were showcased: Pure pace in the Longines Speed Challenge, formidable jumping ability in the Maserati Masters Power and both style and performance in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Junior Challenge.
Weishaupt pipped Patrice Delaveau (FRA) on Vestale de Mazure HDC (Landor S x Quidam de Revel) to the Longines Speed Challenge-title with a time of 63.47 seconds, ahead of third-placed Kevin Staut (FRA) who finished second in the equivalent competition in Paris on the same horse, Ayade de Septon et HDC (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Belle d'Avril du Mazy).
Run on identical courses over 1.50m obstacles in Paris, Hong Kong and New York, the Longines Speed Challenge is the only speed competition of its kind in the world. Weishaupt said he was helped by Delaveau, who rode before him, laying down a marker with his super-fast round. "I was trying so hard out there. I was lucky Patrice went first; it showed me how I had to perform to beat him. If he hadn't gone first, I don't think I'd have won. It was also a great course. I got everything I wanted; it's a really great feeling to win this class," Weishaupt said.
This one-of-a-kind competition is presented by Title Partner and Official Timekeeper Longines. Unlike many other speed classes, faults add just two seconds instead of four, making the riders even more uncompromising in their pursuit of pace. None of them, though, managed to beat the time of 60.99 seconds set at the Longines Masters of Paris by Julien Épaillard on Cristallo A LM (Casall x Corofino I) - which incredibly included a two-second fault - and so that remains the time to beat at the Longines Masters Series' grand finale in New York on April 26-29, 2018.
The day began with the Maserati Masters Power, a whole new competition for the Asian leg of the Longines Masters Series. British legend Michael Whitaker scored an impressive victory in the six bar class from among a field of nine riders on his veteran stallion Valentin R (Heartbreaker x Labor's Vdl Indorado). Dutch rider Marc Houtzager, riding Sterrehof's Edinus (Padinus x Columbus), took the second place, while there was a tremendous result for China, with Meng Quanwei finishing third on Clintorado (Clinton I x Cash And Carry).
Featuring several horses who were new to such events, it took four rounds to decide the Maserati Masters Power, with the bar eventually raised to 1.90m in the final round. Whitaker's was the only faultless performance: The 16-year-old grey Valentin R didn't even brush a single fence in four rounds. "He really jumped it well today; he was really up for it," said Michael Whitaker. "He had only done one competition like this before, but it felt like he left some height out there - he could have gone again."
Source: Press release from R&B Presse // Picture © PSI for EEM