A ruthlessly efficient pair of performances by Penelope Leprevost and Marco Kutscher were enough to take the top spot at Le Saut Hermes on Saturday.
In a crowded field, including Prix GL winner Marc Houtzager, who was paired with rising star Reed Kessler, Leprevot and Kutscher never gave up their number one status from the first jump of round one to the last hurdle of round two.
The duo punished the field – second placed Jessica Kurten and Kevin Straut finishing five seconds slower – with their lack of faults which helped them vault ahead of quicker pairs.
Home favourite Roger Yves Bost had the honour of taking the fastest time around the course with a masterly 42.48s, nearly three seconds quicker than second place, but he and his partner Laura Renwick failed to get near the top.
In a course specifically designed to inspire smooth, graceful riding with its swooping figures of eight and open corners, Leprevost and Ktscher showed the irresistible marriage of rhythmic riding and speed.
Houtzager may have tasted defeat when favoured in Le Saut Hermes, but the Dutchman was the main man in the earlier Prix GL.
Sitting atop Sterrehof’s Uppity, the veteran rider beat out his compatriot Maikal van der Vieuten by .64 seconds with a time of 50.54 in CSI5* event.
Frenchman Julien Epaillard gave the local Parisian crowd something to cheer by taking third place in a crowded field.
Friday’s Les Talents Hermes winner Alexandra Eriksson was unable to repeat the feat yesterday, finishing ninth as Louise Saywell of Great Britain took the gold with 36.95 second performance to overcome German duo Jana Warfers and Angelina Herroder.
On Friday, Alexandra Eriksson stunned even herself with a superb performance to win Les Talents Hermes.
Set in the stunning Grand Palais, Eriksson didn’t wilt under the bright glare under the magnificent glass roof of the Parisian palace.
“No, no, no, I had not expected to win this,” Eriksson told Sport360. “I had hoped to just do a good round to be ready for tomorrow and try and go a bit faster than I normally would, but I never thought I would win, never. I was hoping maximum maybe top five but I really just didn’t see this coming.
“I felt really good once I was out on the course but I was a little bit scared before I went out, I thought my horse would find it difficult with all the light coming in but he had no problems, he was nice and cool, and did really well.”
