Bertram Allen (IRL) and Gin Chin van het Lindenhof (Chin Chin x Calido I) won Sunday’s CSI4* Sweden Grand Prix presented by H&M in Stockholm – a 1.55m class over two rounds.
"This is a fantastic show; I have won six cars here in total the past two years, and now the seventh. My horse jumped amazing today," said Bertram Allen, who had some nervous minutes watching last-to-go Peder Fredricson. "I knew Peder could be really fast, so I tried to give it all, I really wanted to win today in front of this audience, this is a unique place to compete at, with its atmosphere!" Allen said.
The course was very tough and almost all the fences were on the maximum 1.55m. From the first round of 18 riders, only the best five went in to the second round: Nicola Philippaerts (BEL), Malin Baryard Johnsson (SWE), Irma Karlsson (SWE), Bertram Allen (IRL) and Peder Fredricson (SWE) – all clear in the first round.
Philippaerts was first out, but ended up with one down. Baryard Johnsson followed on the lovely H&M Indiana (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Animo's Hallo) with a clear and solid round, in 54,50 seconds.
Irma Karlsson and Ida van de Bisschop (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Papilion Rouge) did super-fast turns and saved a lot of time, but unfortunately had one down. Second last out was speed champion Bertram Allen on Gin Chin van het Lindenhof that produced a very fast round, clear with the time of 42,63 and up in the lead.
Last out was Peder Fredricson on H&M All In (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Andiamo Z), a couple known to be really fast, but the European Champions had one down this time – but with the fastest time of 42,16 s and took third place. "I knew Bertram was very fast, so I cut one stride between fence one and two and that was ok. I had a bad turn to the oxer with the water, and had one down after that. If you want to win, you also have to be prepared to lose," said Fredricson, and continued: "I’m very happy with my third place! There is a lot of prize money and a car in this class, but first of all you want to give the audience a great show. All along the line there has been a fantastic atmosphere during the competitions here in Stockholm."
Second-placed H&M Indiana is only 9-years-old, and she did her debut in Grand Prix only two weeks ago with a double clear round. "She is not so fast, yet, but I knew I could be clear with her. She is a fantastic horse, a half sibling to H&M All In, she has a lot of capacity," said Malin Baryard Johnsson, who also is a proud sports director of Sweden International Horse Show. "I’m very proud about the show; it’s not common to see this type of top class riding in all the classes. Course designer Peter Lundström has also done an amazing job with the courses," Baryard Johnsson concluded.
