Abdel Saïd and Arpege du RU won Friday's biggest challenge of Sweden's International Horse Show 2024, the CSI4* 1,50m class.
Nine out of eightteen horse and rider combinations managed to finish the 1.50m high course in the first round without any faults, exactly half of the field of participants. Amanda Landeblad was the first back in the jump-off with For Killy (Otangelo) and set the benchmark: Clear in a time of 37.63s. After an attempt by Victoria Gulliksen and Hannes Ahlmann, it was Rolf-Göran Bengtsson who managed to clock off faster with the Zirocco Blue son Zuccero HV. The fastest time now stood at 36.59s.
Immediately after, Harrie Smolders appeared in the ring. Armed with the 12-year-old Mr. Tac, a BWP gelding by Non Stop out of the breeding of Edmond Meyers, he rode a good second faster, with a time of 35.48s. Following him were four more combinations, including two more Belgian efforts.
Olivier Philippaerts had saddled the 9-year-old Precious Dwerse Hagen for this four-star challenge. The BWP mare by Cornet Obolensky concluded with four penalties. Next up, compatriot Abdel Saïd. He had the Christophe Legue-bred Arpege du RU at the start, a daughter of Apache d'Adriers. The pair had the wood touched and showed they could do even better. Their time was recorded at 34.47s, which, meanwhile, was already over three seconds faster than Landeblad's benchmark.
Peder Fredricson, with Sv Vroom de La Pomme Z, leaned close to Saïd's time but, like Oliver Fletcher and Hannes Ahlmann who followed after him, Saïd was no longer knocked off his throne.
Nine out of eightteen horse and rider combinations managed to finish the 1.50m high course in the first round without any faults, exactly half of the field of participants. Amanda Landeblad was the first back in the jump-off with For Killy (Otangelo) and set the benchmark: Clear in a time of 37.63s. After an attempt by Victoria Gulliksen and Hannes Ahlmann, it was Rolf-Göran Bengtsson who managed to clock off faster with the Zirocco Blue son Zuccero HV. The fastest time now stood at 36.59s.
Immediately after, Harrie Smolders appeared in the ring. Armed with the 12-year-old Mr. Tac, a BWP gelding by Non Stop out of the breeding of Edmond Meyers, he rode a good second faster, with a time of 35.48s. Following him were four more combinations, including two more Belgian efforts.
Olivier Philippaerts had saddled the 9-year-old Precious Dwerse Hagen for this four-star challenge. The BWP mare by Cornet Obolensky concluded with four penalties. Next up, compatriot Abdel Saïd. He had the Christophe Legue-bred Arpege du RU at the start, a daughter of Apache d'Adriers. The pair had the wood touched and showed they could do even better. Their time was recorded at 34.47s, which, meanwhile, was already over three seconds faster than Landeblad's benchmark.
Peder Fredricson, with Sv Vroom de La Pomme Z, leaned close to Saïd's time but, like Oliver Fletcher and Hannes Ahlmann who followed after him, Saïd was no longer knocked off his throne.