In a truly heart-stopping Grand Prix Rolf-Goran Bengtsson and Casall ASK narrowly missed winning the overall title leaving the championship down to the wire in Doha. It leaves Edwina’s hopes alive for a historic triple Champion of Champions Title, and Rolf’s dream of winning the LGCT crown is still within reach. It was an extraordinary night of tension in Vienna, the penultimate leg of the series, with Rolf needing to finish first or second to win the Champion of Champions title ahead of his closest rival Edwina Tops-Alexander. Edwina suffered agonising time penalties in the first and second rounds and with Rolf into the jump off the championship race was on a knife edge. In the high-powered jump off Rolf had to pull out all the stops, but Casall put in a dramatic stop at one of the big oxers on Frank Rothenberger’s course. It means the final leg of the 15-event circuit is destined to be a night of world class show jumping drama in Qatar at the stunning Al Shaqab arena. Rolf goes into the final stage only five points ahead of Edwina. In the end last night’s €300,000 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix Presented by LGT Private Banking was won in emphatic style by Marcus Ehning with a lightning quick round on Comme Il Faut. The power combination crossed the finish line in 38.67 ahead of Janne-Friederike Meyer on Goja in 39.68. Marcus said: “It was my day today. My horse was amazing, he was flying. He did a brilliant job.” It was a full-blown Grand Prix course with the first fence at 1.55m and an oxer spread at 1.70m. It was all about power and speed with a gigantic test for the very top riders in the world under floodlights in the sand arena. Go here for the full results.
