Eiken Sato & Balou du Coeur JoyeFor the first time ever an international CSI 4* event is organized on French-speaking soil in Belgium. The CSI 4* Mons kicked-off today with a 1m25 - 1m30 competition CSIYH1*. It was the Japanese STX-rider, Eiken Sato, who started at place 9 and immediately took the lead. Aboard Happiness van 't Paradijs (Obourg x Quick Lauro), Sato finished his jump-off in 27:06 seconds, the time nobody could beat. Wilm Vermeir and Gentiane De La Pomme (Schindler de Muze x Diamant de Semilly) followed in a second place after a finish in 28:07 seconds. The stage was completed by Catherine Pasmore and Bibi Sijgje. The German rider Maximilian Weishaupt and Chateau Palmer made it to the fourth place while the Turkish Omer Karaevli and Classic O completed the top five with a fifth place. Andrew Ramsay (Bologna) continued on the sixth position followed by the Belgian Champion, Jérome Guery. © equnews.com - photo: equpics.be