The RCPB Cup in Barcelona, a 1.50m speed class counting for the Longines Ranking, delivered exactly what it promised: faultless rounds, razor-thin margins, and a showcase of international quality. With a demanding time allowed of 87 seconds, the course asked for both efficiency and daring, and the world’s best rose to the challenge.
Emerging at the very top was European Champion Richard Vogel with Gangster Montdesir (Kannan), a combination already familiar for their consistency at this level. Their clear round in 69.57 seconds was both fluent and fearless, outpacing the field by a decisive margin.
Fellow German Sandra Auffarth aboard Comcador OLD (Comme Il Faut) came tantalizingly close, stopping the clock at 69.69 seconds. Her performance underlined the depth of German showjumping, with both riders leaving every rail in place while shaving every possible stride.
Italy’s Giulia Martinengo Marquet with Coynor (Canstakko) secured third with a time of 70.02 seconds, adding her trademark control and finesse to the podium mix.
The home crowd had their moment of excitement thanks to Carlos Bosch Cebrian riding Jolie van der Berghoeve Kar (Jaguar vd Berghoeve), who delivered a faultless effort in 70.78 seconds for fourth place. Rounding out the top five was Alex Matz of the United States with Ikigai (Elvis ter Putte), clear in 71.93 seconds, proving once again the rising force of American riders on European soil.
