In short
15 combinations qualified for New York's 1.50m
Belgium's Gregory Wathelet eventually won aboard Argentina de la Marchette, leaving compatriot Olivier Philippaerts as runner-up
Day two of the Longines Global Champions Tour of New York delivered a spectacle to remember as Gregory Wathelet and his 13-year-old grey mare Argentina de la Marchette (Acajou de la Marchette, breeder: Hubert Wathelet) stormed to victory in the Champagne Piaff Trophy CSI5* 1.50m Jump-Off class.
The stage could hardly have been more dramatic – sunshine beaming across Liberty State Park, the Hudson shimmering under the Manhattan skyline, and none other than Bruce Springsteen among the crowd, soaking in the magic of world-class show jumping in the city that never sleeps.
Speaking after his victory, Gregory said – “It is amazing here in New York, the backdrop is fantastic and there were a lot of people in the crowd today. She’s so careful. I know exactly what I had to do. She really likes the attention. She can be quitesensitive,so I very aware of how much I should push her."
The course demanded every ounce of precision. Time was punishing in the opening round, knocking out serious jump-off contenders including Michael Duffy and Chili Pepper H M Z, edged out by two time penalties, and Marcus Ehning with Flower Girl, who fell victim to a single second over the limit. Fifteen combinations returned to fight for the trophy, with Henrik von Eckermann, Nicola Philippaerts, Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Nayel Nassar among the heavyweight names.
The jump-off swung like a pendulum.
Henrik von Eckermann, first to go, blazed the track in 32.50 seconds on board Glamour Girl but toppled the yellow taxi fence. Eduardo Menezes with Messi's Whizz Kid PS and Eduardo Alvarez Aznar on Qevita vd Bisschop also faltered, their rails tumbling under the weight of pressure. It was home rider Mimi Gochman who lifted spirits with the first clear, her partnership with Iron Maiden (Clarimo) igniting cheers from the sold out grandstands. Olivier Philippaerts then lit up the leaderboard with H&M Miro (Diamant de Semilly, breeder: bvba Brutsaert), shaving almost two seconds off the leading time, before Oliver Fletcher and BP Pocahontas (Emilion, breeder: Greg Broderick) chased him down, slotting into third.
As the contest neared its close, Gregory Wathelet delivered a masterclass. Smooth, calculated and razor sharp, he powered Argentina de la Marchette home in 32.94 seconds to seize the top spot. All eyes then turned to Natalie Dean, the final rider, as the home crowd roared her on. Clear and courageous, she stopped the clock just outside the podium, ending a memorable afternoon in fifth aboard Con Calma (Cascadello).
