With 13 powerhouse combinations qualifying for the jump-off, the final 5* class of the event was stacked with speed, talent, and big names ready to go head-to-head in one of the most electric atmospheres on the circuit. The stage was set, the grandstands were full, and the crowd was ready for a showdown.

A man on form, Abdel Said stood on top of the podium in the Parisian stage of the ultimate teams challenge, the GCL, with Istanbul Warriors powered by Carpe Diem Equestrian Team. With this, the crowning moment of his Paris campaign, Abdel was clearly thrilled. He said, “I’m super proud of my mare Bonnie, she jumped incredible. It took me a little while to figure out jump offs with her, she has a huge engine - a bit like a G-Wagon with a Ferrari engine, she is incredible, a real fighter.”

As for one of the most iconic settings in sport? He added, “Incredible weather, the views are amazing, but of course with a full house and crowds like this, you always do a little bit extra in the jump off.”

Germany’s Maximilian Weishaupt was first to go and set the early pace with a tidy clear in 36.95 seconds aboard his relatively new mount Zuccero HV. The home crowd then erupted for Philippe Rozier, who rode a fluid and crowd-pleasing round, going clear just fractions behind the lead.

But the tempo shifted when Max Kühner entered the ring. With trademark sharpness and precision, he produced a masterclass in efficiency, slicing more than two seconds off the lead with a time of 34.63 seconds. It looked like the winning round.

That was until Abdel Saïd and the legendary Bonne Amie took to the arena. Riding second-last, the Belgian rider attacked the course with focus and confidence, finding every forward stride and finishing in 34.43 seconds - just enough to steal the win from Kühner and spark a huge cheer from the crowd.

There were strong efforts across the board. Gilles Thomas, fresh from his Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win the night before, delivered another brilliant clear with Qiara de Kalvarie to slot into third. Denis Lynch wasn’t far behind, finishing just tenths outside the top three on the experienced Cordial.

 

Other contenders couldn’t quite match the pace or luck. Jack Whitaker and his 16 year old Valmy de la Lande was unlucky to have two fences fall, while Christian Ahlmann and Blueberry delivered the fastest round of the jump-off but clipped a rail with a bold angle to a vertical. Jérôme Guery and Careca LS Elite saw their hopes fade early after an unfortunate rail at the first part of the course - it just wasn’t to be for the Belgian star this time.

Laura Rayjasse produced an emotional clear to the delight of the home crowd, and Eduardo Pereira De Menezes aboard had a rail down despite a promising round on H5 Origi Horta. French rider Antoine Ermann suffered a unplanned dismount after a tight rollback to the plank.

It was a jump-off that had it all - pace, pressure, heartbreak and brilliance - and it ended with Abdel Saïd punching the air in celebration as he secured the final win of the weekend.