The Longines Deauville Classic CSI4* Grand Prix over 1.55m offered the audience in Normandy a competition full of excitement and national pride. In the end, it was Belgium that set the tone thanks to a brilliant victory by Rik Hemeryck.
Rik Hemeryck and his Inoui du Seigneur (Jenson van't Meulenhof) were unbeatable in the jump-off. With a double clear round and a lightning-fast time of 45.36 seconds, they claimed the Grand Prix victory.
Brazilian rider João Victor Castro Aguiar Gomes de Lima with Cashpaid J&F (Casall) followed strongly, also faultless but slightly slower in 46.12 seconds. For the host country France, Megane Moissonnier shone with Crooner Tame (Conrad), finishing third with a clear round in 49.23 seconds.
Julien Epaillard, as always lightning-fast, set the quickest jump-off time with Donatello d’Auge (Jarnac) in 42.61 seconds, but a fault cost him the podium and placed him fourth. The top five was completed by another Belgian performance: Gudrun Patteet with Sea Coast Chica V.V. Z (Comme Il Faut). Their round in 45.67 seconds with four penalty points confirmed the Belgian presence in Deauville.
