Friday reached a thrilling climax at the Al Shaqab in Doha, as Austria’s Gerfried Puck piloted the powerhouse stallion Equitron Naxcel V to a commanding victory in the 1.55m Main Class. Under the iconic lights of the Longines Arena, the duo delivered a masterclass in speed and precision, outclassing a formidable international field.
While several riders found the path to a clear first round, the jump-off proved to be the ultimate separator. Puck and his 11-year-old Belgian Warmblood stallion (by Balou du Rouet) crossed the timers in a blistering 39.05 seconds, maintaining a perfect zero-fault score across both phases.
The podium was a testament to the growing strength of Middle Eastern show jumping. Syria’s Mohamad Mogheeth Alshehab and the veteran gelding Carlotto S (Chacco-Blue) delivered a steady double-clear in 40.67 seconds, placing second.
Kuwait’s Ali Al Khorafi rounded out the top three aboard I (Dantos) stopping the clock at 41.43 seconds to secure a podium finish.
The fastest time of the night actually belonged to Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Alsharbatly, who blazed through the course in 36.61 seconds with Frenchy Vds (Cornet Obolensky) but a single rail down relegated the pair to fourth place.
