Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha is in sensational form. As the final starter in the jump-off, he knew exactly what was required of him. Aboard the 13-year-old stallion Dinozo Imperio Egipcio (by Diamant de Semilly), Barcha took every risk, slicing through the turns with razor-sharp precision. The result? A lightning-fast time of 43.07 seconds, securing the win in the 1.55m CSI4* Grand Prix in Vejer de la Frontera!
It was a whisker-thin margin—0.15 seconds, to be exact. Dutch crowd favorite Sanne Thijssen brought her legendary, now 20-year-old powerhouse Con Quidam RB (by Quinar) to the ring. The veteran stallion jumped with the vigor of a young gun, stopping the clock at 43.22 seconds. It was a phenomenal second-place finish for this iconic duo.
The Dutch success continued with Roelof Bril. Riding the KWPN stallion Iberico (by Contendro I), Bril opted for a slightly more conservative tactic in the jump-off. While the top two riders shattered the 44-second barrier, Bril focused on delivering a clear round. He succeeded brilliantly, finishing in 48.61 seconds to claim the final spot on the podium.
Irish speed specialist Michael Pender went all out with the just 10-year-old HHS Cyprus. Aboard the son of Cornet Obolensky, the Irishman ultimately finished in fourth place, followed by Belgium’s Olivier Philippaerts in the saddle of the grey gelding Hipster SV (by Corporal VDL).
