On Thursday the first CSI5* action was set with a 1.40m opening class. In it, it was Ireland's Denis Lynch speeding to victory aboard his 11-year-old Cornets Iberio (Cornet Obolensky).
The pair was over two seconds faster as Spain's Eduardo Alvarez Aznar, who shined last week in Miami in both the GCT Grand Prix and Global Champions Leauge. Aznar followed on stage with his 10-year-old D'Orient Batilly (Numero Uno), advancing on Switzerland's Jane Richard and her 12-year-old sBs-gelding, Fouego de la Closiere (Nabab de Rêve).
Outside the stage Eduardo Pereira de Menezes placed fourth. The Brazil showjumper followed in fourth with the 14-year-old KWPN-hrose, H5 Elvaro (Calvaro F.C.). The top five was completed by Philipp Schulze Topphoff aboard Carla 229 (Comme Il Faut).