The impressive competition in Geneva concluded this afternoon with the third round of the Rolex Grand Slam. Top riders from all over the world competed for the win in the 1.60m Grand Prix class, in which ultimately thirteen combinations managed to qualify for the all-important jump-off. With a phenomenal ride in the saddle of HH Azur (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve), McLain Ward outclassed all his competitors and received the coveted trophy.
Thirteen combinations managed to qualify for the impressive jump-off of the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva. With the saying "the last shall be first" in the mind of McLain Ward, the American jumped aboard the SBS mare HH Azur as the last starter in the jump-off to an undeniable victory in 38.43 seconds.
Until the last combination in the jump-off, Martin Fuchs was as good as sure of the trophy, which was a slap in the face after Ward and HH Azur's lightning-fast round. The Swiss audience went completely wild during Fuchs' phenomenal round. The former GP winner rode the KWPN gelding Leone Jei (Baltic VDL) clear through the finish line in a time of 39.77 seconds, taking over the lead from Shane Sweetnam for quite a while. The Irish rider put a time of 40.48 seconds on the scoreboard with the Kannan son, James Kann Cruz. A performance that ultimately earned him the bronze.
Belgian Gilles Thomas, who started fourth in the jump-off, stopped the clock at 40.88 seconds to take fourth place on the 12-year-old Holstein mare Calleryama (Casall). For France, Simon Delestre took the last spot in the top five on the back of the 10-year-old Hickstead son, Cayman Jolly Jumper, with a chrono of 42.46 seconds.
Photo: © Peggy Schroeder / press
