The first clear of the class and first into the jump-off were 20-year-old Eve Jobs and her own Venue d’Fees des Hazalles. While aiming for a clear round, they unfortunately had the final oxer down on the shortened course and finished on four jumping and three time faults in 48.84 seconds. They would finish in second place.
“He’s always extremely fast,” said Jobs of Parot. “You can always count on him to try his hardest and go as fast as he can. So I knew there was almost no way I was going to beat him on foot speed, so I was trying to leave all the jumps up. Unfortunately, I had the last rail. I pushed a little bit too hard. But, as always, he was very fast and very deserving of this win. I’m lucky to be in this company.”
Jobs has ridden Venue d’Fees des Hazalles for two years and said the mare has helped bring her to the top level of the sport. “She’s just a really phenomenal animal,” she said of her 14-year-old SBS mare by President x Alcatraz. “She’s so sweet, and she tries. She really fights for you. She really has helped me in my career, especially being a young rider with not that much experience – not like these guys who are always wonderful! I make a lot of mistakes, and she’s very forgiving. She’s taught me an immense amount about the top level of the sport. I’m really lucky to have her.”
This was the first top three finish in a four-star grand prix for Jobs. “This is the best finish I’ve had,” she confirmed. “That’s really exciting for me and my whole team. My family actually was here today which was really fun. It was the first time in a while, so I was really happy that they got to see the horses going so well.”
Parot and Atlantis were next in the jump-off, and while they had an early rail they were able to cross the finish line on four faults in 43.37 seconds for the win.
Regarding today’s challenging course, Parot said, “You had many options. All the lines were very tricky in regard to determining the number of strides. [There were] a lot of half strides. It was big, wide, and high.”
Parot has been riding Atlantis, a 16-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Andiamo Z x Royal Bravour L, for four years, and they had success earlier in WEF, winning the 1.45m in week 6.
“It’s a horse that has won a lot,” said Parot. “He makes me very happy.”
Third place went to the fastest four-faulter in the first round, Juan Manuel Gallego (COL) and Coulash van de Broy Z. They had a time of 77.46 seconds.
Gallego has ridden his 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding by Cadence VT Gelutt x Lys De Darmen for three years, but the horse had six months off in 2018. “He’s coming better and better,” said Gallego.