The Grand Palai Ephèmeres was crowded this afternoon for the 1.60m CSI5* Saut Hermès Grand Prix. In the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, a total of nine combinations took the start in the Jump-Off.
Topsport was delivered in this 1.60m CSI5* Grand Prix. In front of his home crowd, Julien Anquetin and his 13-year-old Blood Diamond du Pont (Diamant de Semilly) jumped to victory. The French showjumping rider was just not half a second faster as compatriot, Julien Epaillard. Epaillard followed on stage with his trusted Donatello d'Auge (Jarnac).
“It’s the finest victory of my career," Anquetin said in a press release from Saut Hermès. "I’m on cloud nine. I’m struggling to get my head round it. I’ve already won a CSI5* Grand Prix, but winning here in France is unbelievable. In the jump-off, I think my rollback was the finest of my entire career. I was happy when Julien Épaillard also qualified for the jump-off as I was very motivated by the idea of pitting myself against the fastest rider in the world. I said to myself that we would be able to have some fun! It was a great challenge. I knew I’d been quick in the jump-off but it was very stressful to watch the others. My horse has been incredible once again. This horse competed in his first international competitions with me. This victory is quite an accomplishment.”
“I’m honestly very happy for Julien and I’m delighted to be where I am," second placed Epaillard said in a press release from Saut Hermès. "I’ve had a slightly unlucky weekend with four penalty points on three occasions, so it’s a nice end to the competition this way. In the jump-off, I tried to save some time at the start but my rollback was not exceptional. At the last fence, I may well have lacked a little boldness too, I wasn’t daring enough to try it with one less stride. There’s no use going back over it though; Julien was the best today. And it’s great to see that there are some youngsters pushing us along.”
Aboard Belgian Warmblood-gelding, Kheros van 't Hoogeinde (Echo van 't Spieveld), Colombia's Rene Lopez Lizarazo completed the top three.
The pair was followed by Germany's Kendra Claricia Brinkop and Tabasco de Toxandria (Thunder vd Zuuthoeve). The pair was over one second faster as reigning Belgian champion, Gilles Thomas and Luna van het Dennehof (Prince van de Wolfsakker).