Matthew Sampson soars to victory with ‘Ebolensky’, in the Horseware Grand Prix

Kendra Brinkop with ‘In Time’ and Martin Fuchs with ‘Commissar Pezi’ complete the podium

Top British rider, Matthew Sampson had a superb win today with the lovely grey mare, ‘Ebolensky’ in the Horseware, 4* Grand Prix. The first one of this XXIX Andalucía Sunshine Tour. ‘Ebolensky’ is 14 years old and a long term partner of Matt’s, she is by ‘Clinton’, dam sire, ’Heartbreaker’. Together they rode a very smart, fast clear round over the demanding 4* course, stopping the clock in 39.68 seconds and setting the bar just that bit too high for the riders to come.

Matt had a very successful end of the 2022 season with ‘Ebolensky’. In his interview after this super win today he told us:

‘She’s an amazing horse, we’ve had her since she was 7 years old and I brought her here when she was 8 and, she has been here most years since. She won the Grand Prix in London, and this is the next Big Grand Prix since then.  She’s just an incredible horse, she loves the facilities here and the grass rings. I’m very lucky to have her.

Matt told us: ‘I thought it was a really good course it wasn’t massively huge but it was difficult and technical. I think the course builder did a great job’. The course builder was Italian designer, Uliano Vezzani.  ‘Luckily, the jump off went to plan for me, so, a good day!’

Matt has been based here through the winter season with his partner Kara Chad: ’We came here in September and Armando and Teresa and all the team here have just been so welcoming, and made us feel really at home. It has been incredible to be able to use the facilities throughout the winter it has just been brilliant, so to have a win after the time that we have spent here is just fantastic. I’m really grateful to all my team with all of us working together, I just couldn’t be more happy’.

In second place was German rider, Kendra Claricia Brinkop with ‘In Time’ (‘Biscayo’ x ‘Tangelo Van de Zuuthoeve’) who jumped a really neat round and was in the lead until  Matt stepped up the pace. Indeed these two riders were the only ones to jump clear in this round.

Best of the four faulters was Swiss, Martin Fuchs with ‘Commissar Pezi’ (‘Commissario’ x ‘Böckmann’s Lord Pezi), and they came in third. In fourth was Belgian rider, Gilles Thomas with ‘Elfra Van Beek Z’ (‘El Salvador’ x ‘Vagabond de la Pomme’) and in fifth was French rider, Emeric George with ‘Diesel GP Du Bois Madame’ (‘Cassius’ x ‘Hearbreaker’).

German rider, Jana Wargers and ‘Deesse de Coquerie’ were the victors in the Medium Tour GP, in a jump off of 16 riders. Jana was last to go, and stopped the clock in 39.54 seconds, this meant she knocked the leader, the famous British rider Scott Brash, off of the top spot.  Scott was riding ‘Hello Valentino’ (‘Diamantino’ x ‘Careful 28’), and his time was 42.28 seconds. In third was Martin Fuchs with ‘Viper Z’ (‘Vigo D’Arsouilles STX’ x ‘Grannus’); in fourth, Dutch, Doron Kuipers with ‘I Am Codex’ (‘Codex One’ x ‘Calvaro F.C’) and in fifth was the Italian rider, Emiliano Liberati with ‘Dooley WV’ (‘Ustinov’ x ‘Orame’). This 1.50 Longines Ranking GP was held on grass in the Hickstead arena.

The Small Tour Grand Prix was won by the Irish rider, Seamus Hughes Kennedy. There were 16 through to the jump off and he rode the 11yr old mare ‘Cuffesgrange Cavadora’ (‘Z Wellie 72’ x ‘Luidam’) to take the win in just 38.63 seconds, the only pair under 39s. Second was Marcelo Chirico from Uruguay with ‘Deluxe du Plasson’; third was Nicole Lockhead Anderson (GBR) with ‘Catino 10’; fourth José Fumero (ESP) with ‘Esto de Viscourt’ and finally in fifth,  was Jacob Hellström (SWE) with ‘Chuck Bass’.

There was another Irish win in the 1* GP, for Seamus Hughes Kennedy with ‘Esi Ali’. Second was Canadian rider, Wyndham St John with ‘Quiktime Z’; Third, Swedish rider, Sofía Westborg and ‘Pica de Muze’; Fourth was British rider, Charlotte Geddes with ‘Kent HX’ and in fifth was Spanish, Cristóbal San Juan Yague with ‘Hera’.

Leticia Riva Gil was the winner of the Big Tour 1.35 with ‘Conan de Taute’ and this Spanish rider was also the winner of the Medium Tour 1.40 class with ‘Cadum de Champloue’.

The other winners today were: Dermott Lennon (IRL) with ‘All Pleasure Hero II Z’ in the Big Tour 1.45; Maryk Sahney (IRL) with ‘Flyer B’ in the Medium Tour 1.30; British rider, Nicole Lockhead Anderson with ‘Emerald Irish Cruise’ in the Small Tour 1.35 and Spanish rider, Celia Cobo with ‘Chantre’ in the 1.30.

That finishes off the first week of the XXIX Andalucía Sunshine Tour, which is sponsored by the ‘Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte’ and co-financed by the European Union. Tomorrow is a rest day and the young horse classes will start up again on Tuesday.