Steve Guerdat wins the Equine America Grand Prix with ‘Dynamix de Belheme’

Kevin Jochems with ’Flying Jackie’ wins the Aloga, Medium Tour GP

Nicole Lockhead Anderson with ‘Emerald Irish Cruise’ the Small Tour GP

The top 50 riders of the week participated in the  Equine America Grand Prix, a Longines Ranking class and a European 2023 and Paris Olympic games, qualifier. The Grand Prix track was designed by Spanish, Javier Trenor and set in the main, David Broome grass arena. In the first round time was a factor but 12 riders went into the jump off.  In the end it was a Swiss top two, with Steve Guerdat, ranked 25th in the world, beating his compatriot Martin Fuchs who is currently ranked 2nd. Steve has competed in five Olympics and is a regular face on the podium here at the Tour. The 10yr old bay mare, ‘Dynamix de Belheme’ is by ’Snaike de Blondle’ dam sire, ‘Cornet Obolensky’ and owned by La Giraffa SA. She has been building up over the weeks here with a third place in the 1.50 on the 17th, and last year she won a 1.45 class with us. Steve has had the mare since she was five and she is a favourite in the stable. She clearly loves her job, but rumour has it, according to Emma her groom,  outside of the arena she is rather lazy and just wants to eat! Well, today they demonstrated their talents in the arena with a foot perfect, flowing round and not a cm wasted in the turns, stopping the clock in 39.38s.

Martin Fuchs was second with ‘Commissar Pezi’ by ‘Commissario’ x  Böckmann’s Lord Pezi’, a 10yr old dark bay owned by Luigi Baleri, who Martin has also been building up as the Tour progressed. He was second to go in the class and rode a smooth balanced round, with tight turns, finishing in 39.92s. In third was French rider, Valentin Besnard with ‘Dynastie de Beaufor’ a 10yr old mare by  ‘Diamant de Semilly’ x ‘Cassini’, who finished in 40.02s. Fourth was home rider here, Spanish, Armando Trapote, with ’Tornado VS’ (’Toulon’ x ‘Contender’) and fifth was another Swiss rider, Aurelia Loser, with ‘Molly Malone Z’ (‘Mylord Carthago’ x ‘Cassini’).

The Medium Tour, Grand Prix was also a Ranking class and was sponsored by Aloga Auctions. The designer was Italian, Elio Travagliati who built a substantial 1.50 track, in the Milton arena. There were 66 riders in the first round and ten went through to the jump off.

The winner was the Dutch rider Kevin Jochems who rode a fast round and with very tight turns, and he slipped into the lead with ’Flying Jackie’, stopping the clock in 32.57s.  This bay mare is 13yrs old and by’ Nabab de Reve’ x ‘Voltaire’.

Last to go and finishing in second place, was the Argentinian rider, Matias Albarracin with ’Full Option van’t Zand’ in 32.95s. In third was Swiss rider, Thibaut Keller with ’Badaboum One’, in 33.05s. In fourth was Spanish rider, Alvaro Gonzalez de Zarate Fernandez with ‘Najac VH Kluizebos’ and in fifth was Irish, Dermot Lennon with ‘L’Esprit Hero Z’.

In the same arena was the Small Tour Grand Prix, the third Ranking class today. Set at  1.45, there were over 20 riders in the jump off and competition was hot! The winner was British rider Nicole Lockhead Anderson with her own 8yr old mare, ’Emerald Irish Cruise’ who is by ‘Ringfort Cruise, dam sire ‘Mount Diamond Flag’. They stopped the clock in 32.36s. This is their 6th win here at Montenmedio and every time they have taken to the arena they have jumped clear.  A record that is hard to beat.

Hot on her heels was was Dutch rider, Rogier Linssen in ·32.49s with ‘Dancing Nini Z’ (‘David BB’ x ‘Vigaro’ and in third was Swiss rider, Peter Burri with ‘Dubai 64’, (‘Chin Champ’ x Casall’). Fourth was Spanish rider, Celia Cobo Teran with ‘Alto du Roc’ and fifth was Laura Monier, for France with ‘Attaque’.

The 1.35, CSI1* Grand Prix was designed by Angel Cerdido, had 65 entries and 13 in the jump off. The winner was British rider, Olivia Banks with ‘Geordina HS’, a 12yr old mare by ‘Bodinus’ x ‘Corland’ who stopped the clock in 29.80s. She knocked New Zealand eventer, Tim Price off of the top spot that he had held from the start of the class, with ‘Happy Boy’ (‘Indoctro’ x Odermus’), a black gelding, who won at Boekelo CCl4* in 2022. In third was German, Manuel Feldmann with the 9yr old ‘Mangoon’. Fourth was Spanish, Agusti Sastre Caballero with ‘Soraya VDG Z’ and fifth was, British, Charlotte Geddes with ‘Kent HX’.

Other winners today were:

Big Tour 1.45; Bulgarian, Konstantin E. van Damme riding ‘Hanne Umonia’ ((Tolan R’ x ‘Lord Z’). The 1.35; Indian Maryk Shabby with ‘Flyer B’.

The Medium Tour 1.40 was won by French rider Olivier Perrau, with ‘Dream Boy d’Aiguilly’ The 1.30 was won by Moroccan rider, Farid Amazar with ‘Churchill Z’.

The Small Tour 1.35 winner was British Jude Burgess with ‘Dreams of Don’. The 1.30 Accumulator class, was won by Spanish, Leyla Jasmin Fajic with ‘Classe 2’.

These are the main results from today, full results can be found on our web page www.sunshinetour.net.

This finishes off the first set of 4* shows here at the XXIX Andalucía Sunshine Tour, which is sponsored by the ‘Consejería de Turismo, Cultura y Deporte’ and co-financed by the European Union.

We begin again on Thursday the 2nd of March, with the CSIYH* (5, 6 and 7yrs olds) and the CSI2*. This finishes on Sunday the 5th, when there will be a 2* Longines Ranking Grand Prix.