Release date: 18/07/2021

Course designer Uliano Vezzani had built a tough but fair course in the beautiful grass arena at Tops International Arena for the CSI2* Grand Prix. The fastest in the jump-off was Bassam Hassan Mohammed with the 14-year-old gelding Caletto Cabana (San Patrignano Cassini x Capecanaveral). They stayed clear in 38.28 seconds.
"Great feeling, it's been a while since I won. I am very happy with my jump-off ride, for myself and for my horse. It's great here, one of the best venues in the world. The organisation of Tops International Arena and the Global Champions Tour do a great job and the fact that I won here makes it even more special." The course was good he thought "Uliano had built as he always does, a good course with the necessary challenges. There were some casualties here and there and only six combinations stayed clear." The 34-year-old knew what he had to do in the jump-off. "I had to enter the arena second and knew that I had to put the necessary pressure on the riders who came after me and so I did." 
Germany's Laura Klaphake was the only one who also managed to stay clear in the jump-off with Camalita (2009, Cracker Jack 5 x Quinar) in a time of 38.52 and that was enough for second place.  Dutchman Gerco Schröder had four faults with Glock's Lausejunge (2007, Ludwigs As x Cornet Obolensky) and finished in third place.
 
The Small Tour was won by Diarmuid Howley and the Holsteiner stallion Clover VA (Cormint x Landjunge). The 30-year-old Irishman stayed clear in a time of 62.79 seconds. Steven Veldhuis came second for the fourth time during this event with the KWPN stallion Gezellig. The Italian Gianluca Apolloni finished fourth with C-Colita.
 
In the Medium Tour the German top rider Marcus Ehning had the fastest clear round in the 15-horse jump-off. He rode the nine-year-old gelding Chuemli (Comme Il Faut 5 x Concorde) over the finish line in 30.95 seconds. Spaniard Sergio Alvarez Moya came second with Eliante Z (2013, Ermindo W) with a time of 32.59. Gilles Thomas finished in third place with Comdero I van Beek Z (2013, Comme Il Faut x Vigaro) for Belgium.
 
CSI1*: Grand Prix for Del Pedregal
The final day of the second summer event at Tops International Arena began with the CSI1* Grand Prix. In total 32 combinations were on the startlist of which 7 managed to stay clear in the first round and qualified for the jump-off. Dutch rider Piet Raijmakers Jr was the first to enter the beautiful grass arena and set a good time. He rode a nice clear round in 37.27 seconds with the nine-year-old mare Haya (Berlin x Quidam de Revel). The two following combinations, Carlos Hank Gonzalez (MEX) with H5 Chacdo and Shimona Fraid (AUS) with Dassina VA did not manage to improve on this time. Chilean Maria Ignac Del Pedregal showed with a very fast round that it could go faster and took over the lead. She rode her 14-year-old stallion Larbraker (Larino x Heartbreaker) over the finish line in 35.55 seconds and that time proved unbeatable.
 
The 1.25m class was won by Spain's Susana Epaillard with the fast Beefeater d'Auge (SF, Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel). The Japanese rider Risako Hara won the 1.15m class on Sunday afternoon. She had the fastest clear round in the jump-off with Coco Julie (Holst, Contact Me x Caretino).
 
Final Young Horses: Kenny and Rockwell RC celebrate victory
Six young horses returned in the jump-off and it remained exciting until the end. Last starter was Irishman Darragh Kenny and everyone knows he can go very fast and he lived up to that reputation. With a superb clear round, he went through the course almost two seconds faster than German Tobias Meyer, who did win the young horse final last weekend. Kenny set a time of 35.33 seconds with Rockwell RC (ISH, Kannan). Meyer, who had to start first in the jump-off, finished his ride with Celebrity-H (Zang, Comme Il Faut 5 x No Limit) in 37.32. Sofie Svensson from Sweden came third with Forino (Holst, For Pleasure x Caretino 2).
 
Tops International Arena had another weekend with beautiful sport and exciting action and there is more to come. From 6 to 8 August Tops International Arena will be all about the talents of the future with the Longines Global Future Champions, immediately followed by the KWPN-Blom Cup (9 to 11 August) and as the absolute highlight, the third summer event, the Longines Global Champions Tour from 20 to 22 August.