Victory for Rolf-Göran Bengtsson in CSIO5* Emirates Jumping Cup presented by Longines
The second day of the Emirates Jumping Cup reached its peak with the highly anticipated CSIO5* Emirates Jumping Cup presented by Longines. A star-studded lineup of riders tackled the demanding course, with only nine of the 45 starters jumping clear. Eleven riders progressed to the jump-off, but it was Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson who delivered a flawless double clear aboard Zuccero HV to take the title. Finishing in 48.25s, they edged out British rider Tim Gredley, who produced a strong performance riding Imperial HBF to the only other double clear, securing second place in a steady time of 54.10s. Katrin Eckermann, representing Germany, completed the podium with a third-place finish on Iron Dames Dialou Blue PS in the quickest time of 48.16s, but with an unfortunate pole down.
“He’s a really fantastic horse that’s reached the top, but unfortunately the horse is going to be coming up for sale and that’s a real shame for me,” commented Rolf-Göran Bengtsson after the class.
“This makes the win even more special, as this could be the last show. I don’t have a back-up horse at the moment, and it takes time to make a new horse again,” he added.
“I’m not as fast as the younger generation, but I have two really great horses, and I love to come here and compete. Everything is great, from the organisation to the footing. The Course Designer (Santiago Varela) has built a fair course suitable for the various levels of rider. It’s not easy, but it gave the right amount of clears,” he said.
Earlier in the day, speed and precision were on display in the CSI2* Fatima Bint Mubarak Speed Stakes, with Belgian rider Constant van Paesschen taking the top two places in this 1.4m class. Having taken an early lead in his first ride of the class with Kismet in a time of 64.90s, Constant went on to beat his own time riding 14-year-old Ganturano, jumping to victory in 64.83s. Italian rider Simone Coata rounded up the top three aboard Jakko, finishing 0.04s behind in a time of 64.94s.
Dimitri Natsis of Greece dominated the CSI2* Abu Dhabi Sports Council Cup, securing both first and second place following a win in yesterday’s qualifier. He partnered Corrie Z to first in this two-phase 1.3m class, riding the fastest clear in 26.61s. The 8-year-old mare owned by Nadia Abdul Aziz Taryam shows huge scope and has seen numerous wins and placings this season. Natsis rode the Sharjah Equestrian & Racing Club-owned Chac-Lisco Z into second place, stopping the clock in 27.48s, while Mohammed Nasser Abu Samra finished third on Kleurplaat, riding clear in 27.91s.
Switzerland shone in the CSIO5* UAEERF Speed Stakes, with a win for Bryan Balsiger and Castiel in a precise and fast clear. The combination stopped the clock in 66.74s, just ahead of teammate Edouard Schmitz, who jumped a beautiful round in 67.00s aboard Abdul-Jabbardu Gibert. Third place went to Alexa Ferrer of France, clear in 67.88s on Caetlin vd Heffinck Z.
With two days of competition complete, anticipation builds for the penultimate day, kicking off at 08:30 am with the CSIJ UAEERF Junior Stakes. The morning continues with the CSICh CAVALOR Children’s Stakes and CSI2* Abu Dhabi Sports Council Classic, concluding with the CSI2* Longines Grand Prix and its €308,600 prize purse.
Last Updated on 2 days by News Desk 1
