GERMANY’s Philipp Weishaupt started his Grand Slam journey once again last Sunday when landing the $3,000,000 CP International Grand Prix presented by Rolex in Spruce Meadows, Calagary, Canada.

Riding the 10-year-old Holsteiner stallion LB Convall (Colman x Cascavelle), he completed the massive competition as the only double clear. No stranger to success, this combination had claimed victory in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen in July 2016.

Forty-two riders started over Course designer Leopoldo Palacios’s huge track, which was up to 1.70m in places and asked tough questions throughout. The last line, an oxer to the triple combination and down to the final vertical caused the most difficulty, with a number of horses knocking the first part of the combination.

Of the 12 riders in the second round, seven had jumped clear in the first round, three had recorded four faults and two had time faults.

Ireland’s Cian O’Connor, and his double European medal-winning mount Good Luck, were one of the fastest four-faulters from round one and went through to the jump-off in 10th place.

The going got really tough in round two, and unfortunately, after an early fence down, and two parts of the very short combination falling, O’Connor decided to retire Good Luck and finished in 12th place, still picking up $30,000 in the $3 million class.

As fences fell throughout, Weishaupt produced a spectacular clear round with the wonderful grey to collect the top prize of $1 million. When last to go, Portugal’s Luciana Diniz and Fit For Fun 13 beat the time when clocking 63.82, but she tried to take a stride out to the last oxer and a wild shot resulted in four faults, leaving them in the runner-up position.

Mclain Ward and HH Azur also had one on the floor in a time of 65.73 for third, ahead of Emilio Bicocchi and Sassicaia Arees in 65.82. Eric Lamaze and Fine Lady 5 incurred four faults in the first round and added one time fault in the second round for fifth place, ahead of Maikel Van Der Vleuten and VDL Groep Verdi TN, also finishing on five faults.

CREDITABLE

The Irish Sport horse Sumas Zorro, ridden by Sameh El Dahan, finished in a creditable ninth place after a brilliant first round clear. Things unravelled in the jump-off and they picked up 13 faults.

Bred by Susan Lanighan O’ Keeffe from Kilkenny and owned by Joanne Sloan Allen, the 13-year-old mare is by Ard VDL Douglas and out of Vixens Frolic. The dam has proved to be a successful mare for the breeder as she has produced eight foals that have gone on to compete.

Under El Dahan’s command, Sumas Zorro won the CP Grand Prix 1.60m Spruce Meadows Continental CSI5* tournament in June.

Speaking after their victory, Weishaupt said: “Every year it’s the same, it’s super tough and to get a double clear here is something very special. Most of the time there is no jump off so it means the first two rounds here can’t get any tougher.

“It was a surprise for me to win the Rolex Grand Prix in Aachen last year and today I was very lucky and my horse jumped so well. He is just an outstanding animal and I am honoured to ride him.”