Swiss victorious at St Gallen

SWITZERLAND waited 22 years to post a long-awaited win on home ground in St Gallen last year and, last Sunday, stole the show once again when topping the opening leg of the Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup 2023 Europe Division 1 series at their home venue. Their back-to-back victory was no walk-in-the-park however, with the result only decided in a thrilling jump-off against the clock in which home hero Martin Fuchs sealed it with a clear round from Leoni Jei, while Brazil’s Yuri Mansur and Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm QH were quicker but left the very last fence on the floor. Fuchs and team-mates Edouard Schmitz (Gamin Van’t Naastveldhof), Bryan Balsiger (Dubai Du Bois Pinchet) and Steve Guerdat (Vernard de Cerisy) stood top of the podium, both Balsiger and Guerdat bolstering Swiss chances with superb double-clear performances. Germany finished in third place.

Home win for Epaillard

FRENCHMAN Julien Epaillard thrilled the French crowd on home soil in St Trope when winning the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in style with Donatello d’Auge. In the fastest jump-off of the season, last to go in the six-combination jump-off, Germany’s Christian Kukuk and Mumbai had to settle for second place just 0.44 seconds behind the blistering Frenchman. Fellow countryman Simon Delestre put two home riders on the podium collecting third place with Dexter Fontenis Z.