A lesson in equitation from Eduardo Pereira de Menezes

The curtain falls on the Hubside Jumping Grimaud – Golfe de St Tropez! After 12 weeks of intense and thrilling competition, the time has come for the event on the Côte d’Azur to close its doors. A 2021 season that draws to an end in the nicest possible way, with the 1.60m CSI 5* Grand Prix,  the final great moment of sport, and the outstanding victory of the Brazilian Eduardo Pereira de Menezes!
The music started, the public applauded more and more loudly, the 1.60m CSI 5* Grand Prix could start! Thirteen obstacles – 16 jumping efforts – and a layout cleverly thought out by course designer Cédric Longis, completely at ease when faced with top-level classes. “As always here in Grimaud we’ve got a lot of good riders,” explained the Frenchman. “The particularity this week is that there were also a lot of horses that are just starting out as this level. We’re also at the end of the season so some may be tired, these are things that mustn’t be forgotten. I decided to make the course not quite as high and relatively airy. There are few technical lines, all the difficulty will be in those lines and in the precision that the riders will need to show.”
Sweden was the first nation to enter the ring, represented Wilma Hellstrom at the commands of Cicci Bjn. The music didn’t stop for long as she was also the first to jump clear. The Swedish rider was followed by 11 others including the very much on form Philippe Rozier, with his amazing Le Coultre de Muze, the Syrian Amre Hamcho and Vagabon des Forêts, Ireland’s Mark McAuley with Jasco Vd Bisschop, the Brazilian Eduardo Pereira De Menezes with H5 Chacanus, his stallion by Chacco Blue, the Italian Emanuele Gaudiano and Nikolaj de Music as well as Frenchman Nicolas Delmotte riding his incredible little black horse, Ilex VP. Last to qualify, but not by any means the least was the Belgian national champion Jos Verlooy with Luciano van het Geinsteinde.
In an electric atmosphere a fierce jump-off between 12 competitors took place in the Grimaud arena. The Swedish Hellstrom put the pressure on right from the start with a first clear round. But her time was immediately beaten by Michael Hughes, who held the lead for a very short time before Philippe Rozier, supported by the public, took another seven hundredths of a second off the time. The Frenchman barely had time to leave the ring before he was pushed off the top slot of the leader board by Italy’s Filippo Marco Bologni. Brazil’s Eduardo Pereira De Menezes and his brilliant H.5 Chaganus put an end to the suspense with a lightening fast round that was, two seconds faster than the provisional leader. Mark McAuley, Nicolas Delmotte and Jos Verlooy tried everything, but the Brazilian was just too far ahead. “Chaganus is unbelievable,” said the thrilled winner. “He’s very respectful and applies himself at each jump, he never neglectful. He’s got enormous amplitude which lets me take strides out everywhere without losing his power and quality of his jump. We’ve been competing together for 3 years, in 2019 we competed in the Pan American Games, winning the team gold medal. We’re a real couple, I’m very lucky to have a horse like this on my yard. I’m delighted with this victory, I’d really want to thank my owners, H.5 Stables, who’ve been with me and supporting me for several seasons now. I hope we can do it again in Lyon in two weeks time!”  There’s no doubt that he will be a very strong opponent at the Rhône-Alpes show. Ireland’s Mark McAuley with Jasco Vd Bisschop finished 2nd, just ahead of France’s Nicolas Delmotte riding Ilex who was 3rd
A little earlier,  the highlight of the CSI 2*, the 1.45m Grand Prix, provided a dream podium for any supporter of the French clan. Philippe Rozier and his talented Night Light Van’T Ruytershof took the class after a breathtaking jump-off. “Night has really come on during these four weeks of the Fall Tour”, explained the Rio Olympic Games champion. “This is his first international win, he’s a real warrior in the ring. I think Le Coultre is really going to be the successor to Rahotep. The idea is that they mutually protect, and complement each other from one competition to the next”. Two other stars followed him, Nicolas Delmotte with Citadin du Chatellier and Simon Delestre on Iniesta V.
The 2* 1.40m speed class was won by the very good pair formed by Mélanie Cloarec / Chidame Z, while Noame Bernardin, a familiar face prize-givings since the start of the Fall Tour, won the 1*  1.35m speed class with Elsass du Mezel.
If an air of nostalgia can be felt this Sunday evening, excitement will quickly take over! After a winter season punctuated by the most important indoor events, the Hubside Jumping Grimaud – Golfe de St Tropez will be back even stronger in 2022. On the programme? The best riders and horses in the World, fantastic sport,  thrills and emotions… and maybe even a European tour! For the most impatient, keep watching closely, because the end of 2021 could still hold some surprises.  
RESULTS HERE https://online.equipe.com/fr/competitions/44094
Hubside Jumping Grimaud | ©Sportfot – Eduardo Pereira de Menezes & H.5 Chaganus
HSJ