CSI4* Chantilly: Historic Grand Prix for Brazil, Luciana Lossio won

Luciana Lossio on Lady Louise Jmen © Cecile Sablayrolles

The prestigious Grand Prix Ville de Chantilly, considered to be one of the most coveted competitions in the world of show jumping, attracted 50 pairs this year and only five riders reached the finish.

The course, designed by the Olympic course director, Gregory Bodo, proved to be particularly challenging, with the Brazilian rider Luciana Lossio and her 14-year-old mare, Lady Louise Jmen, winning in front of the spectators.

Luciana Lossio’s victory marks a significant moment in her young career and is Brazil’s first success at Chantilly.

The first round consisted of thirteen fences, including a double and a triple, with a maximum height of 1.50 m. Due to the condition of the ground, which had been made worse by the recent bad weather, some fences had to be moved, forcing the final twenty-five competitors to reconnoiter the course.

Despite the difficulties, British veteran John Whitaker played down criticism of the course, stating: “I don’t think the terrain was that bad, but riders today are used to perfect arenas.

A total of five pairs reached the jump-off, including four women. The first to jump clear in the first round, France’s Ines Joly, responded with another clear round on Platini De Kalvarie to set the first time to beat.

The American Alise Oken on Gervera immediately improved her time by a few hundredths. The French rider, Valentin Besnard, was unable to complete a clean ride with Diamantina Beaufour and retired, leaving the race in the hands of the Amazons. Juliette Faligot and her agile Arqana De Riverland took the lead, but the victory was destined for Brazil. Luciana Lossio, without any real plan, just galloping to the maximum, left everyone behind by more than two seconds: It is my most beautiful victory and it is even more precious in this extraordinary place, between these two palaces. It’s incredible.

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