HUBSIDE JUMPING Grimaud-Golf de Saint Tropez CSI5*: another week where America will shine on the horizon?

On the occasion of the HUBSIDE JUMPING’s second CSI5* of the season on the French Riviera, the stars of world show jumping will come together once again in Grimaud. Last week, in the CSI 4*, the American lady riders were highly anticipated and came up to par:  Jessica Springsteen won the Grand Prix while her fellow countrywoman Beezie Madden finished sixth. This week, they will be joined by a rider who is rarely seen in Europe, who will be at the HUBSIDE JUMPING Grimaud-Gulf of Saint-Tropez for the first time (but is a regular at the HUBSIDE JUMPING in Valence), the current World number five, Kent Farrington!
While  Laura  Kraut  and  Jessica  Springsteen  are  used  to  coming  to  the  HUBSIDE  JUMPING Grimaud-Gulf of Saint-Tropez, Beezie Madden is starting to enjoy the appeal of the French Riviera show and has extended her stay in France for an additional week. Another American rider will be playing the role of guest star this week: Kent Farrington, the current World number 5, who is also the current Olympic team silver medallist (he finished fifth individually in Rio in 2016). At the 2014 World  Equestrian  Games  in  Normandy,  he  also  won  the  bronze medal  withthe  US  squad.  In Grimaud,  he  will  be  accompanied  in  particular  by  Gazelle,  the  mare  with  which  he  won  the HUBSIDE JUMPING’s Grand Prix of Valence twice, in 2017 and in 2018.The  Americans  will  have  their  work  cut  out:  they  will  face  some  tough  competition  from  the European riders who haven’t said their last word after the US victory last week.  The current World number 2, Switzerland’s Steve Guerdat, already the winner of two 5* Grands Prix here in Grimaud, the  best  French  rider  in  the  World  rankings,  Normandy’s  Julien  Epaillard  who  has  won  many classes during his different visits to the French Riviera and the Germans Christian Ahlmann and the current World individual gold medallist Simone Blum.
As for the French riders, while the CSI 5* is clearly on the list of shows that the selector will use to choose the team which will be going to Tokyo, the big guns will also be competing, with riders Mathieu Billot, Benoît Cernin, Simon Delestre, Nicolas Delmotte, winner of the Grand Prix of La Baule last weekend, Edward Levy, Olivier Perreau, second in the 4* Grand Prix in Grimaud just a few days ago, and the current Olympic team gold medallists, Pénélope Leprévost and Roger-Yves Bost
For  this  CSI  5*,  the  highest  level  of  competition  established  by  the  Fédération  Equestre Internationale, the track of the courses will be designed by France’s Cédric Longis. More than 500 000 euros of prize money will be on offer. Free admission, open to all, according to the maximum number of people authorised on-site to date. It is mandatory to wear a face mask and respect preventive measures.
Press release Hubside Jumping 2021 | Photo credits © HUBSIDE JUMPING
HSJ