Hubside Jumping Grimaud: The day’s big class for Holly Smith

Lined up on the start with the World’s best, Daniel Deusser (#1) (ALL), Kevin Staut (FR), Mark McAuley (IR) and Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (BRE), it was Great Britain’s Holly Smith who finally came out on top in the big class of the day :  the CSI 5* 1.50m speed. Piloting Denver, a horse with which she took part in the Tokyo Olympic Games, the rider made the most of the track offered by Cédric Longis, the course designer for this 2nd week of the Hubside Fall Tour (65”68). With 15 jumping efforts including 3 doubles, Smith’s used all her experience and sense of rhythm to win against the 32 other competitors. “I had the bad luck, or rather the luck as it turned out for me, to go at the beginning of the class,“ joked the winner. “Denver has a lot of experience, he’s already taken part in Nations Cup classes,  several Grand Prix and the Olympic Games, I tried to capitalise on that as much as possible. That’s what helped me to take more options and perhaps, be faster than the others. It’s my day!”  Frenchman Grégory Cottard and his grey mare, Cocaïne du Val, finished a close second in 65.94s. Simon Delestre and Chesall Zimequest took 3rd place in 66.18.
39.68s is the time it took Julien Epaillard and the experienced Usual Suspect d’Auge to take the CSI 5* 1.45m speed class. Renowned as one of the fastest riders in the World, the Frenchman didn’t disappoint, beating the time of his compatriot Julien Gonin, who was the long time leader on Cymba (4th), by nearly 3 seconds. “It was an opening class, a good number of riders chose to use it as a working round for their horses while others tried to win, which was my case”, confided the rider after the prize-giving ceremony. “Usual is starting to have a lot of experience and he was as responsive as ever, I’m pleased! Tomorrow he’ll be doing the 1.55m and normally the Grand Prix on Sunday but it’s not certain yet”. Great Britain’s Guy Williams on Rouge de Ravel was second (40.40s), with French rider Edward Levy completing the podium with Confidence d’Ass (42.25s).
Riding Bonnie du Park,the French, Margaux Rocuet, who had an early draw in the CSI 2* 1.30m speed class, took and held on to the lead for most of the class, winning in 62.30 seconds. “I’ve been riding Bonnie since she was a 7yo,“ explained the rider who originates from the Brittany region. My dad bought a half share of her from Corinne Accary at the Park Stud. Her round today really sums up her career, she’s a very generous mare, almost pony size, she really jumps with her heart. She usually does the bigger classes but coming down to this height from time to time does her good. Tomorrow she’ll rest before starting the 1.35m on Saturday and the 1.40m Grand Prix on Sunday“. Rounding off the podium were Sweden’s Antonia Pettersson Häggström and I Am Hdh (63.83s) and then France again with François Xavier Boudant and Diamand de Riverland (64”80).
Once again, the Marseillaise was heard in the Côte d’Azur arena thanks to the performance of young Noa Verel who won the 1.25m CSI 1* class riding Balduin 35 (57.40s). “We’re finally back at St Tropez, after our visit in July, and we can certainly say that the weekend has got off to a good start! Balduin was fantastic, he was with me right from the start. We set off at a good pace and continued to the end without asking any questions“, said the rider at the end of her round. The second place was taken by France’s Matis Jones on Troika Denfer (58.59s), followed by Liechtenstein’s Jennifer Hochstadter and Tino de Nouvolieu (62.43s).
Another French victory, this time in the CSI 1* 1.15m speed class. Sabine Maitrot Charmasson and Ti Amo Tuiliere took the lead finishing in a time of 53.86s ahead of the Brazilian Ana Eliza Aguiar Ramos with Iris Imperio Egipcio (61.61s) and the Mexican Sara Maria Hank Guerreiro riding Baucis d’Ouilly (73.38s).
Early this morning, in the CSI 1* – 1.00m, Mexico was in the spotlight after the excellent performance of Sara Maria Hank Guerreiro and Catokia 2 (74.60s).
Today the highlight of the day will be the 1.55m CSI 5* Grand Prix where, once again, it’ll be a battle for victory between the best in the World
RESULTS HERE https://online.equipe.com/fr/competitions/43566

Hubside Jumping Grimaud Golfe de Saint Tropez