The Longines Global Champions Tour of Chantilly took place this weekend, where Belgian’s Jérôme Guéry was victorious in front of a crowd of nearly 6,000 spectators.
“I won last year the same class and it’s never easy to repeat this kind of exercise a year later, so I’m really pleased by this victory,” said Guéry. “But this year it was different because I was riding Papillon Z, my long-time partner. He is very special to me. He brought me to the top level and allowed me to qualify for the Olympics. He changed my life. He may be not the best horse in the world but he is so generous.”
That’s what he showed in this jump-off, meeting every risky demand of his rider including a huge jump over the last oxer. “My rounds with Papillon are always special, but jump-offs are even more… he is my old friend, my accomplice, and I know he is capable of taking off far from the fence without any problem, even if it seems spectacular. It’s his trademark and we gain a lot of time on the jump. It makes him a fast horse even if he is pretty cold.”
Guéry added, “I love Chantilly and truly, until now, I haven’t been very lucky in competitions because I couldn’t rider my two top horses. It was difficult in the Grand Prix yesterday with Alicante and I hoped to do good today because we felt pretty down in my team. And that’s make this sport great, to be last one day and leaving on the following with a smile,” not to mention 20 000€ prize money. “Indeed, but that doesn’t count today. The result, the victory and the happiness around me are the most important”.
A few hours earlier, French star Guillaume Canet and Babèche won the Prix Renault Rent, CSI 1* class at 1,35m. Simultaneously, on the Amphithéâtre de Verdure, another Belgium rider, Arnaud Doem, took away the Grand Prix E. Leclerc La Chapelle En Serval CSI 2*.
It was a great conclusion to this fourteenth edition of the Jumping International of Chantilly, eighth as a Longines Global Champions Tour’s leg; a staple event, in a majestic setting, that will appoint for next year at the same dates.
More from Horse Sport:
