An exceptional end to the sixth edition of the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show, the 17th leg of the prestigious Longines Global Champions Tour and the Global Champions League! A stone’s throw from the mythical Pampelonne Beach, in front of a thrilled crowd, America’s Jessica Springsteen won her first LGCT 5* Grand Prix in an exceptional jump-off. Earlier in the day, the provisional ranking of the Global Champions League, the team circuit, underwent some major changes.
While the Madrid in Motion team (Eric van der Vleuten on Wunschkind 19, and Maikel van der Vleuten on Beauville Z), double clear in this round (six faults overall after two rounds), have just won the thirteenth leg of the Global Champions League, the circuit’s provisional ranking has evolved.
The St. Tropez Pirates (Olivier Robert with Tempo de Paban, and Pieter Devos with Claire Z), fifth today (twelve faults after two rounds) are now in the lead. The London Knights (Ben Maher with Concona, and Olivier Philippaerts with H&M Legend of Love, fourteenth in Ramatuelle, with a big score of forty-eight faults after two rounds), go into third place of the provisional ranking. The Shanghai Swans (Peder Fredricson on Zacramento, and Daniel Deusser on Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z, second with the second double clear round in the class, nine faults after two rounds), go into second place of the provisional ranking of the Global Champions League.
The class, in which combinations who were not taking part in the Global Champions League also competed, was won by America’s Kent Farrington on Creedance, the fastest of the seventeen clear rounds. As for the French riders, only Pénélope Leprévost and Vancouver de Lanlore jumped clear and finished in eleventh place.
What the riders had to say
Eric van der Vleuten (Madrid in Motion): “My mare Wunschkind 19 is exceptional. I have been riding her for a long time, but I feel like she’s still progressing. Ramatuelle – Saint-Tropez is our second victory in the Global Champions League in France, after the one in Cannes.”
Maikel van der Vleuten (Madrid in Motion): “It’s obviously fantastic to win a second leg with my father. But today, family means more than the victory We both had to jump clear. Maybe we were luckier than the others, but that’s the way it goes.”
Jessica Springsteen: girl power!
Fourteen jump-off riders, a single lady rider and an amazing victory for the daughter of the Boss. This evening, as part of the sixth edition of the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show, the 17th leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour, Bruce Springsteen must have been delighted to be the father of the girl who has made a name for herself by winning her first LGCT 5* Grand Prix, a stone’s throw from Pampelonne Beach. Helped by her exceptional RMF Zecilie, whose handiness must have made many green with envy today, the lady rider finished ahead of all the other competitors! In particular Belgium’s Peter Devos, now the leader of the provisional ranking, who, first to go in the jump-off, jumped double clear and seemed unbeatable. But Jessica shaved a second off the time of the rider who she relegated to second place in the class. Even the master Marcus Ehning said to the big winner of the day: “You were f****** amazing!” France’s Simon Delestre, also double clear on his bounding Hermès Ryan, preferred to play it safe and finished in third place.
The sixth edition of the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show finished in front of grandstands which were full and buzzing, with an American victory and the compliments of the president and founder of the Longines Global Champions Tour and the Global Champions League, Jan Tops: “The Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show is an example for all the shows: every detail is taken into consideration and it’s a pleasure to come here both for the riders and the public.” These compliments deeply touched the organiser Denis Monticolo, “proud to belong to the Longines Global Champions Tour and Longines Global Champions League family”.
What the riders had to say
Simon Delestre (FRA), third in the class: “Hermès Ryan did a fantastic job, but I couldn’t go any faster without taking stupid risks.”
Pieter Devos (BEL), second in the class, new leader of the Longines Global Champions Tour provisional ranking: “I knew I had to be in the top 3 today to beat Ben Maher and go into first place. I gave it my all today.”
Jessica Springsteen (USA), winner of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Ramatuelle – Saint-Tropez: “RMF Zecilie was literally flying today! She jumped exceptionally and I’m delighted, especially for her owners. I was the only woman in the jump-off but that’s not what counts: before I went into the ring I just focused on my mare and our combination. Now I can’t wait to ride in the next leg of the circuit in New York, where I’ll competing at home.”
Full results here.
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