Among the most significant events in equestrian sport, the attending public was treated to a 1.40m Open Speed. Well known for his incredible speed, John Kersley kept to his old habits and won the class. A member of the Canadian Equestrian Team, Roberto Teran finished 2nd, followed by Douglas Henry.
The course was comprised of 11 obstacles and 13 jumping efforts, including one double and one triple combination. Course designer Sven Loewe took maximum advantage of the Grand-Prix arena’s extensive surface, allowing the riders those great gallops that are so pivotal in achieving speed. Furthermore, obstacle ♯6 was set atop a small hill on the grassed surface, presenting an additional challenge to the riders. The run’s total distance was 530 meters.
First competitor to the course, Roberto Teran performed a faultless run, setting the time to beat at 77.41 seconds. Hugh Graham’s time was better at 73.55 seconds, but a rail fault cost him 4 penalty points. John Kersley then tackled the challenge aboard Milestone, and a flawless performance in 73.63 seconds put him in the lead, where he remained for the rest of the competition, as no other rider could manage to clear a faultless run. Douglas Henry kept all the rails in place, but took a 2-point penalty for outrunning the clock.