Taking advantage of an opportunity to show on the grass derby field at Equestrian Village at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) in Wellington, FL, the individual silver medalist at the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018 was able to speed to the lead of the class. Martin Fuchs (SUI) rode Jacques Bodenmuller’s Cristo to a blazing time of 33.733 seconds to win the $25,000 CP Grand Prix, the closing event of WEF 6.
Twenty-four entries went to task on the first round, and five went clear to contest the jump-off. Fuchs went first on Cristo, setting an unbeatable time.
“I didn’t really like that I was first to go with him,” said Fuchs. “I would have preferred that my inexperienced horse was first to go so I could do a normal round with him, and then do a quick round with Cristo, to see how fast I had to go. Since I honestly really didn’t know the other riders in the jump-off, I just thought I didn’t want to be second, so I took the forward option, which was good, but now I ended up being quite a lot faster.”
Coming closest was Caelinn Leahy (IRL) on Steve Schaefer’s Dymendy. They finished in 36.206 seconds. Third place went to Hector Florentino (DOM) riding Venus, owned by Raylyn Farms Inc., in 37.330 seconds.
Knowing that Cristo would have the next two weeks off, Fuchs wanted the chance to show him, and the CP Grand Prix on the “amazing grass ring” was just the sort of class that fit into the schedule.
Fuchs has ridden Cristo for two and a half years, competing in up to three-star grand prix classes and usually the opening classes during the week in five-star competitions. “He has won at many, many good shows,” said Fuchs. “He’s so easy, a wonderful horse. He’s always fun, always the same. He’s very light on the leg, very light in the hand. He’s just uncomplicated, like a pony.”
Along with winning the CP Grand Prix, Cristo was named the Champion Equine Insurance Jumper Style Award winner for week 7, presented by Laura Fetterman.
$25,000 CP Grand Prix
1 CRISTO: 2007 Oldenburg gelding by Cristo x Stakkato
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), Jacques Bodenmuller: 0/0/33.733
2 DYMENDY: 2008 KWPN mare by Quasimodo van den Molendreef x Julio Mariner
CAELINN LEAHY (IRL), Steve Schaefer: 0/0/36.206
3 VENUS: 2002 KWPN mare by Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Julius
HECTOR FLORENTINO (DOM), Raylyn Farms, Inc.: 0/0/37.330
4 SATOYAMA: 2006 Warmblood gelding
CARLOS QUINONES (ARG), Michelle Navarro-Grau: 0/0/38.758
5 FABERLYS: 2010 gelding by Cornet Obolensky
MARTIN FUCHS (SUI), SPCS: 0/12/38.252
6 EL PACHO: 2009 KWPN gelding by Cardento
PABLO MEJIA (COL), Pablo Mejia: 2/82.481
7 OUT OF IRELAND: 2006 Anglo European mare by Lougherne Connaught x Amiro M
LAURA CHAPOT (USA), The Edge & Laura Chapot: 4/73.142
8 A TOUTE VITESSE: 2010 KWPN gelding by Arthos R x Lancelot
PAIGE JARDINE (AUS), FJ Equine LLC: 4/74.547
9 MAGNUS ORFEO: 2005 Silla Argentino gelding by Magnus Orestus x Carjdor Z
MARY MANFREDI (USA), Mary Manfredi: 4/77.309
10 ZAMBIA MYSTIC ROSE: 2008 BH mare
JUAN MANUEL BOLANOS BARRIOS (ESA), RM Agronegocios Eireli: 4/77.5421
11 ILUSIONIST II: 2008 BWP gelding by Toulon
SHANNON CLIFFORD (CHI), Shannon Clifford: 4/79.439
12 ORSO DEL TERRICCIO: 2008 SI gelding by Indoctro x Can Can Del Terriccio
DIEGO PEREZ BILBAO (ESP), Victoria Vargas D’Agostino: 4/80.400
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