Australian fever this weekend in Paris for the Global Champions Tour
After Monaco last week, it is another French city, Paris, 'City of Lights' which hosted the eighth leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour for the second consecutive year. As the midpoint in the series, the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping is a unique sporting and social event under the Eiffel Tour with free access for many equestrian fans but also families, tourists and onlookers. And to add to this incredible Parisian show, the sun was up and high this weekend reaching 32 degrees, making the Australian riders feel right at home!
Jamie Kermond riding Yandoo Oaks Constellation, the nine year old Australian bred gelding, won the six bar competition, clearing a height of 2 metres to take victory. It is this combination's second second six bar victory following their win in the CHIO Rotterdam last month. Kermond also finished fourth in the CSI5* 1m 45 on Friday.
Edwina Tops-Alexander also enjoyed success finishing third in Sunday's CSI5* competition with her talented mare Heidi du Ruisseau Z.
With 41 riders from throughout the world competing in the 1.50/1.55m CSI5* class, the crowds packed themselves around the arena in anticipation of the final competition of the weekend. Under the view of the Eiffel Tower, the high profile combinations once more took to the arena. As the competition unfolded the triple bar down to a double of verticals caused many of the top riders to pick up faults in a course that was particularly challenging. Just three went through to the electrifying jump off, withTops-Alexander and her mount the first to earn a spot in the jump-off. She was soon followed by Karim El Zoghby (EGY) who delivered an equally stunning round on his ten year old bay mare Amelia, and third last to go Ben Maher (GBR) with the effortlessly stunning Cella made it three in the final.
First to goTops-Alexander laid down the gauntlet with yet another flawless round to the admiration of the crowd, setting a superb time of 33.63. El Zoghby was next and pushed the pace with his mare Amelia to come home clear in 31.85. His fast round looked unbeatable due to the pace of his mare, and as Maher entered the arena the crowd went silent in excited anticipation of the final result. Despite riding his grey Cella at a more considered pace, Maher's precision allowed him to finish on an identical time to El Zoghby - a feat extremely unusual in this level of competition.
The young and talented Jamie Winning riding Blanez placed seventh in the CSI1* 1.30-1.40m class on Saturday while Natalie Mohr riding Talbot Cece in the CSI1* 1m10 on Friday was also seventh.
The focus now turns to next weekend's competition where the Tour heads to Estoril, Portugal, for the ninth leg in the Championship.
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