Friday afternoon’s program went on with the two-stage, 130cm competition without interruption for U25 riders. Competition for the prize presented by Horse Trans Cargo was very tough as tenths of seconds decided on the podium places. Zoltán Patrik Buza eventually took the victory in the saddle of Laprida MP.
Annabell Bodnár improved on her result from Thursday, taking second place on Lay Your Love On Z, with Thursday’s winning pair, Roland Kovács and Casallandia PS, in third.
Romanian Joanna Clarke on Rc Lux Vivendi finished fourth, followed by a Polish Kacper Mroz on Fifty-Fifty Van Boven de Wevels, and Petra Csiszárik on Harper. Melinda Schlezák, President of the Jury, congratulated the riders.
The participants of the CSI 2* Medium Tour also faced 130cm obstacles. In the uninterrupted two-stage competition the prize was presented by Inter Horse Truck. The audience had to be patient to see the winning ride as the final, 39th starter Rodrigo Szuhai on Carta Blue SZ proved to be the fastest.
His brother Gyula Szuhai, Jnr. on Cornet’s Blue SZ was in the lead for a long time but finished fourth, overtaken by Roland Kovács on Lagretta HB and Henri Kovács on The Flash 3.
Fifth place went to Zsófia Vándor, the Hungarian Champion in 2019 on Chacco-Bella. Péter Szuhai on Conccodello PS finished sixth. Robert Fekar congratulated the riders on behalf of the jury.
In the most prestigious event of the day, the 140cm, 55 riders lined up for the prize money of €3,000 and a frozen embryo of excellent pedigree, presented by E-Sporthorses. The competitors faced 12 obstacles with two combinations on the course designed by László Karádi. At the beginning, Romanian Andrea Herck on Kalvarie van de Zelm seemed to be unbeatable. Later another Romanian rider Gyula Zárug took the lead and managed to keep it until the end of the competition on Norton Z.
Gyula Szuhai, Jnr., European Children’s Champion in 2021, closed second on Perthy Jackson, the best Hungarian show jumper in 2022.
Third place went to András Kövy, Jnr. on Accoton PS.
The remaining places went to Andrea Herck, and two Slovakian riders, Bronislav Chudyba and Milos Rajna.
The competition will continue on Saturday morning at 9am with the 125cm Small Tour.
Photo: CSIO Budapest / Krisztina Hajdu