The 35th Count István Széchenyi Memorial started with the young horses’ competition. The 1.20 and 1.25m course, designed by Croatian Eduard Petrovic, featured 11 obstacles and 13 efforts. Half of the 59 horse and rider pairs completed the track clear. Among them six Hungarian competitors took part in the award ceremony. Krisztián Búza and his seven-year-old horse Apollon finished first and the rider on his other horse, six-year-old Balou Mary, captured fifth place.
The second podium went to Péter Szuhai on Orald Field, followed by Gábor Szabó Jnr. on Carabella Z.
Alexandra Kunné Fekete congratulated the winners on behalf of the jury.
Fifty-two riders lined up for the 1.30m Medium Tour, the second event of the opening day and only 13 duos managed to complete clear rounds. The last rider before the break, Henri Kovács, representing Finland in the saddle of Tamburino took the lead and kept first position until the end.
The following places went to Krisztián Búza on Cascaya SJ ahead of Szabolcs Krucsó on Chaccito, finishing within a second of each other.
The winners were congratulated by Robert Fekar, Slovak member of the jury.
In the 1.30m U25 competition 12 obstacles with two doubles awaited the competitors. From 38 starters 15 finished the course with zero penalties. The fastest proved to be Johanna Fábián on Sputnik, followed by Boglárka Bosits on Caremos and Bence Dömse on Trixi.
The president of the jury, Melinda Schlezák congratulated the placed riders.
Photo: CSIO Budapest / Krisztina Hajdu
