On Sunday afternoon, a full house cheered the riders in the €60,000, 1.55m Grand Prix and World Cup presented by Szerencsejáték Zrt.
Sixty riders qualified for the Grand Prix, the second highlight of the four-day competition weekend, but after one withdrawal the field was reduced to 59.
The riders faced a technically challenging course with 13 obstacles, 16 efforts, difficult turns, and a tight time allowed, which required a fast riding speed. The high temperatures made the task even tougher for the horses and riders.
The number seven played a special role in the Grand Prix: The first rider to complete the course clear was the seventh to start, and in the end, seven riders qualified for the jump-off.
Vince Jármy and JB Koronaőr, the first starter made one fault at the easy blue ramp. András Kövy, Jnr. achieved the best result from the Hungarian competitors. He finished with zero faults on the jumps but with a penalty point for exceeding the time allowed by less than a second. As a result, no Hungarian rider qualified for the jump-off.
In the shortened final, one fast ride followed another, but the penultimate pair, Marie Ligges on Ballerina NRW, left everyone behind.
Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo from Brazil finished second on Quibus van Olv Hove, and Necmi Eren from Turkey came third on Pss Levilensky.
The best Hungarian rider, András Kövy Jr., finished eighth. Tamás Mráz and Vince Jármy, who each made one fault, were placed as well.
Vilmos Lázár, President of the Hungarian Equestrian Federation, Károly Fugli, President of the Jury, and Dr. Gyula Budai congratulated the riders.
The owner of the Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory, Bachar Najari presented the podium finishers special prizes created exclusively for the competition.
Results:
- 1. Marie Ligges (GER) – Ballerina NRW
- 2. Luiz Felipe Neto de Azevedo (BRA) – Quibus van Olv Hove
- 3. Necmi Eren (TUR) – Pss Levilensky
- 4. Jur Vrieling (NED) – Kiliman Sitte
- 5. Dominik Fuhrer (SUI) – Crazy Nut
- 6. Bas Moerings (NED) – Kivinia
- 7. Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER) – Tapioca
- 8. András Kövy, Jnr. – Egano van ‘t Wingerdhof Z
- …11. Tamás Mráz – Viva Cent
- …13. Vince Jármy – JB Koronaőr
- …20. Ferenc Szentirmai – Final Message PS
- …24. Gábor Szabó, Jnr. – Mezohegyes Chabala
- …30. Péter Szuhai – Corbluecenta
- …32. Henri Kovács – King Cornet PGO
- 33. Balázs Horváth – Puro ter Sarren
- …36. Mariann Hugyecz – Carl-Heinz B.
Photo: CSIO Budapest / CSIO Budapest / Krisztina Hajdu
Main sponsor of the event is the Szerencsejáték Zrt.
