Due to the extreme heat, the final day of the CSIO3*-W Longines EEF Series International Jumping Competition opened unusually with the Grand Prix so that the horses competing in the event demanding the highest level of performance could compete under the most favourable weather conditions. In light of the extreme heat, the competition jury also waived the requirement to wear a jacket.
Befitting the status of a three-star World Cup Grand Prix, a technically challenging course awaited the rider and horse pairs: 13 obstacles with 16 efforts. The Hungarian Equestrian Federation’s red, white and green triple jump, as well as the Prestige fence, significantly thinned out the field. The tight time allowed also left little room for maneuver for the competitors.
The audience had to wait until the tenth rider for the first clear round. Ultimately, five competitors out of the field of sixty managed to complete the course with zero fault:
- Max Kühner (AUT) – Kurt D Z
- Tabitha Kyle (IRE) – Desterly
- René Tebbel (UKR) – Paulus-L
- Tamás Dömse – Conquistador
- Nicol Carron – RRH Out of the Blue
Hungarian Tamás Dömse and Conquistador, bred at the Lewitz Stud, were greeted with thunderous applause from the local audience for their clear round.
Other Hungarian riders, Tamás Mráz on Viva Cent, Gyula Szuhai Jnr. on Lawisangos, and György Fekete on Kahuna all completed the challenging Grand Prix with one knockdown each, thereby securing places among the top finishers.
The shortened course of the jump-off featured seven jumps. Max Kühner was the first to enter the arena. Aiming for a safe, clear round, he once again managed to complete the course without any penalty points.
However, Irish rider Tabitha Kyle, who was second to go, set a faster pace on her mare Desterly and took the lead.
The pairs that followed—René Tebbel on Paulus-L, Tamás Dömse on Conquistador, and Carron Nicol on RRH Out of the Blue— all collected penalty points, so the victory went to one of the youngest riders in the field, last year’s Junior European Champion, Irish Tabitha Kyle.
Melinda Schlezák, chair of the jury. Kristóf Szotyori Nagy, president of the Hungarian Equestrian Federation; Brigadier General Ernő Baráth, State Secretary for Human Resources Policy, and Nader Najari, owner of Zsolnay Porcelain Manufactory Ltd., congratulated the podium finishers and placed riders.
Results: CSIO3* World Cup Grand Prix 1.55 m presented by the Ministry of Defence
- 1. Tabitha Kyle (IRE) – Desterly
- 2. Max Kühner (AUT) – Kurt D Z
- 3. René Tebbel (UKR) – Paulus-L
- 4. Dömse Tamás – Conquistador
- 5. Carron Nicol (GBR) – RRH Out of the Blue
- 6. Dominika Gaalova (SVK) – Quarz du Coeur des Collines
- 7. Mráz Tamás – Viva Cent
- 8. Logan Fiechter (NED) – Apphire H Z
- … 13. Ifj. Szuhai Gyula – Lawisangos
- … 15. Fekete György – Kahuna
- … 33. Szentirmai Ferenc – Final Message PS
- … 37. Horváth Balázs – Cornetto du Lys PS
- … 39. Burucs Borbála – Miami de Garder
- 40. Szuhai Péter – Corbluecenta
- … 43. Jármy Vince – JB Koronaőr
- … 47. Lengyel Róbert – Diana by Boris
- … 49. Ifj. Kövy András – Quito
Photo: CSIO Budapest / Krisztina Hajdu