BEN MAHER & TRIPPLE X III WIN GLOBAL CHAMPS TOUR OF SPAIN, MICHAEL HOT SECOND!
Saturday 05 May 2012
Ben Maher with Tripple X III the ten-year-old stallion that he owns jointly with Quainton Stud has, this evening, won the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Spain along with 94,050EU of the prize fund available across the class.
Hot on his heels and slotting into second place was Michael Whitaker with the ten-year-old chestnut gelding Viking making them the only two competitors producing three clear jumping rounds across the thirty nine starters. With a total prize fund of almost 300,000EU, Michael also finished the class considerably better off by securing his 57,000EU share.
With five competitors having gone clear in the first round and all five going clear in the second the jump off was always going to be an exciting one to watch. Four nations contested the third and final with Ben and Michael being joined by Denis Lynch (IRE), Alvaro de Miranda (BR) and Penelope Leprevost (FR). However, with all three faulting it was GBR that led the way by producing the only clears in the final timed round with Michael finishing less than a second behind Ben as he came through the finish.
At the end of the class spectators gave the riders a standing ovation in recognition of the tremendous competition they had seen play out before .
A fantastic result for Great Britain in an incredibly strong class that saw some of the world’s best contest the generous prize fund on offer.
Further information on the Global Champions Tour and full results can be found at www.globalchampionstour.com
Photo - Courtesy of Alan Davison / GCT
