Matt Sampson wins €30,000 Grand Prix at Oliva Nova
Monday 06 November 2017
Matt Sampson and the 11 year-old mare Gloria van Zuuthoeve, owned by David McPherson and Guy Ooms, delivered another GB Grand Prix win at the Autumn MET Tour in Spain at the Oliva Nova.
The 1.45m course was contested by sixty-two starters with fifteen of them jumping clear in the first round which had been designed by Werner Deeg (GER). Matt, who was one of the earlier riders to come forward in the jump off, set an incredibly fast clear in a time of 43.77 seconds for others to try and beat.
Try as they might, the standard set by Matt and Gloria van Zuuthoeve proved impossible for the rest of the field to catch with their closest threat coming from Cassandra Orschel with Acanthya (POL). Stopping the clock clear in 45.36 seconds they took 2nd place whilst Amy Inglis with Wishes, the 9 year-old chestnut mare that she won Team Gold and Individual Bronze with at the Young Rider European Championships this year, took 3rd with their clear in 47.78 seconds.
Brits dominated the class with Dan Neilson and Major Delacour, David McPherson and Camall along with Jess Dimmock and Cassius Clay taking 4th, 5th and 6th place respectively with their double clears.
Talking afterwards a delighted Matt said “She has a huge stride and the way the course was built really suited us today”.
For full results http://online.equipe.com/en/class_sections/274700
1svujitxhxur8.jpg "Great Britain command victory in the Pony Nations Cup of Compiegne")
.jpg "Thrilling Weekend Kickstarts the STX-UK Pony British Novice Championship Second Round")