William Funnell and Billy Congo take Second in €285,000 Monte Carlo Global Champions Tour Grand Prix

Sunday 30 June 2013

William Funnell and Billy Congo take Second in €285,000 Monte Carlo Global Champions Tour Grand Prix

In a spectacular jump off in front of a full house at Monte Carlo’s Port Hercule arena, William Funnell riding the Billy Stud’s Billy Congo, secured second place in last night’s €285,000 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco presented by HSBC Private Bank.

The compact arena was buzzing with packed VIP lounges and spectators crowded into the stands to catch the action. HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco, Princess Caroline of Hannover, Charlotte Casiraghi as well as French actor's Guillaume Canet and Mario Cotillard all attended. It was clear this week's Longines Global Champions Tour event of Monaco was the must-attend sport's event of Monte Carlo.  It was standing room only in the street alongside the arena as guests on super yachts moored in the harbour also caught a glimpse of the show jumping.

In the end only three riders made it through to the jump off which had the crowds on the edge of their seats.  The first round track offered its fair share of challenges and a few combinations were caught in the triple combination but the last fence, a tall unassuming HSBC vertical, was without a doubt the most challenging fence on course. Set at 1.60m high on very flat cups, the fence required the exact distance and preparation in order to jump clear.

Australia's Amy Graham was the first in the ring aboard her grey stallion Bella Baloubet, and jumped clear within the time allowed. Great Britain’s Yazmin Pinchen also delivered a superb  clear round aboard her mother, Nancy’s home-bred gelding Van de Vivaldi, but an unfortunate single time fault would eventually stand in her way of progressing through to the next round.  Amy held onto the sole clear round for an astounding 30 horses before Italy's Juan Carlos Garcia earned the second ‘clean sheet’ score. Clear rounds then followed from Richard Spooner, Great Britain’s William Funnell , Edwina Tops-Alexander, Lauren Hough and Christina Liebherr.

The second round proved to be equally challenging with only three combinations producing clear rounds. Edwina Tops-Alexander was the first rider to deliver a clear score aboard her beautiful black stallion Guccio. William Funnell and Billy Congo came through directly afterwards to earn the second double clear of the evening. Home-bred and produced by William, Billy Congo has certainly performed very well over the last three Longines Global Champions Tour events, with a fourth place finish in London and a second place finish in Cannes.  The final clear came from Richard Spooner and Cristallo, confirming a three way horse-and-rider jump off between Great Britain, Australia and the United States of America.

Edwina Tops-Alexander was first to go in the jump off however her hopes of victory would be ruined when Guccio refused the green-coloured vertical towards the end of the course. A surprising refusal from the black stallion would mean a 4 fault score for the leading Australian as well as three additional time faults.

William Funnell was next in the ring for Great Britain and there was no doubt that he intended on taking the Monaco title after a second place finish in Cannes. But alas a rail at the same fence where Edwina's Guccio refused to jump the first time round, meant that a four fault score would stand for the British combination.

Last but certainly not least, was the long-time combination of Richard Spooner and Cristallo. The 15 year old gelding, who won back-to-back here in Monaco in 2008 and 2009, all this combination would require to win was a clear round.  Despite being nearly six-seconds slower than William and Billy Congo, Richard ensured his third victory in Monaco with a calm and collected performance. Crossing the finish line with a time of 40.39 seconds, Richard was crowned the winner of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Monaco.

Speaking at the Press Conference afterwards William commented:

“It is wonderful to be here, to be involved in the Global Tour. I have had a great run and it has been a great opportunity to jump against the top horses and top riders. The crowds were big here and it was a bonus for me tonight”.

America’s Laura Kraut remains top of the overall Longines Global Champions Tour ranking on 132 points with Christian Ahlmann in second place on 124 points. But Edwina Tops-Alexander - 2011 and 2012 champion - has shot up to third position and only one point behind Christian. William Funnell has jumped to fourth place on 107 points and Luciana Diniz is in fifth on 106 points.

 
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