Opglabbeek Grand Prix Round Up
Sunday 14 May 2017
The youth teams competing under the title sponsor banner of Team NAF completed the final day of the show at Sentower Park, Opglabbeek in Belgium today with the Pony, Junior and Young Rider Grand Prix’s taking place.
Aimee Jones, with the 13 year-old bay gelding Never Last was the highest placed Brit in the Young Rider Grand Prix with a 3rd place finish. Only three double clears were achieved in the competition which saw almost fifty combinations come forward. Aimee, who produced one of them, posted a jump off time of 46.70 seconds, which secured her 3rd place behind Kim Hoogenraat (NED) and Caesar who jumped clear in 44.75 to claim the victory and Megane Moissonnier (FRA) with Saratoga Bois Margot who took 2nd with a time of 45.83 seconds.
Bethanie Knight with the 9 year-old gelding Quenotte and James Whitaker with Glenavadra Brilliant, a 14 year-old chestnut gelding took 5th and 6th place respectively.
The Junior Grand Prix brought with it a 4th place finish for Scarlett Charles with the 11 year-old bay mare Sacree du Rouet. Scarlett, who once again delivered a double clear in a hard fought thirteen strong jump off, posted a time of 36.33 seconds which was just a fraction of a second slower than Matias Larocca (SUI) and Gde Matrix who took the win. With less than two seconds dividing the top six places it gives an insight into how tight the competition was with Simon Morssinkhof (BEL) taking 2nd place with Perigross in 35.33 seconds and lars Kersten (NED) with H-Cassino taking 3rd in a time of 36.03 seconds. Scarlett’s time was enough to relegate Harry Allen (IRE) into 5th and Clement Gras (FRA) in 6th.
The Pony Grand Prix was dominated by Ireland who took the first three places in the form of Kate Derwin with Cul Ban Mistress, Ciaran Nallon and Rexter d’Or and Lucy Shanahan with Caliber-de respectively. The only other rider to achieve a double clear was Filippa Hellstrom (SWE) with Carnhill Clover Lass before the placings went to those who posted the fastest clears in the jump off. Rose de Balana with Tricky Choice du Pena was the fastest of those when she stopped the clock in time of 31.97 seconds, the fastest time achieved in the competition. Eleanor Hall McAteer with the incredible Tixylix took 6th place securing a position for the Brits in the line-up with her 4 penalty jump off round a time of 33.10 seconds, the only rider to break the 35 second barrier.
For further information and for full results visit www.sentowerpark.com
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