Audi Masters International showjumping

[lucretia]

scores are here http://www.scg-nl.nl/ nick skelton, michael whitaker and jane davies for us, denis lynch is also there so is albert zoer and my favourite french person Kevin Staut.
might be a video feed i will look if SJFAN doesnt beat me too it. skelton has already been in the money x

 

[SJFAN]

Thanks - I'd forgotten to post sites yesterday - doesn't look as if there will be live video. For other shows see next post.

 

[tigers_eye]

Was there last night to watch the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final - what a show! I can honestly say it was the best live class I've ever seen. First they chauffered the riders into the ring in 4 audi's, with a quick run down of who they were, then stood them on a large podium and the (very knowledgable, gaffe-free) commentators interviewed them in 3 or 4 languages, not much but interesting questions. Then the commentators walked and talked the course for us. They all jumped the first round, then faults and time decided the order for the second, timed round. Ludger and Steve had a bad evening, but the jumping was phenomenal, and we were very priveledged to see Eric Lamaze and Hickstead who was jumping for the first time since the Olympics. It was a fantastic victory for Michel Robert and his very sweet mare, he was the only one to stay on a 0 score, although Edwina Alexander freely admitted she was furious with herself for having a time fault in the first round. Markus Ehning was third with Plot Blue. Meredith and Shutterfly couldn't hold it together in the second round, he nearly jumped her off at the 3rd and it went downhill from there. She'd fallen off Le Mans earlier so didn't have a good day. Would thoroughly recommend a visit to anyone next year, much better than Olympia. My favourite pictures:

The very interestingly marked Quidam de Revel-offspring, ride of Peter Wylde in the Rolex Classic 155.

A lovely French horse, Labrador something was his name:

Ludo and Winningmood:

One of my all time favourites, Sandro Boy:

The winner, Laura Kraut and her enchanting mare Miss Independant - the mare never stopped playing with her bottom lip, even during her round!

Receiving her prize from Justine Henin:

From the top-10 final; course designer (Conrad somebody, can't remember his last name) ducking to talk to Markus Ehning through a fence, wish I'd been at a better angle for this!

New dad Gerco Schroder:

Meredith, who had a rather diva-ish moment telling a cameraman to stop following her whilst she was walking the course

:

Little and large, Markus and Ludger:

Jos:

Michel:

Albert, who was still limping very badly:

Jos and Silvana:

Gerco and Seattle:

Steve and Tresor:

Albert and Sam:

Ludger and Coupe de Coeur:

The reigning Olympic champions:

Shutterfly:

The prize giving (nobody got up and left before the prize giving, everyone clapped til they couldn't, and everyone stood for the Marseillaise):

Whilst the other prizes were being handed out Michel rode up to the barrier and let everyone stroke his horse:

Edwina and Itot du Chateau, he's TINY!

 

[lucretia]

great pictures Tiger i am well jealous i was not there! Michael roberts is a god and in fact Hickstead has jumped several times since the olympics including at caen in france and i think also at spruce when Arko won. that horse has certainly clocked up some airmiles.
i was wondering how that class ran and now i know so thanks for the info as well.
as for shutterfly, it seems to me he thinks these fun classes are for him to have fun!! and he did win both the big classes at the german masters show last week bless him!

 

[LynneB]

thank you for those they are wonderful photos

I love greys but isn't Sandro Boy gorgeous! It looked a lot of fun and I have to say having now seen one, I would not turn my nose up at an Audi Cabriolet

 

[tigers_eye]

I have to say, they are not my favourite combination to watch, although there is no doubting the legendary status of the partnership. Re Hickstead I think the commentators must have been hamming up the fact that he hadn't yet jumped the horse at this show, but they were certainly making it sound like the horse hadn't jumped since the games. God it's a hot-head! But very impressive. Another horse I liked in the flesh was Philippe Lejeune's Vigo d'Arsouilles, he was in the earlier class and it can really operate off any stride without the slightest bother. Looks like a great Nations Cup/Championships type. What was also great was they made the warm-up a real centre-piece, all the trade stands were arranged around it, with a walkway to the stables and another to the ring. Some lurvely stands too! Def one for your diary next year L.

Breeze - nope, I wouldn't mind santa bringing one either

!

 

[lucretia]

i think so too, i shall put it in now and hope i can get a reporting job for it!

 

[TarrSteps]

Hickstead definitely jumped in France because there was a big fuss over him missing the big end of year outdoor show north of Toronto just after the Olympics. But Eric is right up there in the Championship table so all power to him for chasing a first spot on top of his gold. The horse also won the $100,000 CN FEI WC Qualifier at The Royal, which I can testify to in person

, giving Eric the Leading Canadian and Leading International and the Whitaker Award. And he did jump at Spruce, in both the big GP and the Nation's Cup. How odd that they would say he's not jumped when he's actually crossed the ocean twice since the summer.

All that said, though, what fabulous photos - it looks like it was a fantastic class!