LONGINES MASTERS PARIS 2018 - European Leg Of The GRAND SLAM INDOOR SHOW JUMPING

USPA NEWS - Was held in the French Capital the "Longines Masters Paris 2018" from November 29 to December 02, 2018, being the European Leg of the Grand Slam Indoor of Show Jumping (where the Series initially started). Was held in the Aegis of the "Salon Du Cheval of Paris 2018" - November 24 to December 02, 2018.

Was held in the French Capital the "Longines Masters Paris 2018" from November 29 to December 02, 2018, being the European Leg of the Grand Slam Indoor of Show Jumping (where the Series initially started). Was held in the Aegis of the "Salon Du Cheval of Paris 2018" - November 24 to December 02, 2018. The Longines Masters of Paris, where the Series initially started, has become the Not-To-Be-Missed Event on the Capital's Sporting and Cultural Calendar, where Movie and TV Stars (some Riding in the Invitational and Prestige Trophies), Business Decision Makers and World Class Riders will be eager to gather.

** For the First Day, two Masters Three classes (CSI1*) were scheduled : the 1.15m Prix Institut Esthederm and the 1.25m Prix Asia Horse Week, both against the Clock. Twenty Year Old Louise Oeino won the First Class Riding Hirondel du Ri D´asse. With her Time of 54.19 Seconds, she just barely beat Serge Varsano who took both Second and Third. In the Prix Asia Horse Week, Belgium´s Christophe de Brabander won. He was already placed in the 1.15m Class. This Time Riding Geneve de Muze, he was Three Seconds ahead of his Runner-Up.

** The Second Day opened with the Riders of the Masters Three (CSI1 *). Louise Ameeuw, Daughter of Christophe Ameeuw, CEO of EEM and Creator of the Longines Masters Series, snatched the Victory in the Prix EEM.TV at 1.15m. She was the Fastest on this Course, with Bamako M'Aurea, and triumphed over South Africa´s Charlotte Stuart and Belgium´s Christophe de Brabander, with a Time of 25.82 Seconds in the Second Phase. In the Prix Lami-Cell (1.25m), the French National Anthem sounded for Thibault de la Lance and Qanaed'Helerin. Another French Rider took Second Place : Paloma de Crozals, followed by Greece´s Nikolaos Katsos in Third.

** Friday´s Masters Two (CSI2 *) also ran over Two Classes : the Prix Horse Pilot, a 1.35m Table A Two Phases Special and the Prix Ferretti a 1.45m Table A with Jump-Off. Both were won by French Riders. The First Class was dominated by Louis Bouhana, riding Unanime des Forêts. The Pair was One Second Faster than Nicolas Bost, the Olympic Champion's Son, who dropped down to Second Place after having lead a while. The Netherlands' Laetitia Surin comes Third. The Prix Ferretti, went to a Very Fast Marc Dilasser. Partnered with Indigo Blue Biolley, who is becoming more and more of a Regular at this Level of Competition, he scored an Impressive 38.04 Seconds. The Frenchman thus deprives Luxemburg's Charlotte Bettendorf of a Second Win (since she won the Hubside Masters Two Award the Day before); in 38.73 seconds, she just was not quite fast enough. France's Victoire Echelard ist hird in 39.24 Seconds.

** The Best Riders in the World started in the Prix de la Laiterie de Montaigu, on Friday's First Masters One Class. Twelve out of 45 Combinations managed a clear round over Frank Rothenberger's Course for the First Big Class of the Week-End. Five French Riders, Two Americans, One Swiss, One Belgian, One Australian and One Dutch came back to the Mythical Arena for a Jump-Off which turned out to be a France-Belgium Duel. Even though France's Alexis Deroubaix and Thierry Rozier were Fast and Clear, Belgium's Grégory Whatelet, (Winner of the Longines Grand Prix of Paris in 2016) settled the Debate with an Even Faster Clear, to win the Class with Iron Man van de Padenborre.

** The Masters Power Lido de Paris is a Favorite of the Crowd. This 6 Bars Class where Horses display all their Power lived up to the Spectators' Expectations and Suspense lasted until the Very Last Starter. As is often the Case in this Type of Class, Two Riders had to share First Spot : France's Simon Delestre and Ireland's Denis Lynch ! As a Matter of Fact, 4 Riders mounted the Podium - 2 on the First Step and 2 on the Third. Italy's Emanuele Gaudiano and France's Alexandre de Rothschild declined 5th Round with a Final Jump at 2.02 m. Even though Simon Delestre and Denis Lynch rose to the Challenge, they did not manage to clear this Impressive Height, hence this Joint Victory. The Four of Them had cleared the 1.92 Jump Perfectly.

** The Riders of the Masters Three had the Run of the Arena this Afternoon for the Prix Baobab Collection, a 1.15m Class with a Jump-Off. South Africa´s Charlotte Stuart came First with Vanda Chopard in 31.87 Seconds, over 2 Seconds Faster than Runner-Up Camille Decock for France. The Latter posted a Time of 34.24 Seconds with Scorpio d´Epic. Another French Rider, Frederic Hinderze, rounds off the Podium with Riesling d´Epte in 35.12 Seconds.

** Out of 36 Starters in the 1.50m Masters One CENECA, ten qualified for the Jump-Off. Second to go against the Clock, Kevin Staut did not leave his Rivals the Slightest Chance when he posted a Super Fast Clear in 43.54 Seconds. Even Frenchman Simon Delestre who was Last to go did not manage to Better his Time even though he gave it his all. Sadly (for him) he was 18 Hundredths of a Second Too Slow to take Top Spot with Chesall Zimequest. Germany's Daniel Deusser, in Top Form on the Indoor Circuit is Third with Cassini Bay in 46,85 Seconds after a somewhat Conservative Jump-Off. Edward Levy was the Fastest with Starlette de la Roque but Sadly had a Fence Down for 7th.

** The Riders Europe Team won a Third Riders Masters Cup in as Many Editions. An Introductory Speech by Former Olympic Champion, the Legendary Pierre Durand, Patron of the Riders Masters Cup, Astonishing Introduction of the Teams, Hymn sung by an Impressive Tenor for the USA and played to the Guitar in Jimmy Hendrix Style for Europe, a Wild Crowd. The Riders Europe Team dominated the First Half with Four Wins, but the Riders USA Team were still in the Running with a Slight Chance thanks to Jessica Springsteen's Win over the Youngest of Riders Europe Team Harry Charles. At Half-Time, the Score was 45 - 30. The Composition of the Five Duels was to be changed for Second Round in a Kind of Bluffing Match between Chefs d´Equipe, Robert Ridland and Philippe Guerdat.

First to choose, the European Coach had decided to set 2014 World Champion Maikel van der Vleuten, against 2018 World Champion, Laura Kraut in the First Duel. The Latter was barely 16" Faster, just enough to bring back her Team to 50 Points against Riders Europe's 55. The Second Duel, the "U25", was going to give an Advantage to the USA (70-65) after Lucas Porter beat Harry Charles by 10 Hundredths of a Second. Suddenly, Things weren't looking so Bright for the Riders Europe Team. But Eduardo Alvarez Aznar and Edward Lewy (with, in turn ; 16 Hundredths of a Second over Jessica Springsteen) gave a Decisive Advantage to the Europe Side (105 - 90). Daniel Deusser only had to finish his Round for the Riders Europe to win a Third Riders Masters Cup in a Row.

** Sunday (Last Day) was Grand Prix Day at the Longines Masters of Paris. Great Britain's Tess Carmichael was the First Winner of the Day Masters Three, le Grand Prix Top Jock ! Twenty Six Combinations started in the First Round of the 1.30m Grand Prix, Ten of which quualified for the Jump-Off. However, only Two managed to stay Clear over the Difficult Second Round against the Clock. Tess Carmichael was the Fastest in 37.60 Seconds to win the Grand Prix with Atlantis Pp Z, beating France's Claire Chaix who posted a Time of 39.20 Seconds with Univers de Maugre. Paloma de Crozals and Bergame de l'Yserand, were the Fastest in the Jump-Off, enough for Third despite a Fence Down.

** The Land Rover Grand Prix, Masters Two Grand Finale, kept its Promises. After the First Round of the Frank Rothenberger 1.45m Course, 18 of the 63 Starters had qualified for the Jump-Off. The French Side was in Top Form as it counted for Half of the Finalists. And Today's Lucky Winner is none other than hen Tony Cadet. The Breton posted Two Superb Rounds with his Grey Mare Tolede de Mescam. His Time of 36.03 in the Jump-Off put him completely Out of Reach of his Rivals. Qatar's Bassem Mohammed and Gunder are 91 Hundredths Slower for Second Place. Olivier Guillon, Winner of Two Classes this Weekend, is Third with Vitot du Château. He did try to Better the Other Frenchman's Time but only managed 38.10 Seconds. Still a Very Good Weekend for the Former World Reserve Champion who, with this Horse Among Others, should find his Way Back to 5* Level Next Season.

** The Second Queen of the Longines Masters of Paris is Australian ? Even though she is "Only" the Second Female Rider to win the Longines Grand Prix of Paris (and even a Longines Grand Prix of the Whole Series) she is the First Australian, the First Non-European actually, to triumph in the Main Class of the Paris Leg. An Adventure Australia's Edwina Alexander just embarked on as she was the Fastest of the Three Clears with California even though she feared she had not been Fast Enough to beat Italy's Alberto Zorzi and Contanga. In the End, the Pair was a mere 36 Hundredths Slower.

** It is Fair to say that this 10th Anniversary Edition ended in Fine Style... Meanwhile, it's Off to Hong Kong from February 15th to 17th for the Second Leg of the Longines Masters' Season IV.

Source : Longines Masters Paris @ Paris Nord Villepinte - From November 29 To December 02, 2018

Ruby BIRD
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Yasmina BEDDOU
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