The nineteen riders competing in this Château d’Esclans class had to go fast, probably even faster than usual, but none of them had any major problems. Twelve of them were qualified for the jump-off: let’s just say that in this second part of the class, the riders were going faster than ever to have the best time. The Saudi Sheikh Samir Mirdad, the winner of a class yesterday in this same CSI 2*, went into the lead in the provisional line-up, before being replaced by the young British rider Alena Hughes. Second last to go, the Netherlands’ Lauren van Berkel went into the ring with the bit between her teeth, and jumped a lightening, very smooth round, and was almost a second faster than the young British rider. “I honestly didn’t expect to have such a fast time! All the other competitors before me had been so quick that I didn’t think that I could go any faster. But my mare was amazing. Prele du Chanois is intelligent, thinks a lot when she’s in the ring and it’s terrific that she’s still in such great shape at sixteen-years-old. Maybe her French pedigree has something to do with all her qualities (laughs). I’ve been riding her for 10 years: in the past we jumped bigger courses, but as she is getting on, I’m less demanding with her. I’m loyal to the Longines Athina Onassis Horse Show, and I can even say that it’s my favourite show. The facilities are exceptional,” she explained after the prize-giving ceremony.
