The ten best riders in the world brought the Palexpo to vibrate this Friday night! The long-awaited Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final has attracted a large audience. To the great delight of the fans, who especially loved the performances of the two Swiss riders, the 18th final of this unique jumping competition was won by their favorite Steve Guerdat. Henrik von Eckermann and McLain Ward completed the podium.
The Frenchman Kevin Staut, the president of the IJRC, did not make it into the top 10 in the world rankings this year and could not defend his title from last year. After the first round seven pairs remained clear, so that the decision in the fight for victory would be made in the second round. The first to jump a double clear was the German Daniel Deusser with a ride that seemed very fast. But immediately afterwards Steve Guerdat set a new reference time. The winner of the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final in 2010 realized an exceptional round with a very fast time, that no following pair was able to beat anymore. "Alamo is a horse that has a fantastic gallop, and that's a decisive factor in such a competition," said the overjoyed Jurassian after his ride. "I am very happy with my performance, I could not have done much better in this final today, I am both touched and very happy with this great victory here in front of my home crowd."
In his first appearance in the Rolex IJRC Top 10 Final, the second Swiss Martin Fuchs, who finished fifth, also scored an excellent double clear round: "Today I've lost some time here and there, but on Sunday it will be another day, and I will be ready for the Grand Prix, and Clooney too! "
The results are available online: www.chi-geneve.ch/results/
The queen has been dethroned!
For so long, she was the undisputed number one in dressage in Geneva to beat, so it's hard to imagine Isabell Werth having to surrender her crown. Of course, not definitely, as she remains the outstanding queen of dressage at the time. But this weekend the German had to leave her usually first place even twice to her compatriot Jessica von Bredow-Werndl. For the first time on Thursday at the Grand Prix, and for the second time at the end of this evening's Freestyle, presented by Jiva Hill Stables, which marked the final of this year's dressage competitions. With her freestyle to music (from the movie La La Land), the young mother and her fabulous mare Dalera have demonstrated their complicity, their elegance and their obviously outstanding technique in front of a numerous audience. Local heroine Antonella Joannou and her faithful Dandy de la Roche CH finished in good 5th place.
