The show was on for the Indoor Cross presented by Tribune de Genève on this Saturday afternoon ! After driving, jumping and dressage, it was the fourth discipline to enter the CHIG arena. Speed, impressive obstacles and Palexpo's famous lake, within an ideal time of 150 seconds. This timing created a lot of suspense until the very end of the competition.
Alexander Bragg and his outstanding Alcatraz, who together performed brilliantly in front of an enthusiastic audience, were temporarily at the top of the standings. The Englishmen finished without any mistake and very close to the ideal time (1'48 "16, so just 1''84 away), but the Irishman Padraig McCarthy (Rosemaber Lancuest) took the spotlight away from him in the end. On his first participation in an indoor cross Padraig showed a perfect ride and he ended up ... in the lead with a tight margin of only two 2 hundredths of a second (1'51"82, or 1"82 over the ideal time) .Thanks to the victory of the Vice World Champion in the team and in the individual, the Irish Hymn was played for the first time at CHI Geneva. The 41-year-old eventing rider apparently did not think he could win this competition, as at the price giving ceremony, he seemed not knowing in which direction he should lead the lap of honor, so the other awardees had to show him the way. Second on the podium was Maxime Livio, ahead of 2017 winner Karim Florent Laghouag, and Caroline Gerber as best Swiss on the eighth place.
In the evening jumping was on the program again. Forty-six of the world's best riders competed in the Credit Suisse Challenge, bringing Kent Farrington, just excellent on Creedance, back on track precisely the right time at this year’s CHI Geneva. The American, who won the Rolex Grand Prix here last year, will defend his title on Sunday. "Geneva is one of my favorite tournaments, and the crowd is just great," he said after his victory. "I am very happy to have won here and of course I hope to be able to perform as well in the Grand Prix." Irishman Bertram Allen (Gk Casper) finished second, ahead of World Champion Simone Blum. The German completed the course with only one stirrup (after a stirrup strap had broken!). But that’s not all: At obstacle No. 10, the middle pole fell, but however, since the top pole remained in the cups and the obstacle had not changed in width or height, she did not get any penalty. Finally, as the best Swiss Martin Fuchs classified in fifth place.
