Kevin Staut (centre), winner of the Dohan CSI5* 1.50/1.55m event on the opening day of the Longines Globle Champions Tour, celebrates on the podium with Scott Brash and Roger-Yves Bost at the Longines Arena At Al Shaqab, yesterday.
French riding star Kevin Staut yesterday underlined his intentions from the get-go as he guided Visconti du Telman to a classy win on day one of the new Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) season at the iconic Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
The 39-year-old Frenchman looked in solid form as his 11-year-old ride powered to a top time of 63.55 seconds in the 1.55m competition. Staut bagged the top prize of €13,750.
Staut finished narrowly ahead of popular British rider Scott Brash who was in the saddle with Hello Shelby.
Brash ended the competition just 0.11 seconds slower than Staut as Hello Shelby clocked 63.66 seconds. The second place finish was worth €11,000.
The third fastest time yesterday was posted by French rider Roger-Yves Bost, astride Castleforbes Talitha who clocked 64.18 seconds.
Ireland’s Shane Breen (Compelling Z, 64.54 seconds, €5,500) and Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (Best Boy, 65.95 seconds, €3,850) completed the top five out of 42 entries.
Earlier yesterday, Norwegian rider Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen emerged the first winner in the opening round of the world’s richest show jumping series when he guided Chaloubet to a commanding victory in the two-phased 1.45m class.
The 12-year-old gelding clocked a time of 38.80 seconds as the 24-year-old rider - who was the last rider in the pecking order - picked up the top prize of €6,350 at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
“I was last to go so I had to try. My horse jumped fantastic and hopefully, I can bring this good feeling with me tomorrow and Saturday,” a delighted Gulliksen said after the presentation ceremony.
In second spot was Belgium’s Jos Verlooy, astride Varoune.
The 24-year-old sealed his spot after his 12-year-old ride clocked a time of 39.91 seconds against clock. Verlooy won €5,080.
Wilm Vermeir, also of Belgium, guided King Kong d’Avifauna to a third-place finish in a time of 40.50 seconds. Vermeir got richer by €3,810.
Belgium’s Jerome Guery (Eras Ste Hermelle, 40.71 seconds, €2,540) and Roger-Yves Bost (Castleforbes Talitha, 40.94 seconds, €1,778) completed the top five out of 45 entries.
In what should be a moral-boosting performance, last week’s CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix winner Daniel Deusser finished in sixth spot in a time of 41.19 seconds with Kiana van het Herdershof.
The proceedings kicked off with popular Australian rider Edwina Tops-Alexander who enjoyed a flawless routine in the first phase but got stalled by two faults in the second phase with Identity Vitseroel.
Qatari rider Qatari rider Rashid Towaim Ali Al Marri, showed a flawless routine with Flaire, but the home hope could not match the pace of the winner on the day (51.60 seconds).
Also yesterday, St Tropez Pirates kicked of the Global Champions League team competition in style by taking the lead ahead of tomorrow’s feature event.
St Tropez Pirates (136.29 seconds) - featuring Pieter Davos and Deusser - were one of eight teams to produce flawless routines.
“We had a very good start, a nice clear. I’m very happy with my new team-mate Daniel who gave us a lot of confidence for the start of the season,” Davos said.
Deusser said: “It’s a new season, new challenge, new team, we have a very good team but we need to produce the results.”
Scandinavian Vikings (136.51 seconds) - with the pair of Evelina Tovek and Henrik von Eckermann - finished in second place, just a second slower than St Tropez Pirates.
London Knights - featuring twin brothers Olivier Philippaerts and Nicola Philippaerts - impressed with the third fastest time of 141.88 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Laffan won the team event of the Al Shaqab Internation Cup ahead of Al Uddaid and Al Maida.
Laffan managed an overall time of 132.02 seconds to bag the top prize of QR 39,000. Al Uddaid clocked 143.82 seconds (with 4 faults) to win QR 31,000.
Third-placed Al Maida (141.71 seconds, 8 faults) won QR 21,000 in the 115cm class.
In today’s action at Longines Arena at Al Shaqab, the proceedings will start with two rounds of Longines Hathab Series (one round against the clock and accumulator with joker). Both events will feature 55 entries.
The first five-star competition - offering a prize bag €50,200 - will begin at 3:45pm. The day’s feature event kicks off at 7:30pm with a whopping €145,800 on offer to the best riders in the 1.55m class.
A total of 50 riders from 15 countries will be seen in action over the next two days as well.
The Qatar leg is one of 18 events to be held this year including the GC Prague Playoffs to be staged at the end of the year.
What started as a six-stop series in 2006 now has millions of fans around the world with LGCT events held around iconic locations like Miami, Madrid, Cannes, Monaco, Paris, London, Rome and New York.
Class 01: Dohan CSI5* 1.45m
Two Phases: A + A, 2nd Phase Against the Clock
RK Rider/Horse Time Prize Money
1 Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen / Chaloubet 38.80 €6,350
2 Jos Verlooy / Varoune 39.91 €5,080
3 Wilm Vermeir / King Kong d'Avifauna 40.50 €3,810
4 Jérôme Guery / Eras Ste Hermelle 40.71 €2,540
5 Roger-Yves Bost / Castleforbes Talitha 40.94 €1,778
Class 02: Dohan CSI5* 1.50/1.55m
GCL Team Competition Round 1 - Table A: Against the Clock
1 Kevin Staut / Visconti du Telman 63.55 €13,750
2 Scott Brash / Hello Shelby 63.66 €11,000
3 Roger-Yves Bost / Castleforbes Talitha 64.18 €8,250
4 Shane Breen / Compelling Z 64.54 €5,500
5 Henrik von Eckermann / Best Boy 65.95 €3,850
Today's programme
09:00 National: Accumulative 1.00/1.15m (QR10,000)
13:00 National: Against-the-clock 1.20/1.30m
(QR20,000 - individual & QR20,000 - teams)
15:45 CSI 5* Against-the-clock 1.50m (€51,100)
19:30 CSI 5* Against-the-clock with jump-off
1.50/1.55m (€148,500)
TOMORROW
09:55 National: Against-the-clock 1.15/1.25m
(QR15,000)
12:15 National: Against-the-clock 1.30/1.45m
(QR35,000)
14:45 CSI5* GCL of Doha Round 2 - 1.50/1.55m
(€95,000)
18:15 CSI 5* Longines Global Champions Tour Grand
Prix of Doha - 1.60m (€375,000)
