David Will (GER) and Forest Gump were victorious in the €50,000 Empresa Media sponsored jump-off class CSI 5* yesterday during the Global Champions Playoffs at the O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic.

Passionate crowds at the O2 Arena added to the exceptional atmosphere for this afternoon’s CSI 5* 1.50m class, many supporting local rider Anna Kellnerova (CZE) who delivered a spell-binding performance to finish in 5th. Spectators were kept on the edge of their seats with the tricky Czech flag plank wall caused many horses to double take on approach and all kinds of upsets.

From the outset Uliano Vezzani’s masterful 12 obstacle course racked up four superb clear rounds; Marlon Zanotelli (BRA) and Sirene de la Motte, Julien Epaillard (FRA) and Usual Suspect d’Auge, Pieter Devos (BEL) and Claire Z, Puis Schwizer and Living The Dream secured their place in the hotly contested jump-off.

Home crowd hero Ales Opatrny (CZE) and VDL Fakir threaded their way precisely through the course. The entire O2 Arena was behind them to the last but the delicate beige plank caught VDL Fakir off-guard, meaning the pair would have to settle for four faults. Thankfully, talented Anna Kellnerova (CZE) with Silverstone G redeemed the home crowd’s spirit, stylishly completing her clear round in 67.93 seconds.

13 talented combinations made it through to the nail-biting jump-off. Fence 1, the skinny Rolls Royce vertical received much attention causing consternation for a number of riders.

David Will (GER) & Forest Gump

Will and the 12-year-old bay Oldenburg gelding (Forsyth x Feuerwerk) took the lead for good in the jump-off after clearing all the 1.50m obstacles and crossing the finish line without having any penalties attributed to them and in 32.58 seconds.

Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) & Arera C

It was as close as it gets since Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and Arera C (Indoctro x Voltaire) were only fourteen-hundredths of a second behind, enough for silver honors.

Pius Schwizer (SUI) & Living the Dream

Pius Schwizer (SUI) and Living the Dream (Toulon x Flamenco de Semilly) completed the podium, backed by two penalty-free performances, the decisive one just twelve-hundredths of a second slower than the latter two.

Anna Kellnerova (CZE) and Silverstone G gave the home crowd something to cheer for, going clear but not quite fast enough to feature on the podium in 34.53 seconds.

Final Placings:

Place / Rider / Country / Horse / Faults / Time

1) David Will (GER) & Forest Gump – 0 / 0 – 32.58

2) Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) & Arera C – 0 / 0 – 32.70

3) Pius Schwizer (SWE) & Living The Dream – 0 / – 32.82

4) Marlon Módolo Zanotelli (BRA) & Sirene de La Motte – 0 / 0 – 33.97

5) Anna Kellnerova (CZE) & Silverstone G – 0 / 0 – 34.53

6) Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) & First One – 0 / 0 – 35.24

7) Jérôme Guery (BEL) & Garfield de Tiji des Templiers – 0 / 4 – 33.24

8) Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA) & Driandria – 0 / 4 – 35.10

9) Pieter Devos (BEL) & Claire Z – 0 / 4 – 35.74

10) Christian Kukuk (GER) & Lukas – 0 / 4 – 38.24

11) Laura Klaphake (GER) & Bantou Balou – 0 / 4 – 46.91

12) Julien Epaillard (FRA) & Usual Suspect d’Auge – 0 / 0 – 32.86