Šamorín, Slovakia – July 21, 2019 – Not even gale-force winds could prevent Pierre Marie Friant (FRA) and Urdy d’Astree from a well- earned victory in the €93,300 Grand Prix CSI 4*, presented by Energochemica yesterday during the first week of the X-Bionic® Summer Tour (July 16 – 21, 2019) at the X-Bionic Equestor Sphere in Samorin, Slovakia.

The top 11 combinations from a field of 42 competitors were invited back for the jump-off round, where the French rider and the 11-year-old Selle Français gelding (Bouffon du Murier*Janssen x Pamphile) became the fastest of only three, double-clear rounds to earn the win.

Pierre Marie Friant (FRA) & Urdy d’Astree

“I knew my horse is really fast and really careful, and I rode the course the way I knew that he would like,” Friant said after the class. “It’s the first time that I’ve been at the X-Bionic® Summer Tour. It’s far from my home, but it’s a really nice show, and I’m really happy to be here.”

Despite a blanket of clouds in the sky and seasonably warm temperatures, a steady wind put extra pressure on the jump crew and riders, alike, during the competition’s first round. Second to last to go in Round 1, Friant blazed around Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani’s (ITA) neatly winding, 1.60m track, becoming the new leader and the last of nine clears headed into the second round. The final two riders would qualify for the jump-off on a single time fault.

Tobias Meyer (GER) & Quintair

Vezzani’s second round track offered two rollback turns, the first of which dared competitors to cut the approach back to a related distance to the combination. The tightness of the field put extra pressure on, and of the first seven riders to try their luck on the shortened course, only Holger Wenz (GER) would jump clear, finishing on a single time fault from the first round. Next up, Tobias Meyer (GER) became the first double-clear of the day with Quintair (Quintero x Con Air 7), finishing on a time of 39.95, which would ultimately hold for third place.

Paris Sellon (USA) and event director Denis Monticolo during the awards ceremony

U.S. rider Paris Sellon (USA), continuing a standout week in Šamorín—including a third-place finish in Friday’s Respect 1.50m Grand Prix qualifier—earned another smooth, fast clear in 39.67 seconds aboard the 11-year-old Swedish mare Cassandra (Caressini L x Cardento).

Sellon’s countryman, Lucas Porter (USA), would follow on C Hunter (Cassini II / Corland, pulling an unfortunate rail to add four penalty-points to his score. The pressure was then on Friant, last to go, who maximized Urdy d’Astree’s natural speed across the ground, finding a tidy track in the second rollback turn and shaving a full second and a half off Sellon’s time, stopping the clock at 37.37 seconds.

Pierre Marie Friant (FRA) event director Denis Monticolo during the awards ceremony

“My horse, in the beginning of the week, I knew I wanted to try and make him better for the big prize— to qualify, for sure, but also to try to win,” said Friant, adding that he’s delighted that the results paid off on Sunday.

Pierre Marie Friant (FRA)

This is the second big win for Friant, 30, and the Jean Guillaume-owned Urdy d’Astree in less than a month, having also ridden to victory in the 1.50m CSI 4* ranking class at Hubside Jumping in June. Paired together since 2014, Friant produced Urdy d’Astree up through the ranks himself, earning a number of top results this season, including this first, international win at the 1.60m level in Šamorín.

For full results, please click here.

Source: Press release from Nico Villanti / Denis Monticolo Events Management for X-Bionic Equestor Sphere

Photos: © X-Bionic® Equestor Sphere