Gregory Wathelet & Iron Man van de Padenborre are the Super Heroes in €100,000 Le Saut Hermès CSI 5* at Paris

By Jumper News on 20 20America/Sao_Paulo March 20America/Sao_Paulo 2022

Paris, France – March 19, 2022 – The main event of this second day of competition, the Saut Hermès CSI 5* saw the eight best female riders and the ten best male riders from yesterday’s Prix Hermès Sellier CSI 5* doing battle. The final ranking for this 1m55 class was decided from the cumulative scores of the two rounds and the time of the second round. In the first round, eight horse and rider pairs went clear.

**Christian Ahlmann** (GER) & **Mandato van de Neerheide**

German athlete Christian Ahlmann (GER) set the pace as the first rider to deliver a double clear in 42’’84. However, he was immediately relegated to second place by Belgian rider Gregory Wathelet (BEL) riding Iron Man van de Padenborre (42’’69).

**Gregory Wathelet** (BEL) & **Iron Man van de Padenborre**

“I was lucky to go just after Christian and see his performance, so I knew I’d have to take some strides out to be faster, especially with some serious contenders still to go! Iron Man was fantastic. In the second round, I took some risks tackling fence No.1 and he just nudged it. For the rest of the course, he jumped amazingly and everything went as planned.”

**Edwina Tops-Alexander** (AUS) & **Catenda**

The third and final rider to secure a double clear, Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) completed the podium. Paired with the mare Catenda, she crossed the finish line in 50’’44.

Hermès partner rider Simon Delestre (FRA) also shone for France. Bagging four points in the first round, the double Grand Prix Hermès champion went clear in the second round, which was quick enough to hoist him up into fifth place (47’’09) behind Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli, fourth on Kalinka van de Nachtegaele (0/4 in 46’’49).

Leading after the first round, Kevin Staut (FRA) was the last to take the start in the second round. Unfortunately, he ended up in seventh place after knocking down two fences on his mare Tolede de Mescam Harcour.