Edwina Tops-Alexander (C) poses on the podium with HE Sheikha Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani (extreme right) and others after winning the CSI5* Grand Prix of Al Shaqab at the Al Shaqab outdoor arena yesterday.
By Chris Hoover/Doha
Australian rider Edwina Tops-Alexander and Lintea Tequila won the CSI5* Grand Prix of Al Shaqab at the Al Shaqab outdoor arena yesterday. The World's leading lady rider and two-time Global Champions Tour season winner took the top prize of 165,000 euros for her winning effort.
Edwina made a slow and comfortable start in the first round with a clear round and a timing of 80.71, but came back with a confident effort in the second round with another clear round and a timing of 59.43, which qualified the champ for the jump off.
The Australian was confidence personified as she ventured into the jump off and completed a clear round in an unbeatable time of 38.86 seconds. Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs on Clooney 51 played it safe and took his time in the jump off and completed it in 48.34 seconds to take the second place. Though Italian Emanuele Gaudiano did the jump off course in 38.97, he accumulated four faults and had to be content with third place. “It is fantastic victory in such a wonderful arena. I’m extremely fortunate to have a horse like this. I’ve had some amazing horses in my lifetime. Jan has supported me strongly. In the beginning we were not sure how fast she is going. But I have good a vibe with her,” Edwina told the Gulf Times
“This was the first time that I jumped over the water and this kind of combination. But the atmosphere was good and the horses were jumping off the ground well. Jan and I had some plans for this event and I’m extremely pleased that it came off very well.”
Fuchs was satisfied with his second place. “Clooney is super horse. He is nine years old. It is the first time that he went by the plane. We said we should do this show as the flight is short. I brought him here and he was feeling very good right from the first day. He beat some of the fast horses in the first big show. He cleared all the three rounds. I did not want to take any risk and was happy to finish my round in the second place.” The world’s best riders were part of this championship which had a prize money of 500,000 euros for the top 18 finishers. On the list of riders were the two of the top three in the world; Scott Brash, and Daniel Deusser. Other famous names included Kevin Staut, Steve Guerdat and Gerco Schr?der. Sweden’s Patrik Kittel took the first place in the International Dressage Competition Grand Prix Freestyle to Music. Kittel, who had finished second to Carl Hester on Friday, made amends for that failure while garnering 77.275 points as against Britain’s Carl Hester who collected 76.725, who had to be content with third place. Denmark’s Anders Dahl was third with 75.300.
Shaqab Executive director Fahad al-Qahtani was elated after successfully hosting the third edition of CHI AL SHAQAB. “It was an amazing week. It could not have been better. I want to thank all the people, who have been involved in this, for making this an exceptional show. Right from the day, when we had the vaulting, it has been exceptional. We keep talking to the media and spectators and we have got some wonderful and positive feedback from them.”