Martin Fuchs Stars in Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix at World Equestrian Center – Ocala
Martin Fuchs (SUI) emerged victorious from a star-studded field to win the $330,000 Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix CSIO5* on Thursday, March 21, at World Equestrian Center – Ocala (WEC) in Ocala, FL.
The best Jumping athletes in the world have converged at WEC – Ocala to contest the four-day Longines League of Nations™ event. Thursday’s featured competition saw 49 entries come forward to try their luck over the track set by Irish course designer Alan Wade. The clock proved to be just as challenging as the course itself, with five riders clearing all the obstacles only to pick up time faults for exceeding the 80-second time allowed.
In the end, five riders posted clear rounds to qualify for the jump-off. Kevin Staut of France opted to withdraw his mount, Beau de Laubry Z, from the tiebreaker, leaving four to battle it out for victory. The packed house was treated to show jumping sport at its finest, with Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam leading off with a clear round in a time of 39.44 seconds riding RR Combella. Up next, Fuchs used the huge stride of his long-time partner, Leone Jei, to his advantage and moved into the lead. The pair’s time of 36.68 seconds would hold up to the challenge from fellow Swiss rider, Steve Guerdat, who stopped the clock in 37.54 seconds for second place riding the relatively inexperienced Albfuehren’s Iashin Sitte, while the last to go, Callie Schott representing the United States, took third with a time of 37.88 seconds aboard Garant for owner Southern Arches LLC.
“Really a fantastic performance of Leone Jei tonight,” said Fuchs of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding (Baltic VDL x Corland) owned by Adolfo Juri. “He jumped fantastic both rounds; he felt really good. He was really working with me, and I felt like he enjoyed both rounds a lot.”
Fuchs will also saddle up Leone Jei for the Longines League of Nations™ and is hoping a win in the Lugano Diamonds Grand Prix will lead to a great performance for the Swiss team on Saturday.
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