The Swiss missed their chance in the Sunday Grand Prix of the CHI Geneva.
Martin Fuchs, who dreamed of a sumptuous double after his success in the Top 10 Final on Friday on Leone Jei, finished 8th and best Swiss in an event won by Harrie Smolders and Monaco.
Brilliant throughout the week with two other successes obtained on Thursday in the Geneva Trophy (with Conner Jei) and Saturday in a time jump (on Commissar Pezi), Martin Fuchs perhaps asked too much of Leone Jei. The second obstacle of the dam was thus already fatal to the Zurich resident and his mount.
However, the couple had perfectly managed the first course of this Grand Prix, one of the four labeled Grand Slam with Aachen, ‘s-Hertogenbosch and Calgary. But he destroyed the first oxer of the jump-off, Fuchs then losing any chance of triumphing for the third time in this Geneva GP.
First starter in this jump-off, Harrie Smolders made everyone agree by completing this immaculate course in 41”74. The Italian Giulia Martinengo Marquet, 2nd on Delta Del’isle, took two seconds more! Fourth with Ilex, McLain Ward achieved 41”48 but knocked down the final pole.
Guerdat gives up
Martin Fuchs is the only Swiss rider to be invited to a jump-off which brought together 10 competitors. Geneva’s Edouard Schmitz and Gamin narrowly missed qualifying for this “jump-off”, ranking 14th with one fault. Just like Romain Duguet, 21st on Hunger Games with 4 points also
Yet confident after his victory in the Geneva Cup with Venard de Cerisy on Saturday, Steve Guerdat failed more clearly. He quickly felt that Dynamix de Belheme was not having a great day. The Jura native, who won silver at the Paris Olympics on this mare, gave up after his third pole.
Note that French-speaking riders shone in the other disciplines of equestrian sport at Palexpo. Jérôme Voutaz took 3rd place in the World Cup driving round on Sunday, won by Australian Boyd Exell, while Mélody Johner won the cross-country race on Friday.
This article was automatically published. Source: ats
