Romeo 88 and Dexter Fontenis Z in the top 10 during the Lyon World Cup

After the shows in Oslo and Helsinki last month, another World Cup leg was scheduled last weekend with the five-star show of Equita Lyon. During the World Cup, the British rider Harry Charles managed to get into the spotlight again with the 14-year-old gelding Romeo 88, a son of Contact van de Heffinck and Orlando who was born at the home of the Ruant family as Champion Of Picobello Z and with whom Charles became 2nd during the CSIO5* GP of Dublin in August. Charles and Romeo 88 were one of the 14 combinations who stayed clear in the basic roud of the French course designer Gregory Bodo and so qualified for the jump-off. They again remained clear in that jump-off and with a finishing time of 35.34 seconds they secured a 4th place in the rankings.

After their 3rd place during last week's LGCT Grand Prix of Riyadh, this week another top ranking was reserved for the French rider Simon Delestre with his 10-year-old black gelding Dexter Fontenis Z, a son of Diarado and Voltaire who was bred by S.C.R.I. S. Ky Horses. Delestre and Dexter Fontenis Z also managed to qualify for the jump-off and with a finishing time of 34.01 seconds they also managed to do it even much faster than Charles and Romeo 88. Unfortunately, they got a fault on the very last obstacle, which meant they to settle for a 7th place in the rankins.

Who also managed to qualify for the jump-off during this World Cup was the Belgian rider Pieter Devos with the 9-year-old chestnut mare Jarina J, a breeding product of H.C.B.M. Janssen who combined the blood of our grey stallion Cicero Z with that of Harley VDL. Devos and Jarina J also provided a flawless round in the jump-off, which was good for a 5th place in the rankings.

On Saturday, the main class of the day was the Equita Masters presented by Hermes Sellier over a height of 1.60m and in this class there was a top 5 ranking for the Irish rider Richard Howley with the 8-year-old gelding Zodiak du Buisson Z, a son from Zirocco Blue VDL and Dutch Capitol Z who was bred in the Netherlands by Haras du Buisson. During both the first and the second round they kept all the poles in the cups and this also earned them a 4th place in the rankings. During the CSI5* Longines GP, which took place on Friday evening, Howley was placed again with the 11-year-old gelding Consulent de Prelet Z (Consulent Z x Fuego de Prelet – F: Svo Trans Feka), with whom he won both the World Cup of Oslo and the World Cup of Helsinki last month. In a jump-off for which 12 combinations were able to qualify, Howley and Consulent the Prelet Z had to deal with a fault, which ultimately gave them an 8th place in the rankings.

During the 1.50m class on Saturday there was also an 8th place for the Swiss rider Pius Schwizer with the 10-year-old chestnut gelding Chelsea Z (Chellano Alpha Z x Cicero Z – F: W. Sijbers). They also ensured a flawless round.