Olympia London International Horse Show 2018

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February 2018

London New Year’s Parade Spectacle!

February 2018 • VOLUME XVIII NUMBER 1

& All The Queen’s Horses

Your Veterans 15 PAGES

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Localrider Magazine

SHOWING • SHOWJUMPING • VETERANS • CROSS COUNTRY

www.localrider.co.uk

OF READERS’ VETERANS & THEIR STORIES COVERING KENT, SUSSEX, SURREY, HAMPSHIRE, BERKSHIRE & THE ISLE of WIGHT

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Olympia

OLYMPIA REPORT Laura Renwick and Top Dollar VI clear 7’3” to win the Cayenne Puissance

The London International Horse Show

Maxim De Turckheim of Longines gives a Longines watch to Julien Epaillard on Toupie de la Roque

Tuesday 12th December to Monday 18th December 2017 Pictures courtesy of Kit Houghton/Horsepower

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even action packed days of equestrian entertainment filled the wonderful grand hall at Olympia, which combines top level competition with family fun the week before Christmas.

The popular Dutch dressage rider Edward Gal and the young stallion Glock’s Zonik (76.68%) claimed the FEI World Cup Dressage Grand Prix supported by Horse & Hound, on the opening night of the show.

The win made a cold, slow journey from The Netherlands, that was beset by delays caused by the wintery weather, worthwhile. It was also an impressive display of horsemanship from Gal and talent from the expressive and elegant nine-year-old Glock’s Zonik, who was competing in just his third ever Grand Prix, and now has two wins and a second place on his CV. Highlights of the test include ground covering half-passes and particularly impressive elastic piaffe and passage.

Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel, who also endured a marathon journey to London, came a close second with the Oldenburg gelding Delaunay (75.10%). The pair performed a well presented and confident error free test. “I am very happy to be here for the second time,” said Kittel. “London is such a great show.”

Kittel rocks Olympia Patrik Kittel and Delaunay OLD (Dude) (80.560%) rocked the auditorium with a strong, rhythmic and faultless routine to win the FEI World Cup Freestyle to Music. The Swedish combination displayed a high degree of difficulty in the programme set to a medley by the rock group Guns and Roses, that opened with a zigzag of passage and piaffe, showed controlled double pirouettes to tempi changes and was on the beat throughout.

“The sport was really good and the standard was amazing tonight so I am just really happy to secure this win,” said Kittel, 6 Localrider FEBRUARY 2018

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Emile Faurie and his new ride Delatio finished second in the FEI World Cup Freestyle to Music

Patrik Kittel and Delaunay OLD made the difficult journey from Sweden worthwhile when they won the FEI World Cup Freestyle to Music

The Metropolitan Police Activity Ride

The Duchess of Cornwall meets the Chilean Huasos

whose previous visit to Olympia was 13 years ago – when he then came last.

“I just loved how easy Dude found this test which has a high degree of difficulty – he just felt like he was cruising.”

The win takes Kittel to the top of the Western European World Cup League and he now looks certain for a place in the FEI World Cup final in Paris in April.

It might have seemed a hard act to follow for British rider Emile Faurie and his new ride Delatio (80.405%), but the final combination of the night put in an impressive performance in their first competitive freestyle that made the most of the 13-yearold’s expressive paces, to come within a whisker - 0.155% - of the winner’s score. He is now just the fourth British rider to score over 80% at this venue.

“I just feel so lucky that after so many years without a really top horse, I now have a whole string,” said Emile who is now based part-time in Germany. “Delatio does not have a lot of competitive experience, but he is an awesome horse, such a trier and his ability to concentrate is incredible.”

Scope wins the Puissance Britain’s leading lady rider Laura Renwick put on a spectacular performance to win The Cayenne Puissance in front of a packedout grandstand with HRH The Duchess of Cornwall as the guest of honour in the Presidents Box. Laura was overwhelmed by her spectacular victory on Top Dollar Vl in The Cayenne Puissance. Four riders made it to the fifth round, but Karline De Brabander from Belgium on Fantomas de Muze, Ireland’s Padraic Judge on City Business and 2016 joint winner Holly Smith on Quality Old Joker all faulted and as Laura entered the ring she knew the €7,425 prize was there for the taking.

Olympia’s official charity was Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony, helping to raise donations was Doris, pictured with James Francis (Hannah’s father) and Ted, pictured with Alice Goring “That wall is huge and, having seen the other horses hit it, having been jumping really well, I knew it was a big ask,” said Laura afterwards. “I was a little bit lucky – I didn’t have the best stride and the horse really had to use his body to get over it. I’ve never won the Puissance outright and so to do it on an eight-yearold horse with not much experience but loads of scope and heart feels amazing. The atmosphere was electric.”

World Class Show Jumping Julien Epaillard, riding Toupie de la Roque, became only the second Frenchman in history to win the Olympia leg of the Longines FEI World Cup Jumping, thanks to a spectacular burst of speed in the jump-off which relegated last year’s winner, Scott Brash, to second place.

“It is a great honour for me to win at Olympia,” said the 40-yearold, who was 0.43 seconds faster than Scott. “It was a very difficult course, very technical – you needed scope but also great control.”

Course-designer Guillaume Jorge, who officiated at the Rio Olympics last year, set the high-quality field, which included six of the world’s top 10 riders, quite a challenge, and it wasn’t until the 21st to go, European Champion Peder Fredricson on H&M Christian K, that there was a clear round.

Other entertainment included the Chilean Huasos, the Metropolitan Police Activity Ride, the Shetland Grand National, Dog Agility and of course, Father Christmas.

FEBRUARY 2018 Localrider 7

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