Fuchs GP second in St. Gallen: Dutchman crashes Swiss victory party at CSIO

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The Swiss victory celebration at the CSIO St Gallen would have been perfect: after the team defended their Nations Cup title on Friday and Barbara Schnieper won the chase race on Saturday, a GP triumph from Martin Fuchs – or surprisingly Janika Sprunger – would have been have completed a successful Swiss weekend.

If it hadn’t been for the Dutchman Harrie Smolders. With the stallion Uricas, in the saddle of Commissioner Pezi, he rode the faster, clear second round than Fuchs and thus took victory in the Swiss Grand Prix.

Sprunger proud of herself and her mare

“Normally second place bothers me”, says Fuchs honestly afterwards, “but today I am very satisfied. Because it was only the second Grand Prix in a five-star tournament for Commissioner Pezi. » Even more special is the good placement for show jumpers, who finished fourth. For the 36-year-old, it is the first GP at this highest level in three years since motherhood – and the first for her only nine-year-old mare Orelie. “I’m incredibly proud of Orelie and myself. I haven’t driven any time, we’re not that far yet. But she gave everything for me and we did what we could.”

Of the eleven couples in the second whorl, only six are spotless. The reason: it is a challenging course. Especially the last piece with the oxer for the three-way combination causes a lot of throwback. But Fuchs and Sprunger, who came back impressively on this stage with the double clear, would not have been the only Swiss in the decisive finish.

Thanks to a fast lap, Dominik Führer is almost there, despite being knocked down as eleventh rider – until the tournament jury approves a protest by Frenchman Aurelien Leroy: he is credited with a foul in the water jump, which in hindsight is not one. Leroy is allowed to drive instead of Führer, but does not take advantage of the second chance and makes a mistake at the first obstacle.

Source : Blick