The competition at the Grand Prix CSI2* was nothing short of exhilarating, with Jeanne Sadran emerging as a formidable contender against Abdullah Alsharbatly. Riding her spirited horse, Funky Boy des Rêves, Sadran delivered an exceptional performance, navigating from the first to the last obstacle with unmatched tenacity. Clocking in at an impressive 35.89 seconds, she surpassed the previous time by 42 hundredths of a second, igniting jubilation among the French contingent. This triumph, while classified as a 2*, felt as significant as a 5* victory, showcasing the intensity and prestige of the event.
It is highly likely that every French supporter present was fervently crossing their fingers to bring good fortune to their compatriot during this thrilling event, which saw 48 pairs compete, out of which 14 advanced to the jump-off. Designed by Santiago Varela, the course presented two tight turns and two expansive gallops, allowing competitors to shave precious seconds off their time. The jump-off included challenging transitions from jump number 3 to vertical number 14, which was exclusive to the jump-off, and from number 14 to the reconfigured double at number 8bc, culminating in a final jump over a formidable oxer at number 10, adorned in the colors of the Royal Guard.
As the first competitor, Santiago Diaz Ortega set the stage with a commanding performance, having participated in the Morocco Royal Tour since 2016 and previously winning the FEI Jumping World Challenge in 2010. He placed a high bar of 36.64 seconds with his gelding, a son of Carrera VDL. Antoine Ermann came close to this impressive time with his horse, Odin van’t Hanegoor, but was unable to surpass it. Alsharbatly, having already established himself as a favorite after winning the opening event and the qualifying Grand Prix with his Canturano son, Kanturo BH, appeared invincible. His jump-off performance temporarily solidified his lead, though the margin was slim—just 33 hundredths of a second ahead of his competitors. However, the following riders faced an uphill battle, all striving but failing to dethrone the Saudi rider from the top position.
Yet, the turn of events took a dramatic twist when Jeanne Sadran entered the arena. Riding with invigorating energy and supported by the cheers of the crowd, she executed each of the eight jumps with remarkable precision and determination. It was as if fate had conspired for a French woman to triumph on this day, ultimately denying the steadfast Alsharbatly yet another victory.
As reported by leperon.fr.
