Victory in Morocco: Delestre's Impressive Performance

The second day of the Morocco Royal Tour showcased an exhilarating display of equestrian talent at the Royal Guard arena in Tétouan. Among the standout performances was that of French showjumper Simon Delestre, who brought his A-game to the arena during the CSI4*-W 1.45m speed class, known as the Royal Armed Forces Prize. This event featured 50 horse-and-rider combinations, all vying for a spot in Sunday’s Grand Prix. Delestre, riding the exceptional mare Oh Sissi, clinched first place with a remarkable time of 66.81 seconds, outpacing Colombia's Santiago Diaz Ortega, who finished second aboard Jump For Joy, with a time of 67.23 seconds. Ireland’s Niamh McEvoy secured third place riding Jargon DN, completing the course in 67.29 seconds.

Expressing his delight, Delestre stated, "I’m thrilled with this victory. Oh Sissi is owned by one of my students, and although we have only competed together at a handful of shows, she has shown tremendous promise. She is a modern, quick mare with fantastic technique, and I genuinely believe she has the potential to compete at the highest levels of our sport. I thoroughly enjoyed riding this course designed by Grégory Bodo, who consistently creates courses that challenge our skills while being fair to the horses. Competing here in Morocco is always a joy; the quality of the facilities and the care provided to the horses elevate this tour to an exceptional standard."

Course Design and Future Prospects

Grégory Bodo, the course designer, shared his insights on the competition, stating, "The objective of this class was to create a course that would allow the horses to establish their rhythm. The 1.45m height is relatively lower for a four-star qualifier, as it typically ranges around 1.50m. I am pleased with the results, particularly the 16 clear rounds we witnessed, with all horses performing admirably. The course integrated the essence of a speed class while presenting various options for the riders, alongside technical challenges, including several tricky jumps that tested their skills." Earlier that same day, Delestre had already celebrated a victory with his horse Olga van de Kruishoeve in the CSI4*-W 1.40m Sakia El Hamra Prize, a two-phase speed class, where he outperformed Morocco’s Majid Djaidi and Belgium’s Jérôme Guéry, who finished in second and third places, respectively.

As reported by equnews.com.