Experience pays off: Niels Bruynseels wins the Hubside Jumping's 4* Grand Prix

Experience was the keynote of the Grand Prix which gathered together the best riders on the planet, bringing these four weeks of competition to an end in the South of France. Three experienced riders finished on the HUBSIDE JUMPING’s final podium for this summer season, ahead of the young generation, which was very threatening in this Grand Prix. Belgium’s Niels Bruynseels was the winner riding Gancia de Muze. He finished ahead of Ireland’s Denis Lynch with Cristello and Italy’s Emanuele Guadiano, with Chalou. The best French rider, and the leader of this young generation of rising stars, Edward Levy, was fifth with Uno de Cerisy. Last week, during the HUBSIDE JUMPING’s 5* Grand Prix, he already finished in an amazing second place.

This afternoon forty-six horse and rider combinations took part in the final 4* Grand Prix of the HUBSIDE JUMPING, which for four weeks, played host to the best horses and riders on the planet. Fifteen horse and rider combinations jumped the first round perfectly and went through to the jump- off of the course designed by France’s Cédric Longis, whose track was praised by the riders.

Youthful energy versus experience

The first rider in this jump-off, France’s Laurent Goffinet with the stallion Atome des Etisses, left the ring with four faults. Edward Levy, his young fellow countryman, twenty-five years-old, second in last week's 5* Grand Prix, managed to be the first rider to jump double clear, a great time. After him, two other riders from this young generation also managed to have a perfect second round: Belgium’s Constant Van Paesschen with Isdoor van de Helle, and Italy’s Filippo Bologni with Quilazio, who are both twenty-two, were on the other hand, slower than the French rider, who was still in the lead half way through the jump-off. The eight faults of Scotland's Scott Brash, the World number 9, and the four faults of Germany’s Christian Ahlmann, the World number 13, distanced two serious threats from the three leading riders. Tenth to go, Belgium’s Niels Brynseels with the experienced Gancia de Muze managed to improve on the time to beat established by Levy. The series of riders to come exclusively featured the experts of the discipline, who wound up distancing our “youngsters” from the podium. Ireland’s Denis Lynch sent shivers down the spine of the Belgian rider, with his extremely fast Cristello, without managing to unseat him from the pole position. The legendary Marcus Ehning had one pole down, as did France’s Simon Delestre, with his magical Hermès Ryan. Italy’s Emanuele Gaudiano confirmed the supremacy of the senior riders with a double clear round and third fastest time in this Grand Prix.

Niels Bruynseels (BEL): “I know that my mare Ganzia de Muze can be very fast, but faced with a jump-off and riders and horses of this level, it was no easy matter (laughs). I tried to take all the risks possible. I was rather concerned when I saw that some riders were getting dangerously close to my time. I wasn’t guaranteed to be the winner...But no words are strong enough to describe Gancia. She really is an incredible mare. She has won everything in her life and even the long break due to the lockdown didn’t hinder her round. These weeks at the HUBSIDE JUMPING in the South of France have been very positive. Everything is perfect here: the facilities on offer to the horses and riders are really outstanding. I really want to praise the organisation for what it is doing for the sport and thank the whole team!”

This 4* Grand Prix brings a series of four weeks of the HUBSIDE JUMPING in Grimaud in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez to an end. The best riders in the world will come face to face again in Var from 10 September, for five weeks of competition, including two 5* shows.

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