Belgian teenager Jos Verlooy (pictured) picked up the top spoils of $156,000 at the Los Angeles Masters at the weekend (25-28 September).
Riding Domino, the 18-year-old son of showjumper and dealer Axel triumphed over 2012 Olympic champion Steve Guerdat and Albfuehren’s Paille in the Longines Grand Prix of Los Angeles yesterday (Sunday 28 September).
“My horse jumped super. I had already a good feeling in the first round. The jump-off worked out exactly as I wanted,” said Jos.
“The idea was actually to put the pressure on the rest of the field. But when Steve (Guerdat) came in, I was very nervous. He’s one of the best riders in the world and it’s super for me that I could be first and he second… Sorry Steve!”
Steve praised Jos’s ride. “Jos did a great job and he absolutely deserved the win. I am satisfied with my second place and I am not thinking about what I could have done differently, but just about how to work and make it different next time. “Albfuehren’s Paille is very new — it was only our fourth big class,” he added.
US rider Georgina Bloomberg finished third on Juvina.
Scott Brash was best of the Brits with eight-year-old Hello M’Lady, after his intended ride, Hello Annie, knocked herself on the flight over. He finished 8th, not having made the jump off.
For full report don’t miss this week’s issue of H&H magazine (Thursday 2 October).