Andreas Dibowski won his first CCI**** at Pau in France when Britain’s William Fox-Pitt hit three showjumps after leading overnight on Navigator.
William dropped to second, but still wins the $150,000 HSBC FEI Classics series for collecting the most points at Kentucky, Badminton, Luhmuhlen, Burghley and Pau.
“We both win something so we’re both happy,” he said.
Andreas, 46, has been runner-up at Badminton, Luhmuhlen and here at Pau last year, but this is the first time he has taken a four-star title.
Riding FRH Fantasia, Andreas jumped one of only two faultless showjumping rounds to finish on a score of 61.
“After the dressage I didn’t expect to win,” he said. “But we had a really good round yesterday and enough luck today.”
Karin Donckers pulled off her best four-star placing in third on the 10-year-old Lamicell Charizard despite two fences down. German rider Kai Ruder was fourth on Leprince Des Bois with one fence down and four time-faults.
Peter Flarup was another to get his best result at this level on the 16-year-old Silver Ray with four faults and fifth place, while the best French rider for the second year running was Gwendolen Fer. She jumped the only other clear inside the time on Leria Du Ter, and announced her desire to compete at Badminton next season.
American Boyd Martin hit four fences and dropped from third to seventh on the warmblood Remington XXV at his first competition in Europe.
Ruth Edge, who started her round as the heavens opened, had just one down on Two Thyme for eighth position, while Andrew Nicholson (Mr Cruise Control) finished ninth. France’s Karim Florent Laghouag was 10th on Havenir D’Azac.
The only other rider to showjump clear was Britain’s Nick Gauntlett, but he unfortunately picked up five time-faults aboard the grey Elektron for eventual 17th place.
Read H&H’s full report on all the action from Pau in next Thursday’s magazine, on sale 11 November, 2010
