Ben Maher is continuing his outstanding season, which included wins in both the Hickstead Speed and Jumping Derbys, with a win in the grand prix at CSI*** Zuidlaren in the Netherlands at the weekend.
Maher triumphed over a competitive field with Rowena Gredley’s 10-year-old Dutch-bred chestnut gelding, Niko I, who he rode to a double clear round in the Nations Cup at Podebrady earlier this year. The partnership jumped two faultless rounds to take victory from the Netherlands’ Emile Tacken by nearly two seconds.
After picking up four faults in the first round, Robert Smith finished in eighth place with Kalusha while Tim Gredley took 10th place with Omelli.
Meanwhile, Robert Bevis kept the British flag flying in Leige, where he finished second in the grand prix. A double clear performance with Ann Gascoine’s 11-year-old mare Lucy May saw him finish just 0.35sec behind Roger Yves Bost of France. The final jump off place went to Belgium’s Simon Yves, who finished some two seconds behind.
Nick Skelton (Arko III) and Michael Whitaker (Mozart Des Hayettes) have been in action at the Washington International Horse Show in America. Four faults in the second round of the $100,000 President’s Cup saw them finish in fifth and sixth places respectively.
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