H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Jan Tops, President of the Longines Global Champions Tour applaud as Philipp Weishaupt of Germany arrives at the presentation ceremony after his victory.
Doha: Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt, aboard Just Be Gentle, emerged champion of the season-opening Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) Grand Prix of Doha after a spectacular performance at Al Shaqab’s Longines Arena yesterday.
The third and final day of LGCT and GCL season-opening meet saw another good number of spectators turning out at state-of-the-art venue to watch the world’s best rider and horse combinations in action.
H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of Qatar Olympic Committee presented trophies to podium winners of the Grand Prix.
Weishaupt had a smooth ride in both the stages of the prestigious CSI5* - 1.60m event that offered a prize money of €375,000 as he completed his double in the Qatari capital.
A day after he teamed up with compatriot Christian Kukuk to claim the GCL victory for team Riesenbeck International, the 37-year-old was at his best in the jump off clocking the best time of 34.37 secs on a challenging course to take home a whopping €123,750 as winner’s purse.
Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt astride Just Be Gentle during the Grand Prix of Doha.
Nine-year-old Just Be Gentle had a fine start in the marquee event zipping through the course under Weishaupt with ease to clear the first round in 73.35 secs.
The victory secured Weishaupt the first Golden Ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs.
“This is a very very special moment. Winning a Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix is special but even more so with this young mare. We always put our best horses in the league and we won that which was already incredible so to put this one in the Grand Prix I was never expecting to jump clear let alone win. These unexpected wins are the nicest ones so I am over the moon right now,” Weishaupt said after claiming the title.
It was a difficult course as only 12 out of 39 riders, who started the event, qualified for the jump off after clearing the first round.
After clocking 70.42 secs in the first round, Kukuk secured second place with 10-year-old Nice van’t Zorgvliet finishing the jump off in 34.42 secs to pocket runner-up’s prize of €75,000.
The one-two finish for the German team-mates wrapped up a successful week for Riesenbeck International after they suffered a setback as team rider and owner Ludger Beerbaum, who was here to defend his Doha Grand Prix title, missed the event after a fall on Thursday.
“It is a very special moment, the nicest story in this whole situation is when we have one down like what happened with Ludger’s accident it could not have happened in a better place. We felt like the whole country of Qatar was helping us, the hospital was amazing and he almost felt like he was at home,” Weishaupt commented.
Meanwhile, France’s Simon Delestre guided Dexter Fontenis Z to a podium finish after a time of 34.46 secs in the jump off, having cleared the first round in astonishing 69.54 secs. He returned home with a prize of €56,250.
There was delight for home fans too in the competition as Qatar’s Rashid Towaim Ali Al Marri produced a stunning performance to enter the jump off after clearing the first round, astride 13-year-old Concordess Nrw, in 75.06 secs. However, penalties cost him in the jump off which he finished in 41.09 secs for 12th place.
The challenging course saw the likes of last week’s CHI Al Shaqab Grand Prix champion Marcus Ehning (DPS Revere), Shane Breen (Cuick Star Kervec) and Christian Ahlmann (Mandato van de Neerheide) failing to clear the round.
Meanwhile, Omar Al Mannai, Event Director said: “Always the Longines Global Champions Tour expectation is really high you never know who can win. We are very glad to host this event for the past 16 years. It has been a tough Grand Prix but the three winners did a great job and it has once again been an exciting competition.”
Qatar Equestrian Federation's Technical Director and former Olympian Ali Al Rumaihi presents the CSI3* Grand Prix with jump-off (1.50m) winner's trophy to Qatari rider Khalid Mohamed Al Emadi.
Brilliant wins for Qatari riders
Earlier, Qatari riders set the stage for LGCT Grand Prix of Doha after impressive victories with Khalid Mohammed Al Emadi topping the CSI3* - 1.50m after clocking a penalty-free 34.79 secs in the jump off. Pairing up with 13-year-old Little Lord Pezi 2, Al Emadi had a clear first round in 67.30 secs.
Securing second place in the event was Saudi Arabia’s Ramzy Al Duhami, who combined with Manola LS la Silla, to finish jump off in 31.32 secs after completing first round in 62.67 secs.
Al Duhami’s compatriot Kamal Abdullah Bahamdan (Jack van het Dennehof) finished third with a time of 39.00 secs in the jump off following his first round show of 66.15 secs.
Al Emadi celebrates after winning the event astride Little Lord Pezi 2.
Rashid Towaim bagged first victory for Qatar as he rode 10-year-old Navaronne to win in CSI3* - 1.35m after a flawless run of 53.62 secs. French rider Cyrine Cherif, astride Obama, was second with a time of 56.41 secs while Qatar’s Hamad Nasser Al Qadi (Nebrasco) was third after clocking 57.93 secs.
Meanwhile, Britain’s Jodie Hall McAteer (Kimosa van het Kritrahof) and Swedish duo of Malin Baryard-Johnsson (Harley Davidson) and Henrik von Eckermann (Hollywood V) respectively earned a podium finish in the CSI5* - 1.45m event.
Riders will now meet at LGCT Miami Beach for the second leg of 16-stop premier circuit to be held from April 12 to 15.
