Constant van Paesschen takes first five-star victory in Lyon…

After two days of competition, and before getting into the Dressage highlight this evening with the REEM ACRA FEI World Cup™ Grand Prix Freestyle presented by the City of Lyon, the programme at Equita on Friday morning started with its CSI5*-W show-jumping program.

The reigning French champion, Timothée Anciaume riding Eros, had the tricky task of opening proceedings, but the final victory went to the Belgian rider Constant Van Paesschen on Citzenguard Understone van de Kapel.

The Brabançonne (Belgian National anthem) rang out for this young rider aged only 20 years old! A prodigy of the young generation, and part of the “Belgian Red Devils”, the young Belgian champion of 2011 created a sensation in the arena at Eurexpo. He finished ahead of one of the leading riders at the 2014 Equita show, the 2004 Olympic champion Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA, Tinkabell 12). The American rider Lauren Hough took third place with Royalty des Isles.

In regards the French riders… The French clan all finished closely bunched, with 9th place for the world number 9 Pénélope Leprevost (Nice Stéphanie), followed by Marie Hécart (Simba de la Roque) in 10th and Philippe Rozier (Unpulsion de la Hart) in 11th. The rider from the Rhône-Alpes region, Cyril Bouvard (Quasi Modo Z), finsihed in 14th place.

Source: Equita Lyon