Steve Guerdat wins in Lyon…

Well sure enough it was the Olympic gold medalist who was the fastest time in tonight Grand Prix qualifier with his adorable little bay mare, Jalisca Solier. The field was big and competitive field today with 50 entries. Everyone wanted to set out and make a statement for Sunday’s World Cup class.

But surprise, surprise, Steve was the quickest and the most efficient with his 15 year old French mare. Christian Ahlmann was almost as fast as the Swiss time machine but alas just slightly slower with his grey Gelding Aragon.

Dutch silver medalist Marc Houtzager was third with his Olympic mount Sterrehof’s Tamino. The pair looked fast and confident but alas going at the beginning of the class proved to be a problem for their time just wasn’t fast enough. No doubt, Marc and his 12 year old Dutch gelding will be planning to keep the poles up and step up the pace on Sunday.

Spaniard Manuel Anon, who trains with Gilbert de Roock and Pilar Cordon, was the youngest rider in the pack at only 20 years old. Riding his very own Baldo DS, Manuel jumped a clean round with his Belgian bred 11 year old gelding, just wasn’t fast enough to make the top 12. Speaking of Spaniards, Pilar Cordon was riding Eric Lamaze’s well known mare, Coriana Van Klapscheut. The pair only had 4 faults and Coriana looked very well and happy with her Spanish jockey. Lyon is their second show together after Caen in Normandy.

Edwina Tops-Alexander had her young and talented grey mare Erenice Horta, who at only 8 years of age tackled the class very well. Erenice was one of the youngest in the class at 8 years of age. Her, along with Pius Schwizer’s Powerplay who had 8 faults, Sergio Alvarez Moya’s Zipper and Eiken Sato’s Evita van de Veldbalie owned by Stephex stables who both jumped the qualifying class with no faults. Well done kids!

[slideshow]

Tonight’s results for the EQUITA LYON PRIX FONDS EPERON…

1 Jalisca Solier – SF
Mare Bay 1997 Alligator Fontaine x Jalisco B
Steve Guerdat
Steve Guerdat, Yves G. Piaget
SUI
0 59.95
2 Aragon – BRAND
Gelding Grey 2001 Askari x Kolibri
Christian Ahlmann
W. v.d. Ham
GER
0 60.96
3 Sterrehof’s Tamino – KWPN
Gelding Bay 2000 Numero Uno x Farmer
Marc Houtzager
Stoeterij Sterrehof
NED
0 61.26
4 Cornet’s Cristallo – WESTF
Gelding Bay 2003 Cornet Obolensky x Pilot
Marco Kutscher
Sudheimer Hof, Thomas Sagel
GER
0 61.31
5 Erenice Horta – BWP
Mare Grey 2004 Diamant De Semilly x Parco
Edwina Tops-Alexander
Roshoeve NV, Stal Tops
AUS
0 61.66
6 Zipper – KWPN
Stallion Chestnut 2004 Apple Juice x Concorde
Sergio Alvarez Moya
Alvarez Moya Horses S.L.
ESP
0 62.06
7 Antello Z – ZANG
Stallion Bay 2003 Animo II Z x Continue
Michael Whitaker
Michael Whitaker
GBR
0 62.32
8 Casall La Silla – HOLST
Stallion Bay 1999 Caretino x Lavall I
Rolf-Göran Bengtsson
Holsteiner Verband & N. Boley, R-G Bengtsson
SWE
0 62.44
9 VDL Groep Verdi – KWPN
Stallion Bay 2002 Quidam de Revel x Landgraf I
Maikel van der Vleuten
Stal vd Vleuten & Team Nijhof & C.A.M.vd Oetelaar
NED
0 62.48
10 Ohm de Ponthual – SF
Stallion Bay 2002 Voltaire x Calypso d’Herbiers*Ecolit
Jerome Hurel
S.A.R.L. Ar Tropig
FRA
0 63.94
11 Balloon – OLDBG
Stallion Bay 2003 Balou De Rouet x Landcapitol
Shane Breen
Shane Breen
IRL
0 65.13
12 HH Rebozo – CCDM
Stallion Bay 2000 Tlaloc La Silla x Ramiro Z
Rodrigo Pessoa
Double H Farm & Rodrigo Pessoa
BRA
0 65.98