Friday evening concluded with the highly anticipated 150 cm class presented by Finnfoam, which was also a Longines ranking class. The top ten from the first round advanced to the jump-off. One of them was Robert Whitaker from the UK, who had previously enjoyed great success in Helsinki, riding Gentlemen vh Veldhof.
“The horse was amazing, and I’m happy with it—I couldn’t have asked for more. I would have taken one less stride at the last jump, but it didn’t work out that way. The horse jumped beautifully; I can’t complain. If the weekend continues like this, I’ll be feeling good about it.” Whitaker described his feelings after the jump-off.
Denis Lynch, the winner of the day’s 145-cm class—this time riding Vistogrand—advanced to the jump-off, as did Sweden’s Marcus Westergren and Qualando de Carmel.
The rematch showcased elite athletics at its finest, as the top ten in the division went head-to-head. The tension in the stands was palpable. The crowd was fully immersed in the thrill of the competition as they cheered their favorites on to victory. The competitors took calculated risks and relished the excitement of the large arena.
Oda Charlotte Lyngvaer, who started fifth on her horse Carabella vd Neyen Z, briefly took the lead with a time of 39.79, but Giampiero Garofalo on his horse Lambrusco immediately posted a faster time. He also delivered a flawless performance with a time of 38.57, just slightly faster. Robert Whitaker, who started last in the class, kept the tension high right up until the very end of the class, finishing just one hundredth of a second behind the class winner, Garofalo!
“All in all, it was a fair course, and this horse’s first 150-course, so I’d say it was a perfect performance—everything went exactly as we’d planned. The arena was perfect, and this was a great start to the weekend. I’m confident about the rest of the weekend,” said Giampiero Garofalo, the class winner, summing up his feelings immediately after the victory lap.
Jasmin Seppälä-Geerink and Kerel van het Sterrebos suffered an unfortunate fall at the second-to-last obstacle on the basic course and finished in 24th place.
Denis Lynch and Katja kicked off the competition with a 145-point victory
In the five-star 145 cm “presented by Hööks” speed riding class, Finland’s top riders went head-to-head with international competitors. The top riders demonstrated their skills on a technically challenging course at Messukeskus’s new international arena. The atmosphere was electric in the nearly sold-out stands, and the riders’ performances provided an outstanding display of elite sports.
Dutch rider Mans Thjissen, riding Nero Z, set out clearly determined to win and posted an outstanding qualifying time right from the start of the competition. He remained in the lead for nearly the entire competition, until, in the very final moments, Ireland’s Denis Lynch and Katja clinched the victory with their performance.
“Katja felt really good on the track. She’s very fast and keeps up a brisk pace. I’m really happy with that today. The organizers get full marks for this revamped event. Everything under one roof—this is fantastic, well done,” Lynch said, describing her feelings about the track after her run.
“For the rest of the week, I’ll take it one class at a time and try to do my best in each one. The important classes are tomorrow’s Grand Prix and the World Cup on Sunday,” the class winner continued, speaking about his expectations.
European champion Kevin Staut, ranked 27th in the Longines rankings, placed third in the class with his horse Kannonqulla.
The Finnish riders in the class were Jasmin Seppälä-Geerink on Attention Z, Jone Illi on Celtas Quillian, and Petra Heikkinen on Oechie-K, who went head-to-head with, for example, Geir Gulliks, who competed in Helsinki 40-years ago in Helsinki and Ebba Kewenter, who had won the 5* class earlier that Friday.
Petra Heikkinen, riding Oechie-K, posted the best Finnish result in the class. With her controlled and fast riding, Heikkinen placed ninth in the class.
“The horse felt good and is ready for tomorrow’s Grand Prix class. It’s nice to be back in Helsinki. The conditions are good, the arena is wonderfully large, and the surface is also good. Everything is set for tomorrow,” Heikkinen said, describing his feelings right after the race.
Jasmin Seppälä-Geerink, the first Finnish rider and fifth to start, rode a clean double-clear round, placing her in twelfth place. Jone Illi also rode a clear round on his horse, finishing just slightly faster than Seppälä-Geerink, and Illi placed eleventh in the class.
Results
International CSI5* 150 cm presented by Finnfoam, main course and jump-off. Started 36th, finished 13th.
1) Giampiero Garofalo – Lambrusco, ITA 0-0/38.57,
2) Robert Whitaker – Equine America Gentlemen vh Veldhof, GBR 0-0/38.58,
3) Denis Lynch – Vistogrand, IRL 0-0/38.75,
… 24) Jasmin Seppälä-Geerink – Kerel van het Sterrebos, FIN 4/69.46
Full results: LINK
International CSI5* 145 cm presented by Hööks, two rounds. Started 33rd, finished 13th.
1) Denis Lynch – Katja 0-0/26.67
2) Mans Thjissen – Nero Z 0-0/28.81
3) Kevin Staut – Kannonqulan 0-0/29.12
… 9) Petra Heikkinen – Oechie-K, FIN 0-0/32.38,
… 11) Jone Illi – Celtas Quillian, FIN 0-0/34.15,
… 12) Jasmin Seppälä-Geerink – Attention Z, FIN 0-0/34.43
Full results: LINK
