Photo © Pierre Costabadie/Scoopdyga
Waterford delivered two clear rounds to finish third in the €300,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI5* presented by Audi at the Stephex Brussels Masters.
The CSI5* 1.60m Rolex Grand Prix presented by Audi could not have been scripted much better. Held on September 2, it was exceptionally warm for early autumn, and people flocked to watch world-class sport at Stephex Stables in Belgium.
It was no easy course that Uliano Vezzani had built for Sunday’s Grand Prix. Big and wide, the first-round track claimed its fair share of victims and in the end, only six entries out of the initial 47 in the competition advanced to the jump-off.
USA’s Lauren Hough gave it a good go, and was clear on her 15-year-old Waterford (Coolcorron Cool Diamond x Julio Mariner xx) in 44.52 seconds, which held for a top-three finish.
“He is not the quickest horse in the world,” Hough said of her partner Waterford. “I thought I had a good shot to the second last—perhaps I didn’t take every risk to the last fence—but I’m thrilled with my result and to be sitting here today. I have been coming here to the Brussels Stephex Masters since the first year, and I think this is one of the best shows there is—it is a real highlight. I think every year, Stephan improves the small details, and I am really honoured I get to come to this show.”
—text via edited press release
