The Ten-Year-Olds that are Securing their Spot among World’s Best
These ten-year-old horses are proving they have what it takes to be among the world's elite equine athletes.
Over the past weekend, we have seen several 10-year-old horses enforce their position among the world’s strongest equine athletes. From the three five-star Grand Prix that took place last weekend, two were won by 10-year-old horses. Others produced solid results in other feature classes to see their Elo grow. Of the current Top 10 highest-rated ten-year-old horses, nine competed at 5* competitions over the past weekend.
Meet the 10-year-old Grand Prix winners of the week.
Julien Epailard & Donatello d’Auge
Elo 753
It was a big occasion in Monte Carlo, Monaco, where €1.5 million euros was up for grabs in the LGCT Grand Prix. An opportunity like this rarely passes Julien and Donatello, already an LGCT Grand Prix winner this season, by. After winning the qualifying competition with a massive margin of 4.65 seconds, the pair had a favourable last draw in the Grand Prix. A tough track that left just 5 combinations with a clean sheet seemed no issue for the lightning-fast French combination. Playing it slightly safer in the jump-off, but still stealing the victory from Harrie Smolders and Monaco N.O.P. with a margin of 1.27 seconds.
Kent Farrington & Landon
Elo 734
Across the Atlantic Ocean, the ‘Pan American’ took place at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada. Kent Farrington’s Landon managed to collect already his second five-star Grand Prix victory of the year there in front of what is always an enthusiastic Canadian crowd. A victory that boosted Landon’s Elo by 16 points and currently makes him the seventh highest-rated 10-year-old in the world.
Producing the crucial double clear in five-star Nations Cups.
The Nations Cup of Aachen is one of, if not the most highly esteemed events in the world. A double clear around this track will shine long and bright on any horse or rider’s record. In this year’s edition, two ten-year-olds have achieved this huge performance.
Ben Maher & Dallas Vegas Batilly Z
Elo 738
Ben and Dallas were the first pair to tackle this tough track around the Aachen arena in Round 1 of the Nations Cup and did so faultlessly. Another clear in the second round from this strong combination was a crucial part of helping Team GB climb the podium and finish second in the Aachen Nations Cup. Dallas Vegas Batilly then went on to produce another clear round in the first round of the Rolex Grand Prix to finish 14th overall.
Martin Fuchs & Commissar Pezi
Elo 719
A highly pressured situation was laid in front of Martin Fuchs and Commissar Pezi in the second round of the Nations Cup of Aachen. The pair had already produced a clear around Round 1, and entered the arena as anchormen for the Swiss team. Due to a disappointing performance of their teammate Niklaus Schurtenberger, every penalty would count towards a team score. Yet, a clear round from Martin and the young Commissar Pezi would mean Switzerland would take the victory. Both horse and rider kept their cool and produced an outstanding, faultless round. A huge achievement for such a young horse.
Rising to the occasion in Aachen
Rodrigo Pessoa & Major Tom
Elo 752
At just 10 years old, Major Tom has already taken the showjumping world by storm by being the first horse to produce two double clears around five-star Nations Cups (Sankt Gallen & La Baule) this year. No Nations Cup appearance for them this weekend, but the chestnut did further establish his position as potential superstar. Producing one of just five double clears around the Rolex Major Grand Prix, Rodrigo and Major Tom finished fourth after a rail in the jump-off. This performance boosted his Elo by 6 points and makes him the third highest-rated 10-year-old in the world, just 1 point behind Donatallo d’Auge.
Simon Delestre & Dexter Fontenis Z
Elo 744
Throughout the week in Aachen, Dexter Fontenis has been a great partner for Simon Delestre. With a clear in Wednesday’s Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe, they set the tone for a good weekend and despite opting not to compete in the jump-off, they finished eighth. While the French team result was rather disappointing in the Nations Cup, it was not their youngest equine team member that was at fault, as Dexter produced a clear in Round 1. The pair lined up again two days later for the Rolex Grand Prix and here too produced two solid rounds. Despite four faults in the first round, a quick second round still saw them finish in seventh place. Enough to boost their Elo by 18 points and be considered the fourth highest-rated 10-year-old in the world.
Yuri Mansur & Miss Blue -Saint Blue Farm
Elo 725
This mare did not miss her Aachen debut at all. In Wednesday’s Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe over 160, ten-year-old Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm produced the best result of her career so far. The pair was one of eight combinations to make it into the jump-off but were in company of several fast and perhaps more experienced combinations. This was no issue for Miss Blue as she rose to the occasion and produced a foot-perfect jump-off round at a speed that not even Martin Fuchs could match and therefore scored her first ever 5* 160 victory. Miss Blue- Saint Blue Farm now ranks among the Top 10 highest-rated 10-year-olds in the world.