Richard Vogel took it with humour: The 26-year-old had been in the lead for a long time in the CSI5* main jumping competition of the day in Wellington over 1.45m and two phases. With the chestnut Accoton PS (by A Pikachu de Muze), the number 69 in the current world ranking list had galloped over the finish line after only 35.06 seconds and had thus sovereignly kept the competition with 61 starters in check.
Until - yes - until the number eight in the world ranking list entered the course and demonstrated in the saddle of Kiana van het Herdershof (by Toulon), how to reach the finish line even faster and also much more effectively. After only 34.78 seconds the journey was over for Deusser and Kiana on this day. Faultless, of course. This demonstration was rewarded with first place. Richard Vogel congratulated the winner with a laugh. He could obviously live well with second place behind Double D.
Third place went to the 27-year-old Alex Matz, currently number 215 in the world rankings. He had saddled the Holsteiner Cashew CR (by Cassini II) and finished the course a touch slower than Vogel, after 35.09 seconds.
