ST. TROPEZ, France--Karl Cook on Caracole de La Roque won the CSIO5* 1.60m Grand Prix on Friday, Sept. 19 during the week of the fourth and last qualifier of the season in the Longines League of Nations.
Karl Cook on Caracole de La Roque (Photo by Ecory)Laura Kraut on Bisquetta placed third of the 49 competitors in the competition over two rounds, over curses designed by Grégory Bodoof France.
Cook and Kraut were the only two Americans that entered the class.
“Our horses arrived later than expected at the show, so there was a little uncertainty about their condition," said Cook. "Apparently Caracole wasn’t bothered and seemed delighted to be back in France! Winning is always special, but going last in the jump-off makes it even sweeter."
"The facilities are incredible, and the arena and warm-up are spacious, which we really appreciate," said Cook. "The setting and the atmosphere also help us feel at our best.”
The first course featured 14 obstacles and 17 jumping efforts, with the closing stages, notably the triple combination at fence 13 set against the warm-up arena, proving particularly testing.
Only nine riders managed to go clean and earn their ticket to the second round, which was open to the top t2 from round one.
SWEDEN'S Wilma Hellström on Cicci BJN, Kraut with Bisquetta and France’s Jeanne Sadran on Dexter de Kerglenn all delivered clean opening clears.
They were joined by Nina Mallevaey of France on Destine To Be and Erika Lickhammer-Van Helmond of Sweden with I. Comme Tessa VHL as well as Cook, Stephan de Freitas Barcha of Brazil on Dinozo Imperio Egipcio, Simon Delestre of France on Golden Boy DK) and Alain Jufer of Switzerland on Dante MM.
Riders returned in reverse order for the second round, with Cook, trained by Eric Navet of Francde, holding the advantage of going last after recording the fastest time in round one.
Before him, Brazil’s Stephan de Freitas Barcha had gone into the lead in 41.59 seconds, edging world no. 12 Laura Kraut, who finished in 41.76.
But Cook relied on the agility and scope of his bay mare to stop the clock at 41.06, claiming his third CSIO5* Grand Prix victory after Rotterdam , Netherlands, third leg of the Longines League of Nations, and Falsterbo, Sween.
De Freitas Barcha had to settle for second, while Kraut completed the podium in third, followed by Sadran in fourth and Hellström in fifth.
