GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR: BRAZILIAN SHOW STARTS WITH A BRAZILIAN 1-2 AND TALOUBET Z TAKES THE SECOND HONOURS

Source: edited GCT/News Release/Photo

The much anticipated last round of the 2010 Global Champions Tour began in the best way possible for the Brazilian organisers and audience at the Athina Onassis International Horse Show. Brazilian rider Luis Francisco Azevedo won the first class by a whisker from his compatriot, Alvaro de Mirando Neto.

Riding his chestnut gelding Une A Basta, Luis Francisco snatched the lead from Edwina Alexander (Australia) and Kisby with a time of 51.51. Next to go was Alvaro and AD Norson. AD Norson has been prominent in GCT speed classes this year but it just was not his night. To screams of encouragement, the pair galloped for the last only to have the clock to show 51.68.

The Brazilian pair were immediately followed by Denis Lynch (Ire) and Lacroix. Lynch ended up a second short of the winner, but 52.66 was good enough for third.

Luis Francisco Azevedo is the youngest son of a famous show jumping family. His father, Luis Felipe Azevedo, Sr., represented the country at the Olympic Games and his brother Luis Felipe, who went so well in the GCT Grand Prix of Monaco, is also competing here.

The second class of the evening carried a hefty 125,000 Euro total prize money and the 44 competitors were faced with a 1.55 jump off class to decide who got the cash. Course designer Uliano Verzanni may have been slightly kinder than usual as fifteen horses got through to the jump off although the double at six caused enough trouble.

The winner would take home 31,250 Euro and Bernardo Alves riding Bridget set off looking quite determined to keep the money in Brazil. His time of 40.72 looked good for a few minutes until Lauren Hough and Prezioso took the lead away from them.

However, it was Simon Delestre who really set the contest alight. Sixth to go in the jump off, he was the first rider to turn inside a fence from the double at four to the next oxer. This impossible looking turn drew gasps, then whistles and cheers of encouragement at every fence from the crowd which clearly appreciated his audacity. But as the last fence fell, they let out huge groan. In the end he was two seconds faster, but with four faults.

For the remaining nine riders the choice then had to be to dare or not to dare to follow the Frenchman's lead as Hough could be beaten for time if anyone was brave enough. Jeroen Dubbeldam dared the inside turn on BMC Van Grunsven Simon and succeeded in leaving all rails intact in 38.06 - it really did not look if that could be bettered.

But Christian Ahlmann who is getting better and better on Taloubet Z everytime the horse appears at the GCT, could not have ridden a tighter line, almost clipping the fence wing. He beat the Dutchman by a hefty one and a half seconds! The 36.51 was very impressive, but Ahlman was modest in his moment of triumph: “I just planned to go as fast as possible, that's all” he said!