It was a perfect result for French spectators at the CSI5* Eiffel Sunday Challenge when home legend Roger-Yves Bost – affectionately known as ‘Bosty’ – took the win on his stunning grey Selle Français stallion, Pegase du Murier.
The 1.55m speed class was a fast and furious showcase of top talent, with 43 riders vying for a share of the €155,000 purse.
The early pacesetter was Germany’s Katharina Offel with Cassius, who galloped the distances and jumped with plenty of scope, putting pressure on the rest of the field. Luciana Diniz from Portugal and her stallion Lennox turned up the temperature with a clear in 58.73s, then a short, sharp rainfall added further challenges to the class. Lauren Hough (USA) and her little Swedish warmblood mare Ohlala showed that showers couldn’t dampen their enthusiasm, upping the pace once more and crossing the line in 57.11s. The ever-speedy Laura Renwick (GBR) and Bintang II also put in a valiant effort for 57.49s.
But it was Bosty and Pegase du Murier who really set the arena on fire. The pair took off at a phenomenal pace and kept it up throughout, scorching home in 56.10s, a full second ahead of Lauren and Ohlala, with Laura and Bintang finishing in third place.
