With the packed and roaring crowd on their feet, David Will aboard My Prins van Dorperhide brought home the glory, taking individual honors in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Mexico City presented by GNP Seguros. Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Indiana missed out by just 0.41s while Laura Kraut and Baloutinue rounded off the podium with another third.
Making history today David Will claimed his first-ever Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix (LGCT) win against an impressive lineup of equine and human athletes. With no less than 11 LGCT Grand Prix winners in the ranks, the tightly fought competition had equine and sporting fans alike on the edge of their seats both at the event and at home having tuned in through GCTV.
An imposing, up-to-height track proved challenging yet jumpable in Round 1. With nine of the 37 starters collecting a single rail and four faults in the first round. Followed by a truly global lineup of athletes qualified for the jump off, which saw athletes from America, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and host nation, Mexico.
In one of the most electric jump-offs of the season so far nine of the world’s best horses and riders came forward to bid for glory under the basking sun and striking Mexican flag, standing 100m high above the incredible Campo Marte and its world renowned grass arena
An ecstatic and emotional David said:
My horse made it easy for me today, he jumped unbelievable today in front of this incredible crowd. They were cheering everyone on! The horse already deserved to win last week in Miami, but I made a mistake to the last fence in the jump-off so I am thrilled I made up for it today. It is just so fun and a pleasure to ride here. Every time I come here I absolutely enjoy it, the show is fantastic, the whole organization, the crowd, everything around it, the atmosphere is just unbelievable ”
Picking up the third golden ticket for the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix at the GC Prague Playoffs in November Will explained:
It is a great feeling to have secured the spot so early in the season. It is a show everyone wants to go to.”
Third place Laura Kraut was adored by the local fans and she said:
Wow, this is just phenomenal. I remember this show from last year and they have the best fans in the world. It was fractions of a second, I know David is always fast and I did everything I could – my horse is a winner to me. I am very happy there were two women on the podium, that’s important to me for people to realise the women are just as strong as the men.”
Malin Baryard-Johnsson now leads the coveted championship race on 99 points with Maikel van der Vleuten holding onto second place with 94 points. Abdel Saïd has catapulted up the rankings to third on 79 points and after today’s win David Will has 72 points to secure fourth after the third stage of the season.
The Longines Global Champions Tour now hits a new gear in the heart of Europe, the Spanish capital, Madrid, as the fourth leg of the 2023 season is upon us in just over 2 weeks time.
