Ecstatic Swedish fans celebrated late into the night as home star Peder Fredricson pulled off an epic fairytale win at the debut LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm against compatriot Malin Baryard-Johnsson.
In a nail-biting climax to the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Stockholm, Peder and H&M All In took the crowd’s breath away with a sensational jump off in the City’s stunning and historic Olympic Stadium. Malin and H&M Indiana finished in second place with Belgium’s Jos Verlooy in third with Caracas.
It was an exceptional night in front of a sell-out crowd in Sweden’s beautiful capital city under a full moon as the world’s best riders and horses went into combat in the Olympic Stadium where stars like Ludger Beerbaum competed 30 years ago and the Olympic Games were staged in 1912.
Peder is now qualified for the LGCT Super Grand Prix at the GC Playoffs in Prague in November and rocketed up the overall LGCT ranking to third place behind Daniel Deusser and Pieter Devos. He said:
I am really happy I have qualified for Prague it is a great show.”
Emotional after his extraordinary win Peder admitted:
Today feels like the biggest one (win). I am so, so happy, it is a great feeling winning in front of this home crowd in Sweden. It is the best crowd in the world – thank you for coming here today. I am really happy we have another great show in Sweden and I am really grateful for this.”
As the Swedish national anthem played out on a warm balmy evening, the ice cool show jumping supremo sang along with the crowd and a beautiful choir before the lap of honour which was overflowing with patriotic pride.
It was the LGCT circuit’s first-ever event in Sweden and in Scandinavia and today’s LGCT Grand Prix was a Hollywood script writer’s dream.
