Peder Fredricson Soars to Victory on the Opening Day of Commercial Bank CHI AL SHAQAB Presented by Longines 2022
The world’s number one showjumper, Sweden’s Peder Fredricson, soared to victory in the showpiece CSI5* 1.55m class, as Commercial Bank CHI AL SHAQAB Presented by Longines 2022 burst into action at the spectacular Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
The ninth edition of the world-class event, organized by Al Shaqab, a member of Qatar Foundation, is being held from February 24-26. A total of 98 riders from 24 countries, and 146 competition horses, are competing in the Olympic disciplines of showjumping, dressage, and para-dressage.
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President, Qatar Olympic Committee, and Chairman, Supreme Organizing Committee, Commercial Bank CHI AL SHAQAB Presented by Longines, was in attendance to witness the exhilarating performances on the opening day of Qatar’s premier international equestrian competition.
It was the bold combination of Fredricson and his masterful mount, Hansson WL (SWB), who had the impressive opening-day crowd on their feet as they took first place in the CSI5* 1.55m class with a faultless round of 64.83 seconds. Last year’s Grand Prix champion, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann, enjoyed a happy return to Qatar, as he rode Solid Gold Z to second place in 65.82 seconds. Fredricson’s fellow team gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, Henrik von Eckermann, finished third on Glamour Girl, in 65.96 seconds.
Para-dressage
Earlier, the day had started with the world’s leading para-dressage riders competing for honours in the Team Tests.
The sport’s governing body, the FEI (International Equestrian Federation), grades para-dressage events on a scale of one to five, depending on the level of physical challenge faced by the rider. The winners of each grade were Jens Lasse Dokkan, of Norway, riding Aladdin (Grade 1); Loes Cevaal of the Netherlands, riding Happy Hero II (Grade II); Lotte Krijnsen, of the Netherlands, riding Rosenstolz (Grade III); Rodolpho Riskalla, representing Brazil, riding Don Henrico (Grade IV); and Kevin van Ham, of Belgium, on Eros van Ons Heem (Grade V).
CSI5* 1.45m Showjumping Class
In the CSI5* 1.45m Showjumping Class (Two-Phases Special), the second event of the day, it was Ireland’s Denis Lynch who stayed one step ahead of the rest of the riding pack, taking only 32.09 seconds to claim first spot astride Cornets Iberio.
A thrilling battle for second place saw Norwegian Geir Gulliksen, riding VDL Groep Quatro, finish equal with Frenchman Simon Delestre, on Dexter Fontenis Z. Both combinations clocked exactly the same time of 32.96 seconds.
Between competitions, and while enjoying an outstanding variety of selections from some of Qatar’s top restaurants and cafes present at the event, the crowds were entertained by the world-renowned Santi Serra Show. Famous for its impressive demonstrations of communication between man and horse, the show added to the exciting festival atmosphere at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
The event is being streamed live on www.chialshaqab.com.
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Suzanne Ashton, Founder of Everything Horse (Est, 2012), has a BA Hons in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Equine Science. Suzanne has ridden and owned horses all her life and has twelve years of experience in marketing, writing, design, SEO, and website creation.