Jos Verlooy and Farfelu de la Pomme. Ph. LGCT / Stefano Grasso
The first class LGCT Monaco kicked off in style with Begium’s young talent Jos Verlooy and Farfelu de la Pomme (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Darco) winning the CSI5* 1.45m Prix Fédération Equestre de la Principauté de Monaco.
Under the beaming Mediterranean sun that saw jackets excused from competition, Verlooy rode an exceptionally competitive round, and was fast from the first to the second fence in the speed phase. He wasted no time on course with the 11-year-old chestnut mare, pulling off a superb inside turn to a wide oxer and ultimately finishing in an impressive 25.67 seconds to take top honours.
American rider Georgina Bloomberg was the first to set the pace with her 11-year-old dark bay gelding Balou 660 (Balou du Rouet x Ramiro), jumping a clear in the two phase class and throwing down the gauntlet for the rest of the world class field. Hot on her heels was Switzerland’s Pius Schwizer with PSG Future (Cash and Carry x Lorentin I), an experienced combination, that just pipped the American to third place by two tenths of a second, crossing the line in 27.48 seconds.
Second place went to Turkey’s Ömer Karaevli who rode his ten-year-old bay gelding Cortani (Cornet Obolensky x Athletico) to finish less than half a second behind Verlooy, finishing the two phase competition speed section in 26.07 seconds.
Long-time leader Bloomberg finished fourth with Balou 660 overall—only fractions of a second adrift, illustrating how competitive the opening class was. Italy’s Piergiorgio Bucci and Chiba Chiba took fifth place overall, with young Dutch rider Lisa Nooren and VDL Groep Centora de Wallyro (Dobel’s Cento x Alledo) riding a fantastic clear to finish in 6th. Swtzerland’s Jane Richard Philips took 7th with the bay 13-year-old gelding Pablo de Virton (Andiamo x Kashmir van’T Schuttersho).