For the first time in his career, Germany’s three-time World Cup winner Marcus Ehning picked up a 1st place finish in a feature class at the CSI Basel competition in Basel, Switzerland.
On Thursday, January 11, 2017, Ehning piloted the 15-year-old Selle Francais gelding Prêt à Tout (Hiram Chambertin x Stew Boy) to a leading 62.08s in the 1.50m Prize of Bank J. Safra Sarasin AG.
The competition against the clock saw 60 horse and rider combinations compete on the 12-obstacle-course designed by Germany’s Frank Rothenberger.
The great surprise of the night came from the 20-year-old Swiss rider Bryan Balsiger. Aboard the 10-year-old SBS gelding Clousot de Lassus (Ugano Sitte x Tenor Manciais), the European Champion of the young riders put in a speedy, clear round to finish 2nd in 64.16s.
Great Britain’s Michael Whitaker and the 12-year-old AES mare JB’s Hot Stuff (Locarno 62 x Cavalier Royale) finished 3rd in 64.27s.
The full results can be viewed here.