SCOTT BRASH MANOEUVRES HELLO MANGO TO CLINCH SECOND GRAND PRIX IN ONE SINGLE DAY
Showjumping commenced at the majestic Al Shaqab – the arena that will host the 2029 Longines FEI World Cup Final - as the Doha Equestrian Tour reached the third leg of HH The Father Amir’s Prix. Following an exciting opening two weeks, which saw British athletes Harry Charles claim the spotlight in leg one and current world number two Scott Brash in leg two, the classes were no less competitive this weekend.
Running from 21 to 24 January, this leg marked a significant step up in technicality with today’s Grand Prix schedule focusing on the precision required for the 1.45m, 1.50m and 1.60m classes, where the demanding course designs separated the seasoned champions from the chasing pack.
The pinnacle of the event, the CSI5* 1.60m Grand Prix - offering AA Longines Rankings points - commenced with thirty-seven elite horse and rider combinations. The formidable track proved a true test of skill, with only nine pairs successfully navigating a clear initial round to secure their place in a high-stakes jump-off. The contenders for the title included Switzerland’s Nadja Peter Steiner on Mila, the USA’s Eve Jobs on Canto Bruno, Austria’s Gerfried Puck on Equitron Naxcel V, and Great Britain’s Harry Charles on Casquo Blue alongside Scott Brash on Hello Mango. Joining the fray were Belgium’s Abdel Saïd on Wathnan Calvaro, Germany’s Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann on Cellagon Cascais, and Saudi Arabia’s Abdulrahman Alrajhi on Ventago and Abdullah Al Sharbatly on Diriyah.
With a 60-second time allowed, Puck set the pace with a clear in 44.92 seconds. Then came Brash, fresh from a victory earlier in the day in the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix. Aiming for a sensational double win, effortlessly riding Hello Mango - they flew across the finish line to clear in a blistering 44.47 seconds.
The tension mounted as Saïd took to the arena, but things unfortunately went south for him and Wathnan Calvaro finishing with 16 faults. Alrajhi and his ground-covering galloping gelding Ventago - delivered a clear round in 45.04 seconds, while Al Sharbatly saw his hopes fade with an early fence down in a time of 45.78.
As the final moments unfolded, Brash watched from the sidelines waiting to see if Meyer-Zimmermann could snatch the lead. She delivered a flawless clear, but her time of 45.05 was not enough to topple the Briton.
In a spectacular show of dominance, Brash reigned supreme once again, clinching the title and securing an incredible second double win of the tour.
--ENDS--
Full results here