The second act of the Hubside Fall Tour has officially been launched! The temperatures were still low this morning when the first riders took to the ring in Grimaud. With the 78 starters who are among the best on the planet, the big class of the day, the 1.45m CSI 4* speed class which took place in the middle of the afternoon, lived up to its expectations. And victory went to France thanks to the superb performance of Julien Epaillard who, since the beginning of the competition, reigns in the Gulf of St Tropez.
“A class isn’t won until Julien (Epaillard) has been”, is regularly heard in the paddocks! Considered as one of the fastest riders in the World, the Frenchman once again lived up to his reputation over the track designed by Grégory Bodo. 12 obstacles, 14 jumping efforts: not enough to worry him or his ride, Calgary Tame, a 9 year old stallion. The pair who were 21st to take the start, lowered the best time up to then by 7 seconds, pushing his compatriot Marie Pellegrin off the top slot on the leader-board! “I’ve been given the ride on Calgary by Eugénie and Cédric Angot, he’s still young but is continuing to evolve” , smiled the rider from Normandy after his win. “He won a 1.45m in Valkenswaard in July, a 3* Grand Prix in Herzlake on August the 1st and then a 1.55m in Rome on September the 10th. He is very consistent and is very promising for the future! It was a good course, just as suited to those who wanted to just work their horses as well as for those who wanted to play. The combinations were tricky but didn’t take too much out of the horses, there were several options, related distances… It was interesting and above all respected our horses. My horse will be starting the jump-off class tomorrow and the 4* Grand Prix on Sunday. If everything goes according to plan, I’ve got it in mind to enter him in the 5* event next week”. Among the last to go, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs risked everything in order to try and beat his rival. With Tam Tam du Valon, the rider ranked N° 3 in the World lost out on victory by 20 hundredths of a second, finishing 2nd. The American Michael Hughes was 3rd with George Z.
