Saut Hermes 2014

Saut Hèrmès: Show Jumping’s Crème de la Crème

Top international show jumpers gathered together on March 14-16 to partake in the prestigious Saut Hermes competition, held at the beautiful Grand Palais in Paris, France.

Over the course of three days riders and horses displayed their talents and athleticism to hundreds of enthusiastic spectators as they jumped against the clock. Most classes were of CSI 5* rating, but as part of Hermes’ commitment to the development of young riders Saut Hermes include an additional class in their program – Les Talents Hermes. In this special class 20 young riders 25-years-of-age and under were mentored by riders competing in the CSI 5* classes and were given the chance to shine throughout two individual phases and one team phase.

Les Talents Hermes

Sweden’s Alexandra Eriksson piloted Cassian 7, a 2003 Holsteiner gelding by Cassini I x Caletto I and owned by Henning Mankell, to the top honors with a winning time of 33.67 seconds.

Great Britain’s Louise Saywell was victorious in phase two aboard Hello Winner, a 2003 grey mare owned by Lady Pauline Kirkham & Lady Pauline Harris, with a time of 36.95 seconds.

The final Phase of Les Talents Hermes was in team format. Ten teams, each composed of two horses and two riders, battled it out over a course designed by Germany’s Frank Rothenberger. The first round consisted of 12 obstacles and regardless of faults all riders returned to jump over a second round, much shorter and resembling a jump off.

Making Great Britain very proud, Jessie Drea and Touchable had a first round time of 68.37 seconds and second round time of 40.68 seconds and 0 total faults, while teammates Louise Saywell and Hello Winner followed right behind with a first round time of 69.03 seconds and second round time of 42.39 seconds also finishing off clear and making Great Britain the only team to end with zero faults. Drea’s and Saywell’s combined second round times totaled 83.07 seconds, resulting in the fastest combined time and ultimately the winning score.

Countries represented in order of final placings: Great Britain, Sweden, Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, and Norway.

Grand Prix Hermes

Saut Hermes concluded on Sunday, March 16th, with the 400,000€ Grand Prix Hermes and saw thirty-seven entries.

The 13 obstacle course designed by Frank Rothenberger allowed for a time of 69 seconds and claimed a few victims along the way. Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Tornesch 1042 (SWE) and Pilar Lucrecia Cordon and Nuage Bleu (ESP) both chose to retire from the competition, and Hamad Ali Mohamed A Al Attiyah and LB Casanova were unfortunately eliminated.

Four of the thirty-seven horse and rider combinations returned to jump off, but only two rode clear. Patrice Delaveau of France rode Lacrimoso HDC, a 2004 Holsteiner stallion owned by Haras Des Coudrettes, to a speedy 37.62 seconds and came close to claiming the win.

But it was ultimately Germany’s victory when Marcus Ehning stopped the clock at a dashing 37.59 seconds aboard the 2003 Westfalen stallion Cornado NRW. Ehning was a team jumping gold medalist for Germany in the 2000 Olympics and has had much success throughout his career. He currently sits in the top spot of the FEI Jumping ranks for Western Europe and 4th on the Longines ranks.

By: Claudia Lorena

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