The Silver medal in the Grand Prix went to Vingrálková. Garrigan was the winner

Czech rider Sára Vingálková was just one step away from victory in the Grand Prix Air Bank jump-off. In the end, she took the silver medal in the final competition of the CSIO4* CET Prague Cup with her gelding Kas-Sini DC finishing second behind the winner, Matt Garrigan from Ireland.

A total of eight Czech riders competed in the Grand Prix Air Bank, the highlight of the four-day international CSIO4* CET Prague Cup 2023 at the Chuchle Arena in Prague.

Filip Doležal and the gelding Coup de Coeur GP Madame Z made a mistake at the second obstacle and then at the penultimate jump. He received two additional penalties for missing the time limit on top of the eight penalty points he had already had and placed 31st. Sára Vingrálková with the gelding Kan-Sini DC was one of the last riders in the first group of competitors and was only the second rider to complete the course without being penalised.

After a short break to prepare the ground, Nikola Bielíková and her stallion Carison took the course. A mistake at the eighth obstacle prevented her from advancing to the jump-off, which cost her a better position and she finished in 18th place. Jiří Skřivan with the gelding Holland TN was unable to repeat his success from Friday and decided not to continue the competition after a series of mistakes. A similar fate later befell Emma Augier de Moussac and her mare Jasmin. The large crowd literally sighed when Aleš Opatrný and the gelding Locant RN received four penalty points at the sixth obstacle. After their clean second round in the Nations Cup on Friday, the Czech show jumping fans had high hopes for this pair, unfortunately Aleš Opatrný did not make it to the jump-off.

Miloslav Příhoda started promisingly with the gelding Ibiza D until he made a mistake at obstacle no. 10. He then failed to approach the final, thirteenth, obstacle and had to repeat it, which cost him 26 penalty points and he finished 45th. The spectators were hoping that Anna Kellnerová and her mare Catch Me If You Can Old would join the few riders who had not made any mistakes. However, the horse’s leg slightly touched the top of the sixth obstacle, which rolled off of the hooks, and more penalty points followed at the oxer 7A. Eight penalty points and a time of 78.42 seconds meant that the Czech rider finished 27th.

Five riders went through to the jump-off. The first was Anastasia Bondarieva from Ukraine with the gelding Calder. She completed the shortened course in 54.72 seconds with four penalty points. Sára Vingrálková and the gelding Kas-Sini DC set a much faster pace right from the start and completed the course in 44.27 seconds but made a mistake at the last jump. The Irish rider, Matt Garrigan, was almost two and a half seconds slower with his gelding Quantum Robin V, but his ride was clean once again, which secured him the top spot. Adam Grzegorzewski made two mistakes with the gelding Iss, knowing that this would only be good enough for fifth place. His Polish colleague, Wojciech Wojcianiec, did not go clean either, but with four penalty points and a time of 46.36 seconds, he secured third place. Sára Vingrálková was second and the winner was Matt Garrigan.

“The course was quite difficult, and I knew right from the inspection that there wouldn’t be many riders with clean rides. But the spectators got to see some really good sport. Everyone wants to win and, as they say, if you don’t take risks you don’t win. My whole ride went well, but I was a bit unlucky at the last obstacle. Nevertheless, I am very happy with my performance today,” said Sára Vingrálková, who, after winning the recent Grand Prix CSI2*-W in Olomouc, scored another significant success in an international competition held in her home country. “This was my first time competing in a four-star Grand Prix. I really appreciate this win and I hope that it will help me go further,” said satisfied Matt Garrigan. He also praised the organisation of the event and promised that he would be happy to return to Prague in years to come.

Photo: Kateřina Návojová

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