Roberto Previtali becomes the most successful rider of the IPPOS SPRING TOUR 2024 in Thessaloniki winning the LR Grand Prix Class 17 with Esteban de Hus and adding bronze with Come on Semilly. The final fourth day of the Tour culminated on sunny Sunday 19 May with four events.
Last morning session of the IPPOS SPRING TOUR 2024 started with the CSI 2* Class 15 – 135cm. The best of 18 horses was a mare Crusty VD Heffinck with the Greek rider Monika Martini. Second place went to Aurel Cojocariu of Romania with the stallion Olympic Dream 6 and bronze went to Anne Nomikoy of Greece with the gelding Rushdie Asp.
“The result we achieved was far beyond my expectations. Crusty VD Heffinck was jumping 1.35m obstacles for only the second time in her life, and the first time was the day before yesterday. So, I did not expect her to win either. This makes me ten times happier because now I am shaping this horse,” commented Monika Martini after her victory.
For the national team athlete, this mare had been her third choice until now, behind Let’s Hope Van Het Bruggeveld and Electric Elvis C, whom she did not bring to Thessaloniki because she had recently taken them on a tour in Italy. However, the success at the IPPOS SPRING TOUR creates new prospects for the future:
“Crusty VD Heffinck has taken a little longer to reach this level for various reasons. She has a unique character but shows she has all the quality, and I believe that from now on, I will have another high-caliber horse for the major categories.”
The 32-year-old champion had only good things to say about the event, which she feels is her own: “The people at the Ippos Club do it with great passion, taking care of every detail and listening to all participants’ comments with great interest and positive response to continuously improve. That’s why all of us here feel it somewhat like our own place! We love it very much because they love what they do.“
The Romanian rider Aurel Cojocariu with his mare Azur de Pepinvast had to settle down for second place also in the CSI 1* Class 16 – 125cm, where he was defending his title from last week. The best in the event which welcomed 38 horses was the Turkish rider Alin Yazici with the gelding Jenco DW. Third place went to the next Romanian rider Anamaria Dinca with the stallion Hamilton.
“This is my second time in Ippos Club and I came with no competitive expectations here. I have had a break because of some health issues and this was my first competition back. It was a good one for us,” said the 15-year-old winner from Turkey with her 15-year-old horse Jenco DW.
“He is a very brave horse and he is such a big fighter, always tries his best and he showed it today. I have been competing with it for a year. I started this sport with my school as a weekend activity when I was seven and was riding on ponies. Now, I have eight horses. Some of them are based in Bulgaria and four of them in Turkey so I travel a lot. Coming here, I met some very good riders like Italian Roberto Previtali so it is a big motivation for me. There is always a room for improvement and this year, I focus on European championships in Nederland in July. I hope I come back in October to Ippos,” added Yazici.
Roberto Previtali of Italy confirmed that there is not a better rider in the field on Sunday winning two medals at the LR Grand Prix. With the stallion Esteban de Hus he took clear victory and adding a bronze medal with his next stallion Come on Semilly in the main competition of the whole tournament – the LR CSI 2* Grand Prix – Class 17 – 145cm. The competition had 29 horses on the start and Italian Previtali showed his dominance at the IPPOS Spring Tour 2024.
“My horses were unbelievable today and they jumped great. I am glad I managed to win the Grand Prix with Esteban and to take bronze with my second horse Come on Semilly. Last week was good but in the first week, the horses were still tired after the trip and they had to get used to these conditions a little bit. Now they know everything and I just rode for the win. I knew that they were in good shape so I wanted to ride good and everything went well,” said Previtali, who will start in Rome next week.
“Today, I had my best round with Come on Semilly even if we were third, but I felt him very much in shape, he jumped so easily. I am glad for him because before this Tour, he had like two months break and he needed a little bit time to get back in shape. Even when he won 1.45 last week, he was not 100 per cent ready. Today, he felt very good so I am glad. With Esteba – I think it is unbelievable for him to take this victory. I only had three horses here so it was quite relaxing here. I am a bit sad to go home but I am looking forward to coming back in October.”
Greek rider Ilias Baliousis with his stallion Casper d´Argouges showed great jump-off winning a silver medal for the experienced rider. Elias Balioussis emphasized: “My horse jumped fantastically today, it made me happy and earned me second place. I tried until the end for the victory, but Previtali was more experienced and more capable than me. The event was incredible and we are all very happy to have been here. Needless to say, we will also be present at the IPPOS AUTUMN TOUR in October.”
The IPPOS Sprint Tour was concluded by the CSI 1* – Class 18 – 110cm. The last trophy of the Tour stayed on the Greek soil when it went to Argyro Papageorgiou with the mare Hibiza des Sablons AA.
The IPPOS SPRING TOUR 2024 in Thessaloniki was a big success not only for the riders but also for the whole organising committee. Big thank you goes to all people involved and the oorganizing committee kindly invites all horse jumping fans to come and support competitors during the the IPPOS AUTUMN TOUR 2024 in Thessaloniki in October.
Sunday results of the IPPOS SPRING TOUR 2024 in Thessaloniki:
CSI 2* Class 15 – 135cm – Monika Martini, GRE with Crusty VD Heffinck
CSI 1* Class 16 – 125cm – Alin Yazici, TUR with Jenco DW
CSI 2* LR Grand Prix – Class 17 – 145cm – Roberto Previtali, ITA with Esteban de Hus
CSI 1* – Class 18 – 110cm – Argyro Papageorgiou with Hibiza des Sablons AA.
