Scott Brash’s fabulous form continued with a triumph in the prestigious €176,000 (£154,500) Rolex IJRC top 10 final on Friday (12 December).
The contest pits the world’s highest ranked riders in an intense two-round showdown, in which world number two Scott and Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham’s nimble and quick-footed mare Hello Chadora Lady took a 0.15sc victory.
A tight turn back to the third fence drew a gasp from the crowd and propelled them to an advantage that the USA’s Kent Farrington and Toulayna could not quite catch.
“I was super happy with Chadora; she was incredible,” Scott told Grand Prix TV, adding that to go clear, and leave the ring knowing he had at least secured second place, was a “great feeling”.
Scott, who first won this class with Hello Sanctos 11 years ago, said there was one slight “lost in translation” moment between he and the Chacco-Blue 12-year-old.
“She’s so eager to get to the fence, all I try to do with her is help her understand where we’re going,” he said. “She got home good and it probably worked out as it then wasn’t all or nothing for Kent, and he did a very good round that was just slower. So I’m very happy.”
Scott paid tribute to his “incredible” long-term owners Lady Harris and Lady Kirkham, adding that he is “so lucky, not just [their] owning horses but in my life”.
Donald Whitaker opened proceedings with a victory for the Brits in the show’s first major jump-off class, the 1.60m Trophée de Genève, cruising home with 1.58sec in hand with his brilliant European team silver medal-winning ride Millfield Collette.
“It was my first time here, so to come in the first day like that and win the big class was a bit of a dream come true. To get here was a privilege anyway, so to do that felt like 100% success,” Donald said.
“Winning the Nations Cups at Spruce Meadows and Rotterdam and [the final] at Barcelona has made it an unbelievable year and topping it off by coming here was the icing on the cake.”
Scott had two down in the first round of the Rolex grand prix, in which Kent claimed the €400,000 (£350,000) spoils with a phenomenal round on the 11-year-old mare Greya.
He overtook the early lead of Ireland’s Shane Sweetnam and the ground-eating 12-year-old grey gelding James Kann Cruise to win by 1.35sec.
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