The Comforting €165,000 Victory of Great Britain’s Scott Brash

The 31-year-old from Peebles, Scotland captured the title at the opulent Al Shaqab Equestrian Centre with a clear ride in 45.21, ahead of Turkey’s Omer Karaevli on Roso Au Crosnier (45.98) — the best result of his career— and Spain’s Pilar Lucrecia Cordon, who raced to a 44.46 finish but had four penalties on the obstacles, unlike the two riders ahead of her.

For Brash, no stranger to his sport’s podium, Saturday’s victory in the Middle East not only carries a lucrative pay-off but may also be a soothing consolation for the World No. 9 rider if he fails to qualify for the Longines FEI Show Jumping World Cup Final in Omaha, Nebraska at the end of the month. Brash is currently 22nd in the Western European League standings after the league qualifiers, just outside the top twenty who have secured a spot for the U.S. event. He will thus depend on others ahead of him dropping out if he is to compete at Omaha’s CenturyLink Center against defending World Cup champion Steve Guerdat of Switzerland.

In Show Jumping, strategy is paramount for riders once they have made it through to the decisive ‘jump-off’ round. And one’s strategy is shaped by the order of riders. As the first to take to the course in the jump-off, it was imperative for Scott Brash to ride a clear round, avoiding any penalties from knocking down obstacles. And Brash did so, quickly — putting all the pressure on those behind him to clear the rails in a faster time. Cordon of Spain took up the challenge but her hopes were dashed when she and her 11-year-old Alezan mare Galine La Cour Zichelhof took down the second obstacle on the course. Turkey’s Omer Karaevli, riding last, knew what those before him had done. And Karaevli knew he had to have a clear round on his 12-year-old bay gelding Roso for a shot at the podium. The Turkish rider took advantage of his position and executed his strategy to a T, coming in second and pocketing a cool €100,000.

Also at Al Shaqab this weekend, Germany’s decorated Olympian Isabell Werth confirmed her dominance in the Dressage discipline, winning the CDI 5* Grand Prix Freestyle to Music with Don Johnson FRH. The 47-year-old will also be looking to carry over her momentum at the Reem Acra World Cup Final in Omaha.