First win in a world-ranking competition; Odile Gierech in Vejer de la Frontera
Since early February, Luxembourg’s 2022 national champion Odile Gierech and Basile Bettendorf have been competing in show jumping events in Spain; Victor Bettendorf joined his brother last week.
After a 9th place on Veyron over 1.30 m, Basile Bettendorf placed 8th the next day in a 1.35 m class at a CSI 3*-event in Valencia, a result he achieved with Poivre Bleu du Gibet. His highlight, however, came the following competition week (see below). Three times in one day the youngest of the Bettendorf siblings narrowly missed the podium. Riding the mentioned nine-year-old Luxembourg gelding “Poivre,” he finished the jump-off in 35.15 seconds over a height of 1.40 m on the Medium Tour, only sixteen hundredths slower than the two riders who tied for second: Henk van de Pol (NED, Evry v.d. Verbindingshoeve) and Grégory Cottard (FRA, Lavanoche).
That same day he finished also fourth on Kournikova du Gibet, a ten-year-old mare registered in Luxembourg, in a 1.30 m two-phase competition — and on Wasabi du Gibet, another nine-year-old SCSL gelding, the 33-year-old Luxembourger also just missed out on a little extra luck, conceding the lowest podium spot by 51 hundredths of a second to Spaniard Lucia Fernande Hidalgo on Ijancy de Kerglenn (75.26”). In total, Bettendorf campaigned seven horses on the Spanish Mediterranean coast that tournament week and started in twenty different classes. Odile Gierech rode even more often in Vejer de la Frontera, also in Spain — since early February she has mounted 31 times. Her best results likewise lacked the bit of luck needed to finish on the podium.
Gierech’s standout performance was 5th place in the jump-off of a CSI 4* Grand Prix over 1.50 m, a class that counted for the Longines ranking. In 39.17 seconds on the mare Kiss Me, she was only 59 hundredths slower than the third-placed Matteo Checchi from Italy on Elixir de Chalusse. The class was won in 36.76 seconds by the Swiss Edouard Schmitz (Karel Doorman); Niamh McEvoy of Ireland was 2nd on Rocket Man. With the eleven-year-old gelding Jagali d’Hoogpoort, Gierech also finished a 1.35 m competition in 4th, narrowly missing the podium — she was 31 hundredths off the required time. This week she again started many horses at the same venue and achieved, among other results, a sixth, three sevenths and a ninth place. Her best result was again 4th over 1.40 m on Jagali d’Hoogpoort.
Not only Basile Bettendorf wins
Victor Bettendorf had joined his brother Basile in Valencia for the previous tournament week. What both achieved there was notable. Victor and Globe Trotter, for example, won a 1.40 m two-phase class ahead of Martin Dopazo of Argentina (Barney) and third-placed Dylan Ringot of France (Ze Carioca). Basile himself achieved the victory mentioned in the headline on 12 February on Poivre Bleu du Gibet, winning the €28,200 speed class over 1.45 m. The pair cleared ten obstacles without faults to claim their first win in a competition that counts for the Longines world ranking. The podium was completed by Cédric Angot (FRA, Gandor du Fief) and Megan McDermott (USA, Da Vinci). Later in the tournament Basile added two 8th places on “Wasabi” and Chakpori du Gibet over 1.35 m and 1.40 m respectively. On Kurnikova du Gibet he was 5th last week over 1.45 m.
US rider Mete Genceren, registered in Luxembourg, was 2nd with Maurice Dc Stables in a 1.20 m class on the CSI 1* tour behind Alfie Bailey (GB, Barbaras Dancer). He later won the jump-off of a 1.35 m class with the same horse. Basile Bettendorf twice made the top 10 in another 1.40 m speed class, with Higgins Red (7th) and “Wasabi” (9th). FLSE rider Melina Chatzimarkaki finished 8th with Capucine du Gibet in a smaller 1.10 m two-phase class and was 3rd on last Sunday in a speed class over the same height.
In the jump-off of a 1.40 m class Victor Bettendorf and Achy Breaky Heart finished 2nd behind Denmark’s Kamilla Ladefoged Rasmussen on Loverboy and ahead of Spaniard Eduardo Álvarez Aznar on Stelle de Betze. A class Victor completed 5th with Galaxie de Bornat and 6th with Globe Trotter was Five centimetres higher .
Dressage
In Gesves near Namur (B) a small number of Luxembourg dressage riders competed at a minor show. Linda Meisch was 3rd (from three starters) in a class for five-year-old prospect horses, and Diane Erpelding was 4th in the Grand Prix with Lorenzzo V (63.341 %) and earlier placed 3rd with Dancing Donny in a St. Georges test (67.059 %).
Article also to be published in Lëtzebuerger Bauer. Translated from German by AI and adjusted by Paul Krier.