Spooner and Cristallo in Monaco Trifecta
By Staff Report June 29, 2013
Richard Spooner and Cristallo arrive in Monaco earlier this week. (Photo by Stefano Grasso / GCT)
Richard Spooner and Cristallo won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix du Prince de Monaco CSI5* 1.60m on June 29, producing the only triple-clear round out of three who made the jump-off.
Great Britain’s William Funnel and Billy Congo were second with four-faults. Australia’s Edwina Tops-Alexander and Guccio were third with seven faults. In fourth place was the USA’s Lucy Davis, riding Barron, who had a single rail in round one.
Spooner and Cristallo become the only pair in history to win the event three times, having done so in 2008 and 2009. They collect €94,000 ($122,400) for the victory in the €285,000 ($371,000) contest.
The event in Monaco, presented by HSBC Private Bank, was the climax of the sixth leg of the GCT, which culminates Nov. 23 in Doha, Quatar.
Course designer Luc Musette challenged all 46 starters, as evidence by the fact that only three pair made it through the Rounds A and B with no faults.
The USA’s Lauren Hough and Ohlala were 13th with one rail in Round B. San Francisco-based Saer Coulter and Carmena Z were 30th with one rail and one time fault in Round A.
Overall, Monaco was very good to Spooner. Richard Spooner of Agua Dulce, CA, and Billy Bianco won the opening class, a 1.45m CSI-5* on June 27. Teamed with the Claire Beecroft (GBR) Spooner was second with Let’s Dance 46 in Friday’s Monte Carlo ProAm, which teams professionals with amateurs, and third on Cristallo in the CSI5* 1.50m class.
And after two years on the circuit, 21-year-old Jessica Springsteen notched her best performance in a GCT 1.50m class, notching fifth in Thursday’s 1.50m class on her new mount, Vindicat W, an 11-year-old KWPN gelding.
Springsteen purchased “Vinnie” after his 2012 Olympics Team Gold performance under Great Britain’s Peter Charles. Lauren Hough and Ohlala were third. On May 20 she placed fourth in a 1.45m class in Wiesbaden, riding the 9-year-old KWPN stallion Zero.
In Saturday’s earlier 5* speed class Germany’s Mario Stevens and Corlanda OLD came out on top, beating Luca Moneta (ITA) on Quova de Vains by 0.03 of a second. Sheikh Ali Bin Khalid Al Thani of Qatar on Sieshof’s Abraksas was third. Steven’s and Corlanda also won Friday’s 1.50m.
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