James and Dia Chapila PS win the U25 Grand Prix at Saut Hermès

Against the impressive backdrop of the Grand Palais in the center of Paris, James and Philipp competed at the 5* show Saut Hermès last weekend.

On Friday, the show began for Philipp and Oreo D.R. with a two-phase special class over 1.45 m, which the pair used as a warm-up and produced a clear round with only one time fault. The first class of the U25 Tour was also on the schedule for James. Riding the 9-year-old Dia Chapila PS, he delivered a confident first performance in the two-phase special class over 1.40 m in the impressive setting of the Grand Palais in Paris. The pair had one rail down at the last fence of the first phase but then showed a fast and clear second phase and finished in 13th place.

On Saturday, the day in the French capital started with the U25 Grand Prix “Les Talents Hermès”, a jumping class over 1.45 m followed by a jump-off. As the last starter of the 20 combinations, James and Dia Chapila PS entered the course and secured their ticket to the decisive jump-off with a clear round. Thirteen combinations completed the first round without penalties and qualified for the jump-off. As the last starter in the first round, James had the optimal starting position for the jump-off and was able to go last. Until then, it was Mathieu Guery who had delivered the fastest time with Time-Breaker S Z and was leading the current ranking. With tight turns and a confident ride, the pair from Riesenbeck was able to beat the Belgian’s time by almost one second, securing the most significant victory of their still young career in Paris so far for James and the 9-year-old mare.

In the first class on Sunday, the Prix de la Ville de Paris, Philipp and Lady Concern du Rezidal delivered a clear round and, with a fast time in the second phase, finished in seventh place. In the Grand Prix in the afternoon, Philipp chose the 12-year-old Oreo D.R.. The pair started promisingly in the challenging course, which in the end only six of the 50 combinations completed clear, but two rails fell late in the course and the pair dropped to 27th place in the ranking.

Next up for Team Beerbaum this week is the home CSI** in Riesenbeck, before Philipp and Ciaran head to the first two stages of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Miami and Mexico.