Peder Fredricson Can’t Be Caught in the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* at the Stephex Masters

Brussels, Belgium – August 28, 2022 – It is all over again. Unfortunately we will have to miss the grass arenas in Wolvertem for a year, but we would not be Stephex events if we did not end with a bang. Today was the day. With the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*, presented by Audi, we enjoyed the highlight of the Brussels Stephex Masters together with a huge and ecstatic audience.

There was not a cloud in the sky when the highlight of the Brussels Stephex Masters kicked off this afternoon. One flawless course, a lightning-fast jump-off and 43 competitors were all that stood in the way of the riders eager to win the €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5*, presented by Audi. The course designed by Frenchman Grégory Bodo (FRA) was not an easy one. Before the break, only two riders managed to keep all the rails in place. After the break, five more followed. The home crowd kept hoping for a Belgian finalist up until the very end. You could hear a pin drop when Jos Verlooy (BEL), Gregory Wathelet (BEL) and finally Gilles Thomas (BEL) were riding their courses … and you could hear a loud groan of disappointment go through the audience when all three did not manage to clear the course. No Belgians in the jump-off, unfortunately, but we did have 7 world-class riders competing for the title.

First up: Kristaps Neretnieks (LAT) and Valour. Unfortunatly, he got a fault on the first fence of the jump-off. Then Harrie Smolders (NED) and Uricas V/D Kattevennen rode into the arena. The beautiful stallion galloped with great speed and style through the course. What a horse! Clear and the shortest time. However, he was immediately overtaken by Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) with H5 Chaganus. The commentators could not believe their eyes. “Did you see that? Judging by the screams throughout the arena, the audience was also deeply impressed. Denis Lynch (IRL) and Brooklyn Heights did not make a mistake either, but was just a bit too slow. Then, the world number 3 was on: Peder Fredricson (SWE). Catch me not cleared jump after jump, made no mistake and did it faster than anyone else: absolute world class. Unbeatable as it turned out, because although both Steve Guerdat (SUI) and Dynamix de Belheme and Nicolas Pizarro (MEX) and Oak Grove’s Enkidu cleared the jump-off, they could not beat the time of the Knokke Hippique 2022 winner. Congratulations Peder Fredricson (SWE) and Catch Me Not!

Final Results – €500,000 Rolex Grand Prix CSI 5* presented by Audi

1) Peder Fredricson (SWE) & Catch Me Not S – 0 / 0 – 32.61

2) Eduardo Pereira de Menezes (BRA) & H5 Chaganus – 0 / 0 – 32.91

3) Harrie Smolders (NED) & Uricas van de Kattevenen – 0 / 0 – 33.54

FULL RESULTS

COURSE MAP

Source: Press Release from Brussels Stephex Masters