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<\/p>\nIt’s been a beautiful week with top conditions at the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour, with horses and riders enjoying\u00a0non-stop sun and up to thirty degrees. Sunday was no different, and the stage was set for top sport as the Grand Prix got underway.<\/p>\n
A total of 11 out of the 42 horse-and-rider combinations in the Grand Prix managed to answer all the questions asked by world-class course designer Alan Wade, clearing his first-round track to move on to the jump-off. \u00ab\u00a0The track was very well built, I think we have seen great course design here throughout the week,\u00a0\u00bb\u00a0Schwizer commented.<\/p>\n
Niklaus Schurtenberger (SUI) was the first to return for the jump-off, and he set a clear round in 39.29 seconds. The time was further lowered by Danielle Farnsworth (GBR) to 38.88, but one rider later Julie Welles (USA) shaved off two seconds to take the lead with Ambra (Quintender x Grandeur) in 36.81 seconds. Cameron Hanley (IRL) \u2013 who won Saturday’s world ranking class \u2013 once again delivered a clear round, but slotted in behind Welles with the talented 8-year-old Loukas de La Noue (Malito de Reve x Mr Blue\u00a0) in 37.37 seconds. Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER) and Soccero 2 (Singulord Joter x Casall) also gave it a good shot, but had to settle in behind Welles and Hanley with their time of 38.40 seconds.<\/p>\n
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Pius Schwizer and Chidame Z.<\/em><\/sup><\/p>\n As second last to go in the jump-off, Pius Schwizer \u2013 a former world no. one known as one of the most competitive on the circuit \u2013 delivered one of his trademark rounds, lightning fast and precise. Crossing the finish line, the clocks showed 36.14 \u2013 Schwizer was in the lead. Only Frederik Troschke (GER),\u00a0last\u00a0to\u00a0go, could threaten Schwizer but he\u00a0came in trouble on the penultimate upright and the victory was Swiss.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u00a0Welles was very fast, so my plan was to go as quick as I could,\u00a0\u00bb Schwizer detailed on his plan for the jump-off. \u00ab\u00a0My horse Chidame is a little bit special, but she is very fast and careful, so I knew I had a chance to catch the ones\u00a0ahead of me.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n Schwizer, normally seen on the five-star circuit, is a regular at the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour and comes back year after year. \u00ab\u00a0The venue here at the\u00a0Mediterranean\u00a0Equestrian Tour is amazing,\u00a0\u00bb Schwizer said. \u00ab\u00a0The footing in the different rings is top, the fences are really nice and it is a really, really good event they put on here.\u00a0\u00bb<\/p>\n The Autumn MET I now continues with another two weeks of competition, before taking a one-week break and then resuming with Autumn MET II that runs from 29th\u00a0of October to 17th\u00a0of November 2019.<\/p>\n More information, start and result lists, as well as live streaming from the competitions, can be found\u00a0on\u00a0metoliva.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n For full results from the Grand Prix, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n