Killer Queen wins the 6-year-olds at the Mondial du Lion with Merel Blom-Hulsman
Dutch rider Merel Blom-Hulsman proved she's got nerves today: leading the 6-year-old World Championship since the dressage round with her beautiful Holsteiner, she wasn't allowed to drop a bar in the show jumping round, otherwise victory would have gone to Britain's Norway van de Haar/Max Warburton. But Killer Queen, a magnificent black mare, performed perfectly! They finished on their dressage score of 25.1 points. Merel, young mother of a little Philippa born in 2022, thus takes her first victory at the Mondial du Lion, where she was competing for the 11th time. A bonus for assiduity!
Max Warburton, 26, placed his Dutch horse (KWPN) Norway Van De Haar 2nd with 28.8 points, also finishing on his dressage score. This was the third experience at the Mondial du Lion for the young Englishman, already 8th in 2022 and 2023 with United 36.
Third place went to a 100% Swedish couple, the gelding Clawfinger and his rider Anna Freskgard, with 31.6 points.
Chilli Morning IV and Gemma Stevens crowned 7-year-old champions at the Mondial du Lion
It's a first in the history of the Mondial du Lion: a cloned horse wins the 7-year-old world championship. It's Chilli Morning IV, a replica of the great competitor we once knew under the saddle of Britain's William Fox-Pitt.
He is ridden by Gemma Stevens for Great Britain. Tied for second in dressage with Chilli Morning's other clone, partnered by Germany's Julia Krajewski, Chilli Morning IV completed one of the seven cross-country courses on Saturday without fault and on time, before signing another perfect round on Sunday in show jumping. With her closest pursuers Hitchqote du Coudray/ Astier Nicolas and Calida Spice/ Lizzie Baugh committing a fault - on the last obstacle for Lizzie - Gemma Stevens was able to secure her course, which she still completed on time.
Kantango and Kitty King, another British couple, came 2nd after a clear jump-off (27.9), and Mr Cookie Time with New Zealander Samantha Lissington (29.9), 3rd.
