Edwina Tops-Alexander was crowned champion in the Jump Saudi CSI4* Grand Prix on board 9-year-old Hazy Toulana as they produced the only clear round of the day. Under the floodlights in Riyadh, local spectators filled the grandstands and the buzzing village to watch the dramatic 1.55m Grand Prix unfold.
HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Alfaisal the Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic committee presented the trophy to Tops-Alexander with HH Prince Abdullah Bin Fahad Bin Abdullah AL SAUD, President of the SAEF as she lifted it above her head much to the crowd's delight.
Tops-Alexander smiled: "I am thrilled with Hazy, she jumped incredibly and to be the only clear in the Grand Prix today is fantastic. That was her first-ever Grand Prix so to win it really rounds off a super week here at Jump Saudi. I’m looking forward to the 5* next week and hopefully, we can continue this form."
Egypt's Mouda Zeyada and Galanthos Shk had the lightest of touches causing a pole to fall but the pair were the fastest on four faults around Uliano Vezzani's testing track to finish in silver postion.
Local fans gave Khaled Abdulrahman Almobty and Garizona a standing ovation as they crossed the finish line with one down but in a lightning-fast time of 69.95s to claim the final place on the podium.
Russian rider Egor Shchibrik and Cornet's Spirit finished in fourth place just ahead of Germany’s Philipp Weishaupt and Coby in 5th - both with an unlucky rail. It was a thrilling ending to the three days of exciting CSI4* and CSI1* sporting action keeping spectators on the edge-of-their-seats throughout.
Jump Saudi now looks ahead to next week when the show will host three more days of world-class show jumping action with the CSI5* Longines World Cup. Current World Number one and two, Peder Fredricson and Daniel Deusser will both be competing under the lights in Riyadh along with a host of national and international talent. All the classes will be streamed live and for free on the Jump Saudi website.