Olivier and his horse Hipster SV finished second in the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix on Saturday evening in Cairo, in one of the most beautiful settings. For the Belgian rider and his horse, it was their second podium finish in just two weeks, following their success in Vienna earlier this month.
In a jump-off with twelve riders, Pieter Devos and Casual DV Z were just 0.46 seconds faster than Olivier and Hipster. Their strong performance also earned them a place in the final at the end of November in Verona. Ben Maher and Point Break finished third, while Niels Bruynseels and Oaky Flandria took fourth place.
Second podium finish in two weeks
After jumping clear twice with both Ragazzo AV and Hipster SV during the Global Champions League competition, Olivier added two more clear rounds with Hipster SV in the Grand Prix. "I can keep it very short when talking about Hipster's form: he is simply fantastic at the moment. Finishing on the podium twice in two weeks is no easy task," says Olivier Philippaerts. "Our first podium finish was two weeks ago in Vienna. It was important for me to see whether he could maintain the form he showed there, and he has done that brilliantly. Pieter Devos went before me and was incredibly fast. I was the ninth rider to go in the jump-off, so I focused on my own round and tried to go as fast as possible. Looking back, I could have taken one less stride between fences one and two. I might have saved some time there, because the difference was really small. But I am extremely happy with our performance. Of course, I would have loved to win, but I am very pleased with second place. Thanks to this result, we also got qualified for the Super Final in Verona, which means I will have to review my schedule for the coming weeks."
A unique location
The Longines Global Champions Tour brings together top riders from around the world to compete at exceptional locations. Their historical importance and symbolic value make these venues even more special. After stops at iconic sites such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Pyramids of Giza provided a breathtaking backdrop for Saturday's competition. "One of the organisation's trademarks has become the opportunity to compete and allow the public to enjoy our sport in the most unusual locations. The facilities for the horses were excellent, and the organisers did a fantastic job in every way," says Olivier Philippaerts. "One thing that really surprised me was the large number of Egyptians who came to watch the competitions over the past few days. It shows that they have a great interest in our sport. That was something I had not expected."
"Hipster is on his way to becoming a very good horse"
Ludo has watched his son Olivier work hard with Hipster over the past few months and has seen the pair make significant progress. "I think Olivier has found the right buttons to press. The connection between the two of them is very good. A second podium finish in two weeks does not happen by chance. Hipster is making a lot of progress, which is very positive for the future. Without wanting to put any pressure on them, I am already looking forward to the final in Verona. Hipster is very careful when jumping, but he also understands what is expected of him. His willingness to jump the fences is very strong. He is on his way to becoming a very good horse."
