New Team Steal Hearts On Opening Day of GCL Doha 2022
Mdmar – Doha
Photo – Alshaqab
The 2022 championship race kicked
off with a bang under the lights in the stunning Longines Arena at Al Shaqab.
Brand new team Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses secured pole
position going into the first super Saturday Showdown of the year.
An ecstatic Malin Baryard-Johnsson told GCTV: “We are super happy of
course like you say it’s the first round for the team Stockholm hearts. We are
super proud, super happy with the horses. We have 2 extremely good horses they
try their hearts out for us. We have 5 teams clear today, Saturday is a new day
and it’s going to be tough, there are a few teams looking very very
strong.”
“*mdmar’s” news site for horse racing and
equestrian
Giving some insight into their team tactics Olivier Philippaerts: First of
all, we have to decide who is going to jump on Saturday, I think we will have a
discussion further on and probably think it is going to be Malin and Peder but
we will see how it goes, lucky to have a few different horses so hopefully we
get 2 more clear rounds on Saturday.”
Key facts from the first GCL round of the year:
- Stockholm Hearts are proving why they are favourites
- 5 teams finish on 0 faults
- Returning team Rome Gladiators made their mark to finish 2nd
- 6 teams carry forward 4 faults to round two
- New York Empire out of the game with a shock 20 faults
“*mdmar’s” news site for
horse racing and equestrian
Reigning champions Valkenswaard United showcased their heavyweight lineup with
Marcus Ehning and new signing showjumping hero John Whitaker. Riding super
Stargold, Ehning was first to take on the challenge but an early fault at fence
two immediately put United on the back foot before Whitaker and Unick du
Francport also had the same fence down as they start the season with a score of
8 faults.
The course looked jumpable but the first clear round didn’t come until Harrie
Smolders and Bingo du Parc sailed round for the Paris Panthers, leaving them on
just the 4 faults that Gregory Wathelet picked up. Berlin Eagles regular
pairing of Ludger Beerbaum on Mila and Christian Kukuk with Mumbi proved how
consistency in teams can pay off as the pair finished as the fastest team on
four faults.
U25 riders pulled out all the stops today as Michael Pender (St Tropez
Pirates), Jack Whitaker (Madrid In Motion) and Mike Kawai (London Knights) all
produced flawless clear rounds to help keep their teams in contention of claiming
the first championship points of the year.
“*mdmar’s” news site for horse racing and
equestrian
But it was new team Stockholm Hearts powered by H&M We Love Horses that
proved why they are the best on paper with a spectacular double clear in a
lightning-fast time to rocket them to the top of the leaderboard. The powerful
pairing of Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Indiana alongside Olivier
Philippaerts and H&M Legend of Love were a force to be reckoned with it in
GCL R1.
Prague Lions thrived in the huge arena as new combination of Belgium boys Niels
Bruynseels and Pieter Devos onboard Cristel and Claire Z also produced a
faultless score to keep them in touch with a podium.
With eleven out of sixteen teams all just one fence apart Saturday’s
competition is going to be tighter than ever. Tune in at 14.40 local time on
GCTV to find out who will secure the crucial 2022 season points.
“*mdmar’s” news site for horse racing and equestrian
The “Midmar” website for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
