Paris, France – June 22, 2024 – Dreams came true in the heart of Paris Saturday night as young French star Jeanne Sadran (FRA) clinched her first ever five-star GP victory at the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Paris CSI 5* presented by Ville de Paris. The City of Love witnessed a display of prue excellence at the second day of the Longines Paris Eiffel Jumping.

However, it was not a bad day for Kent Farrington (USA), who secured second place in the feature class of the week at the eighth leg of the Formula 1 of showjumping.

Competing Dexter de Kerglenn on home turf, Sadran captivated the sold-out crowd as the only double clear, edging out some of the biggest names in the sport, including the renowned Kent Farrington (USA) and Myla, who finished in second place. Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) and Equine America Harwich VDL collected their first ever LGCT podium to finish in third place. 

The atmosphere was electric, as thousands of enthusiastic spectators gathered to witness top-tier sport. Kent Farrington (USA) , a seasoned veteran and one of the sport’s most respected figures, graciously congratulated Sadran on her remarkable achievement: “To see the next generation of riders coming through, a great French win at home, so that was really exciting for the crowd and I am really happy for Jeanne too.” 

In the first round, 35 starters faced a formidable technical course designed by Grégory Bodo (FRA), with the tight time allowed adding extra pressure.12 combinations had just a single rail down with the last line claiming the most victims.

With just over 10 riders to go Spencer Smith (USA) pulled it out the bag to make it a jump-off as the crowd erupted when they saw he finished with 0 faults on the board, throwing down the gauntlet in what was shaping up to be an ultra exciting and emotional class. 

With the crowd on the edge of their seats with the thought of what was to come in the four person jump-off.

Having tasted LGCT Grand Prix victory before Spencer Smith (USA) played a tactical game to go slightly wider hoping for a solid clear to put the pressure on. He got a little flat into the Longines double and the first part came tumbling down coming home on four faults in 44.34 seconds the slowest on four faults in the jump-off. 

Having not been on the top spot of an LGCT Grand Prix podium since 2017, Kent Farrington (USA) gave it his all and stole the hearts of every single person watching the magic unfold. There were tears as risking it all didn’t pay off and the red upright alongside the VIP came tumbling down. He then picked up the pace on Myla and stopped the clock just over a tenth of a second faster than Gulliksen in 42.51 seconds with just one rider to go…

Enter: Jeanne Sadran (FRA) and Dexter de Kerglenn – the only hope for France in the jump-off. The entire crowd knew exactly what was needed to take the win for the duo on home turf, riding every stride with Jeanne and Dexter, and not missing a single hoofbeat. As the pair galloped towards the final fence, a pin drop could’ve been heard in the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment. The eruption of noise and celebration from the packed VIP and sold out grandstands, and pure emotion felt from Jeanne and her support crew showed exactly what the win in the 10th edition of the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Paris meant. 

As the sun set over the stunning Parisian venue, the celebrations continued, with fans and fellow competitors alike acknowledging the significance of Sadran’s triumph. It was a day of high emotion, where dreams were realised and new heroes were born. The Tour now heads straight to Stockholm from 28 – 30 June 2024. 

Final Results – €308,600 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Paris CSI 5*

1) Jeanne Sadran (FRA) & Dexter de Kerglenn – 0 / 0 – 45.71

2) Kent Farrington (USA & Myla – 0 / 4 – 42.51

3) Johan-Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) & Equine America Harwich VDL – 0 / 4 – 42.67

Source:  Press Release from LGCT – Longines Global Champions Tour

Photos: © LGCT – Longines Global Champions Tour

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