First time at the CHIO Aachen, first victory – things couldn’t have gone better for France’s Francois Xavier Boudant in the STAWAG Opening Jumping Competition.

The STAWAG Opening Jumping Competition lasted a good two hours. However, the decision already fell in the first few minutes. As fourth to go, Francois Xavier Boudant (FRA) and his Egoki took 0.46 seconds off the time of Richard Vogel with Cydello, who had been in the lead up until then. Boudant’s time of 62.62 seconds remained unbeaten up to the end. Vogel and his Hanoverian-bred Cascadello son finished second (63.08). Third place went to the Swedish rider, Petronella Andersson with the Belgian stallion, Ollister de Lys out of Hunter’s Scendro (63.41).

It is the first time that Francois Xavier Boudant has ever competed at the CHIO Aachen. “A super start,” he commented understandably about his debut victory. He owed this triumph to his ten-year-old, chestnut French-bred Catoki son, Egoki, whom he has been riding for “six or seven years” already. So, the pair know each other inside out. “I am taking part in the Speed Tour with him this weekend,” Boudant reported. That could be interpreted as a warning to his fellow competitors. Boudant has brought his top horse, Brazyl de Mezel, with him for the Five Start Tour, whom the French show-jumper represented France with last year at the Nation’ Cup Final in Barcelona.