05 Sep Frenchman Mathieu Billot surprise winner of the BEMER Riders Tour at Azelhof in Belgium
(Lier/ Kiningshooikt) Vive la France: Mathieu Billot from St. Gatien de Bois won the sixth leg of the BEMER Riders Tour in Lier, Belgium at the CSI3* Azelhof. The 37-year-old professional with the Air Jordan daughter Darling de l’Angevine was one of two pairs to stay clear in the second round of the Grand Prix in 35.48 seconds. Slower, but also clear, was only Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann with Chesmu KJ. With her second place, the Amazon from Pinneberg took the top spot in the current ranking of the BEMER Riders Tour.
Completely surprised – Mathieu Billot
“That was unbelievable,” said a delighted Mathieu Billot, who at first could not believe that he had actually won the Grand Prix in Azelhof. “This is my first time here at the CSI Azelhof, it is absolutely beautiful, a very good organisation and attractive with the BEMER Riders Tour. Darling de l’Aveline is partly owned by my parents, so this was a great success for us.” Now the Frenchman is considering whether to follow up with further BEMER Riders Tour starts: “I honestly don’t know yet. I have to see if the events still fit into my calendar.”
Exactly 13 pairs qualified according to the rules for the second round of the top-class competition of the CSI3* Azelhof and course director Henk Linders (Netherlands) had set the 50 pairs a demanding, but quite achievable task. 13 riders and horses from 10 nations provided plenty of excitement in the second round.
New top of the ranking Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann
Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann hugged her husband Christoph, son Friedrich, Chesmu KJ and groom Sebastian Hasenberg and was delighted with the result. Only eleven weeks after the birth of her son, she won the opening of the BEMER Riders Tour in Hagen a.T.W. at Horses and Dreams meets Canada, then the “Turnier der Sieger” in Münster and now came second in Azelhof: “I have a super team of horses at the moment and thanks to my great team they were in good shape and had been training well during my pregnancy.” The rider rates her success with Chesmu highly: “Only flying is more beautiful!” She cannot contest the CSI Arena Nova leg in Wiener Neustadt, but Neumünster’s VR CLASSICS with the eighth and final leg would be a “home run”.
“Home run is nice, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy,” the 41-year-old states matter-of-factly. The competition “does not rest”. Sophie Hinners, who has been leading so far, wants to fill her points account further in Wiener Neustadt. So it promises to be exciting in the coming weeks.
Azelhof Horse Events excellent host
The horse centre in Lier, Belgium, proved to be a great host for the BEMER Riders Tour in Belgium. Owners Sofie van Gerwen and Mike Hazebroek see the inclusion of the series as an opportunity: “We noticed right away that the BEMER Riders Tour is proving to be good, because this time there are many riders here who have not competed with us before.” The organisers of the BEMER Riders Tour, which made its first stop in Belgium, are no less satisfied. “We felt absolutely comfortable and welcome here,” Dorothee Hahn (Riders Tour GmbH) underlines. “The conditions for horses and riders are quite excellent and in the future, with the BEMER Riders Tour seal of approval, we also hope to contribute to the CSI3* BEMER Riders Tour Azelhof being seen in the region as a spectator magnet and place for a come-together.”
Results CSI3* Azelhof, 6th leg of the BEMER Riders Tour
1. Matthieu Billot (FRA), Darling de l`Angevine 0/ 35,48
2. Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER), Chesmu KJ 0/ 37,76
3. Mariano Martinez Bastida (ESP), Bilado vd Wijnhoeve Z 1/ 38,06
4. Manon Hees (NED), Kamiel van het Langwater 1/ 38,63
5. Bernardo Cardoso de Resende Alves (BRA), El Torreo de Muze 4/ 34,17
6. Chloe Aston (GBR), Flavie van de Helle 4/ 37,33
Ranking BEMER Riders Tour after 6 of 8 legs
1. Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER), 57 points
2. Sophie Hinners (GER), 43
3. Emanuele Camilli (ITA), 25
4. Mario Stevens (GER), 23
5. Mathias Norhaeden Johansen (DEN), 20
5. David Will (GER), 20
5. Remco Been (NED), 20
5. Mathieu Billot (FRA) 20
9. Wolfgang Puschak (GER), 19
10. Marcus Ehning (GER), 18
Photo: Mathieu Billot und Darling de l`Angevine © Thomas Hellmann