Gemma Stevens opened the Afternoon Performance with a spectacular win in the Cavago Six Bar jumping class. Thirteen competitors stepped up to tackle the five-round challenge, featuring six vertical fences that grew taller with each round. The course, with four fences in a row providing the ultimate test of agility, allowed only those who cleared every jump to advance to the next round.
By the fifth and final round, just two combinations remained; defending champions John Whitaker aboard Sharid and British Olympic eventer Gemma Stevens with Envoy Merelsnest Z. The crowd was thrilled as these two equestrian greats faced the last round with the last fence towering at 1.95m, in which Stevens – who won team Eventing gold at the 2018 World Equestrian Games – emerged victorious.
Reflecting on her win with Envoy Merelsnest Z, Stevens said: “Honestly, I am amazed – he was absolutely brilliant. I’ve always known he can jump a big vertical, but putting it all together is the real challenge. I genuinely can’t believe we won today. The atmosphere here at London International is incredible, and like usual he gave his all, trying so hard to clear every jump.”
