“I thought it was pretty impressive and rigorous for a first class,” admits Hanna Mauritzon as she comes out of the arena. The Swedish rider tackled the difficulty to win with style over of her 18 competitors in the Engel & Völkers Trophy (1.45m). The course was filled with a lot of options and some sharp turns—just like Italian course designer Uliano Vezzani loves—and demanded the riders to be very competitive from the outset. Hanna and her gelding Parmore Lux successfully met the challenge: “I had the advantage of going late in the class so I could be a little more careful. My horse just jumped amazingly. I’m super, super happy with him, and after all, that’s all that matters!”

The pair first competed together last year during the Longines Masters of Los Angeles, and this 2016 win marks their first victory in this prestigious event. “We are becoming a great team now. I hope this victory is a sign of what I can expect from this weekend,” laughed Hanna. And that’s all we can wish for her!