The 5* riders had a chance to warm up their horses for the KTLA Trophy at the Masters opening class of the Longines Masters of Los Angeles just before the opening gala. For some, it was an opportunity to prepare for the weekend’s events at the Long Beach Convention Center. For others, it was to announce their ambitions. Rider Emanuele Gaudiano clearly had this objective in mind, signing an unbeatable time (66.26 seconds), just like he perfectly knows how to do it, atop of his 10-year-old mare Guess, 6.

In the first run, Switzerland rider Steve Guerdat led the pack for majority of the time, finishing a perfect round with Concetto Son, his winning FEI World Cup finals partner. Spectators had to wait for 15 more riders to run the course before an Italian speed rocket beat the time by one second and became untouchable. “It was a really fast class, easy to ride, even if we had to be careful as the pools are quite light. My mare is a little bit young, but she has a lot of qualities, and she is really quick on the field. She is the perfect partner for speed classes like this one”, explained Gaudiano before receiving his prize. A rising star mare, Patrice Delaveau’s Leontine Ledimar Z ranked third, and to whom the Longines Masters has already been a success. This is good news as he prepares for the Longines Grand Prix, especially since the tricolor is still in the running for the Grand Slam Indoor Super Bonus after his victory in Paris last December. Before that occurs, riders are expected at the Longines Speed Challenge tomorrow night where they will discover the new 2016/2017 season course plan designed by Uliano Vezzani.

After the prize giving ceremony it was time for glamour and party with the opening gala of the Longines Masters of Los Angeles, where the crowd had the opportunity to mingle with some of the biggest Hollywood stars. After a spectacular show by Santi Serra, famous French singer JAIN took the stage for a live concert in the Prestige Village - a great night put into perspective.