Puissance Class

Six riders attempted the $25,000 Puissance Class, but four rounds later just one would win.

In the qualifying round, Aaron Vale was first to be eliminated after knocking a rail at the second qualifying fence, a high vertical.

Five of six jumped the qualifying jumps and the 5'6" wall and returned for the second round.  Two of the warm-up fences were removed so riders had only to jump the triple bar and the wall set at 6'.  Ljubov Kochetova, the only lady and the only rider representing Russia in the Puissance, was the next to be eliminated.

Four came back for the second jump-off round with the wall set at 6'6".  Todd Minikus aboard Sweetheart, his winning mount in Thursday's Gambler's Choice,  had a pretty good rub but managed to leave the wall standing.

Along the way, Boeing added another $5,000 to the purse, making it a $30,000 Puissance class.

The third jump off round saw all four returning riders attempt the 6'9" wall, but Scott Brash got a less than ideal distance and took down part of the wall.

Three riders came back for the final jump-off round where the wall was set at a staggering 7'.  This was the round that would determine the final payout.

Andrew Kocher  aboard Donnatello, was the first in and the first eliminated.  Todd Minikus  and Sweetheart also had the wall down to tie it up for first place.

It all came down to Puissance pro Nick Skelton.  He did not disappoint, despite a good rub, Skelton and Unique left the wall standing to win the title.