Story highlights
Rolf-Goran Bengtsson wins Global Champions Tour
Claims maximum points in final round in Doha
Partners stallion Casall Ask to victory
Sweden’s Rolf-Goran Bengtsson made it third time lucky as he wrapped up the Longines Global Champions Tour in Doha Saturday on his veteran stallion Casall ASK.
Bengtsson took full advantage of a lapse by his closest rival Edwina Tops-Alexander after the Australian racked up eight faults on Lintea Tequila to go out in the first round of the competition finale.
Bengtsson, who had led by five points in the overall standings going the 15th and final stop of the tour, had two clear rounds and then won the subsequent jump off for his third win of the series.
Read: Global Champions Tour title goes down to the Doha wire
Germany’s Daniel Deusser (First Class van Eeckelghem) finished second with compatriot Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Fibonacci) in third.
Bengtsson had been pipped to the overall twice before, finishing runner-up to Tops-Alexander in 2012 and to Scott Brash in 2014, so victory and the near $1 million prize purse was sweet for the 54-year-old.
Read: Vaalkensward United wins team title
The Swede is a two-time Olympic silver medalist – as an individual in 2008 and in the team event four years earlier – and has built up a formidable partnership with the 17-year-old Casall Ask, “better than ever” he said of his horse during the build up to the final showdown.
The Global Champions Tour features the 30 top-ranked show jumpers in the world, staged at a series of glamorous locations and with a prize money pot of almost €10 million ($11.1 million).
Bengtsson had enjoyed a superb and consistent season with wins in Valkenswaard and Paris to propel himself into pole position heading into the action at the Al Shaqab Equestrian Center in Qatar, hosting the finale for the third year running.