The Power and Grace Trophy begins Fridays competition and this is part of the International Grand Prix Tour. Today's class is a one round and a jump off and sees 18 combinations line up for starters orders.

First out is young Charlotte Morse with Lanceretto, an 8 year old stallion by Lancer out of a Grannus mare. They looked good today over the 1.55m Rothenburger course but with two down they were not to be starters for the jump off today.

Second out, for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Ramsy Al Duhamy and his own 10 year old gelding, Ocelot - pictured below left - were tripping the lights fantastic as they worked their way around the first round, making every fence look easier than the previous - a rub at the first part of the treble (the oxer) did no harm and they produced the first clear round for the class.

Markus Beerbaum, after a disappointing elimination at fence three in last nights World Cup class, starts with Constantin 24 in this Grand Prix class and the horse is looking perhaps more settled and on the job today - and with a super jockey in the saddle, any little inconsistencies which might be there after last nights class will be ridden through - and the result was a clear round - giving us a jump off!

Russia's Vladimir Beletskiv was next to give the course a go with Rami Al-Shear's 11 year old Hannoverian gelding Rezonanz - both were jumping well but unfortunately midway around the course they jumped the wrong fence and were eliminated for their trouble - he was about to jump the final treble - the wrong way!

Gunnar Klettenberg and Terror - pictured above right - definitely had the support of the crowds here today - the very handsome 10 year stallion was jumping super again today and that is not to underestimate the lovely ride Gunnar is giving him to every fence and another clear was produced to join the jump off.

Leopold van Asten and VDL Groep Think Twice, an incredibly athletic 14 year old grey mare who quite obviously has a mind of her own and yet does not look difficult to ride made short work of the course today until the triple bar part A of the double combination came down when the back end became a little elevated bringing the rail with it - they completed with four faults but a super round.

Next was Mexico's turn and their representative, Alberto Michan - this is the first time in 7 years that Mexico have been represented at a World Cup Final - Alberto is riding Jacobo Zaga's 10 year old chestnut stallion, Iva tu du Rouet - pictured above left - and they look good together - the stallion has no lack of humour and shows it around the course as he plays, sometimes allowing his rider to be in control and sometimes taking care of business himself - but the results say it all - they are through to the jump off after clear jumping in round one!

Juan Carlos Garcia, now riding for Italy, had just the one fence down with Markgraaf which was to keep him out of the jump off today.

Geir Gulliksen and Clear Rounds Then Party from Norway were next out - this horse by Animo is a tall,scopey gelding and all was going well until the horse paddled through the big oxer heading to the pocket - but Geir kept going and the horse did not seem to lose any confidence from the crash finishing the track with just four faults - but no appearance in the jump off today.

America's Margie Engle was next into the arena with Hidden Creek's Alibi but things didn't;t start well today when the horse flicked out fence two for four faults and then took out Geir's crash oxer to finish with 8 faults.

Another Russian rider, Ljubov Kochetova, came into the ring on the 9 year old grey Corofino gelding to a huge welcome, and an even bigger cheer when they came through the finish flags with everything in place for a place in the jump off - the round was beautifully ridden with everything going according to plan as per the way Mr Rothenburger built the track!

Noora Pentti for Finland, riding her own Evli Cagliostro - pictured above right - , a 14 year old Calando stallion put in a careful round, again with no errors made - the stallion listened to his rider every step of the way and were rewarded with a clear round to join the jump off.

World number 1 and winner of last nights World Cup class, Marcus Ehning rode in to a tremendous roar aboard the handsome bay mare Cinderella 245 -pictured below right - and even though the fences have gone up from yesterdays Grand Prix class, this mare does not seem to have noticed - she is still playing as if at a training show and they came through the finish flags with all fences standing and not a nail laid to rail around the course - they join the jump off!

Helena Gabrielsson, riding for Sweden, but calling Malaysia home for 14 years now, was not to join the jump off today when fence two lowered as well as fence 5 finishing with 8 faults.

Mikael Forsten was hoping to join his countrymate, Noora in the jump off today with his chestnut mare Melansa and after winning yesterday's Grand prix Speed class in style there is no reason why they wouldn't - the horse is jumping superbly around this bigger track, with nothing seeming to cause the

horse and issue - coming into the final combination though the first part. a very short but wide oxer fell giving them four faults today.

Second last to go, for the USA, Alison Firestone and La Supra, a 9 year old mare by Edwig - the Malaysian oxer heading the the pocket fell in front, but neither horse nor rider were disturbed and kept their focus the rest of the way around the course, finishing with just the four faults.

Last to go in this first round is Charlotte Morse, taking her second turn around the course, this time riding a 10 year old stallion, O'Jasper by Hollywood out of a Flemmingh mare - fence two caused a problem as they nearly tipped over at it but Charlotte kept her head and continued riding beautifully giving the stallion plenty of confidence with no further problems on course - they finished with just four faults.

Franke Rothenburger's track was tough but then this is the World Cup Final Show and anyone expecting a pony club picnic event was going to be disappointed.

There were several who qualified but recognised that the World Cup events would be out of their grasp at this stage and so jumped super competitive in the Grand Prix Tour, no doubt hoping for an opportunity in years to come to jump in the World Cup class.

So the scene is set for an excellent jump off which should be full of excitement - 7 combinations fighting it out for first place ribbons!

Ramsy Al Duhamy is first to go for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.......and the crowd wait expectantly as he approaches fence one, the triple bar and all is looking good for this combination as they travel around this 8 fence jump off - they finished with the first part of the double down for four faults in 39.43secs.

Markus Beerbaum for Germany, not known for caution on a jump off track......but today they had the top rail off the grey brick wall vertical for four faults and then coming into the second last fence, Constantin decided he did not like umbrella's and rustic rails and refused, they reapproached, jumped but lowered the fence - the finishing score was 22 faults which included time penalties.

Estonia's Gunnar Klettenberg with Terror jumped for a clear and steady round and all was looking well until the last fence fell and they finished with four faults in 47.68secs so still no clear round in this jump off class.

Alberto Michan representing Mexico with Iva tu du Rouet looked super as they began this course and that continued all the way through to the final fence as they produced the first clear round in 38.53secs putting them provisionally in the lead at this stage with just three to go!

Ljubov Kochetova for Russia was next through the curtains...........and a clear would put her in the money and faster than 38.53secs would put her up the line - a tap at the second fence perhaps indicating the horse was getting tired - they finished with 12 faults in 46.85secs.

Finland's Noora Pentti and Evli Cagliostro who decided that with just 28 secs left on the countdown clock, he really had to relieve himself and wouldn't be moving till he had done so - but all was well and they started well under the 45 seconds and they were obviously looking for a clear as they were taking no risks coming through the finish flags with everything in place and with their time of 46.20secs they slotted into provisional second place with just one to go.............................

Last to go, world number one, Marcus Ehning and Cinderella - what would he do - steady and clear or go for a fast ride? Giving nothing away as he rode to the first fence, Marcus opened up the mare and took every possible cut he could, proving that you don't have to scrub the ears off a horse to go fast - they stopped the clock at 37.46secs to take the first place ribbon.

Final placings for the Grand Prix Tour - One Round and jump off:

1st - Marcus Ehning - Cinderella 245 - C in 37.46secs GERMANY
2nd- Alberto Michan - Iva tu du Rouet - C in 38.53secs MEXICO
3rd - Noora Pentti - Evli Cagliostro - C in 46.20 FINLAND
4th - Ramsy Al Duhamy - Ocelot - 4 faults in 39.43secs KSA
5th - Gunnar Klettenberg - Terror - 4 faults in 47.68secs ESTONIA