(15.1.2017) That was a good start into the season 2017: Pius Schwizer was in great form at CSI Basel. Aboard the Oldenburg gelding Balou Rubin R he won the main class on Saturday in a jump-off of 22 riders and being 2nd and 5th he took two more top placings. With Leonard de la Ferme he won the Accumulator and was 2nd in the Speed and Handiness. „The horses did a super job, they were just great“, a happy Pius Schwizer said. PSG Future also achieved a good result: With a fast four points round he took 11th place in the Championship of Basel. The GP on Sunday did not go as desired. After a good start the pole at the blue plank fence fell and two more faults happened in the same line. The rider then retired and this proved to be a very unfortunate decision! It was second placed John Whitaker who snatched away Pius’ lead in the Leading Rider classification at the very last minute and by a tiny margin – the beautiful white car had gone out of reach. If Pius Schwizer had finished the course, no matter the result, he would have stayed leading rider. „Unfortunately I did not know this. I assumed that only the first fifteen riders who reached the second round will get points. Apparently I was not aware of the special modus  which is used in Basel. What a pity, learning never stops in this sport“, Pius Schwizer said. That’s why even at the eighth attempt there is still no Swiss winner be it in the Grand Prix or in the Leading Rider ranking. – The next show will be the World Cup event in Leipzig. Pius Schwizer plans to ride Leonard de la Ferme CH, Belcanto, Lester IX and Cortney-Cox 2 in the Young Horses classes.