Planette waves for Fuchs

Thomas Fuchs, of Switzerland, was cheered home by a full house of noisy schoolchildren when he won the opening contest of the Paris Horse Show yesterday. The cheering was even more deafening when two French riders, Herve Godignon and Philippe Rozier, finished within a second of the winning time in the Prix des Ecoliers to fill the next two places. Fuchs was riding the mare, Planette, who flew over the last four fences at such speed that the rider was confident of victory long before he received his prize.

James Fisher, who was eighth on the mare, Rose Princess, finished just ahead of John Whitaker on Everest Randi and his younger brother, Michael, on Diana. Fisher would have secured a higher placing but for his mount slipping when making a U-turn after the second fence.

Nick Skelton was the fastest of the British riders yesterday and he would have finished fourth had the French-bred mare, Corezienne, left the last fence intact. Skelton gave Everest Dollar Girl a rest yesterday; she will have her first competition here today before taking part in tomorrow's World Cup class.

PARIS HORSE SHOW Prix des Ecoliers: 1 Planette AC Folien (T Fuchs, Swit) clear, 45.43sec; 2 Uquileo le Fol (H Godignon, Fr) clear, 46.26; 3 Baiko Ubiaze (P Rozier, Fr) clear, 46.34. GB: 8 Rose Princess (J Fisher) clear, 51.44; 9 Everest Randi (J Whitaker) clear, 53.24; 10 Everest Diana (M Whitaker) clear, 53.29.