(acm/mps) He has already won the Stuttgart Grand Prix on three occasions (1994, 2000, 2002) – with his triumph in the MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER on Friday evening, Ludger Beerbaum drew level in the all time list of winners in the second main competition of the International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show.
The German increased his record of major triumphs in the Baden Württemberg state capital to the tidy sum of six wins. With the only clear round in the jump off in a time of 39.79 seconds, the four-time Olympic Champion on Gladdys S again won the MASTER title after having already won it in 1995 and 1996 – and the key to a brand new Mercedes-Benz B 180 TD worth 28,500 Euro. Whereby the jump off for the top eight competitors from the first round could hardly have been more dramatic. The first pair Christian Ahlmann (Germany) and his 10-year-old gelding Firth of Clyde set the mark – four faults in a time of 37.37 seconds – that was to remain until the penultimate ride – Beerbaum’s victory ride. And when the last participant the Swede Malin Baryard-Johnsson on H&M Royal Son Z had a fence down with the very last jump, Ahlmann was rightly pleased with a second place and prize money to the tune of 16,000 Euro. Just behind in third place was Brazilian Bernardo Alves. He also had four faults but was two hundredths slower in a time of 37.39.
“It’s really nice to come back after Gladdys’ and my long break and it’s something special that it was here in Stuttgart,” said Beerbaum who was very pleased with the major win in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle. But he admitted: “I naturally also had a very good starting position as I was able to go into the jump off as the last but one after the two qualifying competitions. I was able to observe everything and naturally put Malin Baryard-Johnsson under pressure with my ride. I was quite fortunate that it all went to plan. But I would also have been happy with second place today.” Gladdys’ present form gives him confidence for the rest of the World Cup season, continued Beerbaum. The Director of the Mercedes Benz garage in Stuttgart Burkhard Wagner was also excited by the MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER: I’m impressed by the great field, the great competitions and the great atmosphere here.”
