Stuttgart – The sell-out 8,000 crowd in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle were out of their seats. Going second in the Mercedes-Benz Jump and Drive, the German Alexander Schill and his 10-year-old stallion Cartree set the time to beat by racing around the course first at the reins and then at the wheel of a Mercedes Benz in 90.15 seconds. No other rider came even close.
The 25th International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show had its first highlight and the prize for the overjoyed winner was a Mercedes-Benz A 180 CD Coupé worth 27,400 Euro. The team European champion from Switzerland Pius Schwizer and his grey Eurocommerce Monterey, also a 10-year-old, came closest to the winning time by going round in 94.55 seconds. Behind him in third was Mario Stevens (Germany) in 96.69 seconds.
Earlier in the afternoon, 4,900 equestrian fans were in the arena for the opening competition of the Stuttgart show that is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The Prize of the iWEST GmbH, a Class S, Intermediaire I dressage competition, was won by Falk Stankus (Germany) on Birkhofs Haakon. In the jumping class for riders from the state of Baden Württemberg that followed, Timo Beck (Germany) took first prize, which was donated by Birkel Teigwaren GmbH, on the 15-year-old mare Isabel.
