(acm/mps) The International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle sets itself high standards indeed. As everybody knows the aim is to be the “indoor Aachen”. That the show does not fall short of its standards was once again confirmed by the famous stars in the saddle at the opening press conference on Thursday afternoon. “Stuttgart really is a fantastic horse show, everything has been thought through to the last detail,” declared, for example, Team World Champion Gerco Schröder (Netherlands), who still reckons he has very good chances even though he will not be saddling his World Championships horse.
“Berlin’s being given a break after Aachen. But Milano jumped very well recently at the World Cup event in Verona and also previously in Helsinki. We also want to try to do the same here,” announced Schröder. Individual World Champion Jos Lansink (Belgium), on the other hand, was a bearer of a piece of news that was a little on the bad side. “My World Championships horse Cumano is simply not fit at the moment,” said Lansink when explaining his withdrawal from the 22nd STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS. Born in the Netherlands, the rider combined his pulling out by paying the horse show a compliment: “I would have really loved to have competed here but I feel the standard here is simply too high for me to take part on my second horse.” Though he regretted Lansink’s withdrawal, Show Director Gotthilf Riexinger felt the decision shows, “that he’s a true professional.”
Taking part again after a number of years is the Finnish woman Kyra Kyrklund. “I was once here – with Matador – in Stuttgart back in 1988 and I can still remember it well,” said the 1991 World Cup winner and the 1990 World Championships silver medal winner. “It was one of the best shows that I’d ever ridden in up until that point of time. It’s why I’m especially pleased to be able to return here.” Kyrklund felt there are obviously many other good shows, “but Stuttgart is simply always a touch ahead of the rest.”
