The world’s best indoor show has reached a new dimension: Top level equestrian sports in five disciplines: show jumping, dressage, four-in-hand driving, vaulting and eventing have already been offered in the last 20 years, now there will be further innovations and a new status. When the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS, the 21st riding and show jumping show, will take place in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle from the 16th to the 20th of November 2005, it will be a World Cup show jumping show, one of only nine 5-star-CSIs worldwide and present a new course designer – Conrad Homfeld (USA).
After finishing his career as a successful show jumper, the Olympic winner, World Champion and World Cup winner from the USA started a likewise successful career as a course designer and will be responsible for the lines in Stuttgart in 2005 and 2006. His courses, e.g. at the World Cup final in Las Vegas in 2003 – are and were well received by the riders, officials and spectators.
But it will not only be Homfeld’s premiere, but also the start for the World Cup in Stuttgart: this year, the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS will be the first venue of the season 2005/2006. Only Leipzig holds a further World Cup show in Germany. This means that in the Grand Prix of Stuttgart on Sunday, the top riders can collect their first points on their way to the World Cup final held in Kuala Lumpur in April 2006. “This new situation makes our show even more attractive”, said Andreas Kroll, the managing director of the in.Stuttgart Veranstaltungsgesellschaft joyfully.
And Gotthilf Riexinger, the show director, added with pride: “The FEI declared us to be a 5 star CSI which is unique in Germany”: The 5 star status will only be given to a show jumping show (CSI) by the World Equestrian Federation (FEI) from a total prize money of more than 500.000 Swiss Francs (approx. 334.000 Euro). Furthermore, the surroundings, the conditions for riders, horses and grooms, in brief: the quality of the entire show are further criteria for the allocation of the five stars.
Worldwide, only eight further show jumping shows have five stars. Two events in Spruce Meadows, Canada (in June and July), in Valkenswaard (Netherlands), in Paris-Jardy (France), in Las Vegas (USA), in Brussels (Belgium), in Belfast (Ireland) and in La Coruna (Spain).
Above these CSI5* shows, there is only the category of the so-called “official” shows (CSIO), one per country. In Germany, this show is held in Aachen, the CHIO Aachen (Super League).
Aachen and the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS – the world’s best outdoor and the world’s best indoor show – are now the top events on the ranking list in Germany.
Apart from the top class show jumping tests with the Grand Prix of Stuttgart, presented by Mercedes-Benz, Allianz und Landesbank Baden-Württemberg, being the World Cup qualification and the highlight, the four-in-hand driver’s World Cup will be once again the centre of attention in November. “Stuttgart has been the initiator and the precursor for the driver’s World Cup, and the season will start in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle for the fifth time”, explained Riexinger. Top performances can also be expected in dressage, vaulting and in the indoor eventing test.
A total prize money of 400.000 Euro for the 25 tests are available, plus three Mercedes Benz cars: On Wednesday evening, the winner of the MercedesCard Jump & Drive will receive a Mercedes-Benz A 180 TD, a Mercedes-Benz B 180 TD will wait for the winner of the MERCEDEDS GERMAN MASTER on Friday evening, and a Mercedes-Benz ML 280 will be given to the winner of the Grand Prix of Stuttgart.
The “day of the riders from Baden-Württemberg” on Thursday form an essential part of the program, when the unofficial indoor regional champions will be determined in the iWest dressage cup and in the Landesbank Baden-Württemberg Hallenchampionat. The five best riders can qualify for the “knockout” show jumping test held on Saturday. In this test, the three show jumpers from the “Ländle”, who receive the start permission for the “Big tour”, will also be present. In this K.O. show jumping test, eight riders from Baden-Württemberg will therefore fight against eight international riders (four from Germany, four foreign riders) – “Virtually, Baden-Württemberg against the rest of the world”, announced Riexinger smiling.
The KAMPMANN GERMAN MASTER, which is a qualifier for the Kampmann Cup 2005/2006 will be the dressage highlight. The four-in-hand drivers will fight for World Cup points and the SCHENKER GERMAN MASTER, and the VAULTING GERMAN MASTER will be the title for the vaulters who will perform in pairs.
The big show evening presented by the Südwestrundfunk on Wednesday and the side program with attractive show events are big crowd-pullers. Here, the organisers are inventing new “gems” every year. The advance booking sales have already been started and those who would like to watch the event live, are recommended to make sure of the desired tickets as early as possible. Entry tickets for certain event sections – e.g. Thursday evening, Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening – are known to be very popular, and therefore, may be sold out very quickly.
Entrance tickets for the 21st STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS riding and show jumping show cost between 10 and 40 Euro, tickets for the entire show between 119 and 175 Euro, including all advance booking fees, plus transportation costs. They are available at the EASY TICKET SERVICE via telephone under (+49 711) 2 55 55 55, via fax under (+49 711) 2 55 55 66, at all advance booking offices or via Internet under www.easyticket.de. or www.stuttgart-german-masters.de.
