Stuttgart – Michael Jung was the star of the show in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle for two days long but on Thursday evening Timo Beck (Germany) joined him in the limelight and wrote horse show history in the process. After winning in 2000, 2002, 2008 and 2009, it was the fifth time that the rider, who represents the Hanauerland stables, has added his name to BW Bank Indoor Championships winners’ list. And he did so on a “borrowed” horse – Millenium de Roy, which belongs to Andreas Brünz. “I’d only ridden the French ten-year-old stallion at three previous shows,” explained the happy winner. In front of 5,800 spectators, Timo Beck’s clear round in 25.97 seconds was the quickest of the jump-off and he was followed by Hans-Dieter Dreher who finished in 26.69 seconds on Constantin. Third was Vacharo with Marcel Marschall in the saddle. The 19-year-old is the son of the Nations Cup rider Manfred Marschall, who himself won the indoor championship in 1993 and 1994.
“When I was warming up, I thought to myself: four wins is great, but five wins would be even better,” grinned the 33-year-old after the class. “I was nervous going into the ring for the first round and I rattled a couple of fences but then things got better. In the jump-off I said to myself: those that take risks, win and I took a pretty big risk.” It was well worthwhile as his efforts were rewarded with 4,200 euro prize money. Talking about the new surface, Beck said: “It’s a top quality surface. No complaints.”
Horse show director Gotthilf Riexinger was “proud that Timo Beck, like Michael Jung, comes from Baden Württemberg” and praised the victor: “Timo is more than a serious athlete, in the way he treats horses, people and also the organisers.” The spokesman of the BW-Bank, Manfred Rube, saw a “great ride” and one that “looked quick right from the start, and that’s how it turned out.” Rube was especially pleased that Beck was able to record his fifth win in the 25th final of the BW Bank Cup.
After the victory ceremony there was another emotional moment for Timo Beck under the lights in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle: he bid farewell to his 16-year-old mare Isabell who has been retired from jumping. “We had our biggest wins here in the 2008 and 2009 BW Bank Cups and my little mare, who jumps with a lot of heart, performed way above herself here,” reminisced Beck. He amassed about 30 wins and 150 placings on Isabell, who came to his stables in 2004.
