Stuttgart – It has never happened before in the history of the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS. Riding in front of a 6,500 crowd in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle the German Ludger Beerbaum won the Grand Prix of Stuttgart – presented by Mercedes Benz and the BW-Bank for an unprecedented fourth time on the final day of the 25th horse show. His other wins in the event’s final class came in 1994, 2000 and 2002. The 20 ROLEX FEI World Cup JumpingTM points that went with the success also moved him up to fourth in the rankings after five events.
Beerbaum was the quickest of the nine riders in the jump off. His clear round on the eight-year-old mare Gotha in a time of 38.25 seconds won him a Mercedes-Benz ML 300 D worth 52,520 euro. “I’m really, really happy. To win in Stuttgart is always something special. It’s simply a fantastic atmosphere out there and a wonderful crowd.” Today’s success was the first in a Grand Prix class for his young horse, Gotha. Beerbaum continued by saying, “She’s now earned herself a welcome rest. Stuttgart was her final competition this season.”
Second place went to the “veteran” Michel Robert (FRA) on his 11-year-old mare Kellemoi de Pepita (0/39.09). The 61-year-old received a cheque to the tune of 30,000 euro and was also awarded prizes for the most successful rider at the horse show and for the most stylish horseman in the Grand Prix. “It’s a pleasure to come and ride here in Stuttgart. The spectators are really nice to us French riders. It’s a shame I didn’t come first. It’s not the first time!” said Michel Robert. “It’s always hard seeing the car driving away in front of my nose.”
Third was the European Championship runner-up Carsten-Otto Nagel (Germany), who saddled the 11-year-old grey mare Corradina. His clear round in 39.19 won him 23,000 euro. “Corradina jumped well today,” and Nagel was everything but disappointed. “Third place is a great achievement and I’m very pleased with the result.” There was praise from all the riders for the course builder Ulliano Vezzani, whose courses produced some excellent show jumping.
Other riders to go clear in the jump off were the Olympic silver medal winner Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) on the 10-year-old stallion Casall La Silla (0/41.13) and European champion Kevin Staut (FRA) on the 11-year-old stallion Kraque Boom Bois Margot (0/41.90).
