Stuttgart – Ludger Beerbaum (Germany) triumphed in the Grand Prix of Stuttgart – presented by Mercedes-Benz, BW-Bank und WALTER solar for the fifth time after his previous wins in 1994, 2000, 2002 and 2009. The highlight of the 27th International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS Horse Show in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle was the fifth station of the ROLEX FEI World Cup JumpingTM 2011/2012. Riding the ten-year-old Hanoverian mare Gotha FRH in front of a 6,200 crowd on Sunday afternoon, the four-time Olympic Champion was the quickest in the jump-off when going clear in 35.70 seconds. The reward for his efforts was a Mercedes-Benz M-Class worth 53,000 Euro as well as 20 points on the ROLEX FEI World Cup JumpingTM ranking where, now on 30 points, he has moved up to sixth. “The course benefitted my horse. It was difficult, but technically difficult. If somebody had told me yesterday that I’d be sitting here today then I would have told them they were the only ones to believe it.”
“It’s an honour to come second behind Ludger. I hope I’ll be a bit quicker next time around. And ahead of him.” Steve Guerdat (Switzerland) in the saddle on Nino Des Buissonnets, a ten-year-old gelding failed to beat Beerbaum’s jump-off time but his faultless round in 35.93 seconds handed him the runner-up spot. He received 30,000 Euro prize money and 17 points which has now promoted him to third on the World Cup ranking with 38 points.
Third was European Champion Rolf-Göran Bengtsson on Quintero La Silla. The Swede went through the finishing line on the 13-year-old Holstein stallion in 36.55 seconds to take 23,000 Euro and 15 points. He is now the World Cup leader. “My horse was really wild and strong at the start of the horse show but today he was somewhat quieter. But I couldn’t turn so quickly because it wasn’t so easy to control.”
The head course designer Christa Jung (Germany) built a 440-metre long course with 13 obstacles and 16 jumps for the 39 riders. “My heart was beating hard and I had to wait a long time for the second clear round.” World Cup Director John Roche praised the STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS: “The horse show is a crown jewel in the Rolex Western European League.”
Only Germans have won the class ever since the Grand Prix of Stuttgart has belonged to the ROLEX FEI World Cup JumpingTM – 2006, 2007 and 2008 Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, 2009 Ludger Beerbaum and Carsten-Otto Nagel last year.
