Stuttgart – Early Friday evening, Frenchman Simon Delestre won the Prize of the DIW Instandhaltung Ltd. & Co. KG, the second qualifying class for the MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER to be held later. In front of 6,400 spectators in the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle – the day session attracted 3,100 equestrian fans for the two dressage competitions and a jumping class – Delestre went clear on Napoli du Ry in 62.27 seconds. World Champion Philippe Le Jeune (Belgium), who rode Vigo D Arsouilles STX, had to be content with second (0/63.39). Third was Delestre’s compatriot Patrice Delaveau on Orient Express (0/63.51), who won the 2009 MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER.
Apart from Delestre, the others to qualify for the highlight late on Friday evening were Kevin Staut (France), Billy Twomey (Ireland), Beezie Madden (USA), Henrik von Eckermann (Sweden), Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (Sweden), Pius Schwizer (Switzerland), Philipp Weishaupt (Germany), Denis Lynch (Ireland), Marco Kutscher (Germany), Marc Houtzager (Netherlands) and Katrin Eckermann (Germany). Only the top 12 from the two qualifying classes go through to the MERCEDES GERMAN MASTER.
