Stuttgart – The opening jumping class for German riders at the 31st International STUTTGART GERMAN MASTERS on Thursday was claimed by Felix Haßmann. Riding the ten-year old gelding SL Brazonado in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, the horse stables manager went clear in 55.71 seconds to win the Prize of Bardusch Textil Mietdienste GmbH & Co. KG by more than one-and-a-half seconds. Second was Mario Stevens atop El Bandiata B, a nine-year Hanoverian mare (0/57.32). Only 14 hundredths back in an excellent third place was eventing Olympic champion Michael Jung from nearby Horb on the stallion Sportsmann S (0/57.46).
Competing over the identical course, the opening jumping class for foreign riders was secured by the Swede Linn Zakariasson on Ugaulin du Bosquetiau, an 11-year old stallion (0/56.37) ahead of Pedro Veniss (Brazil) in the saddle on the nine-year old mare Anaya Ste Hermelle (0/56.52). One place further down was the grand “old” man of show jumping John Whitaker. Atop the ten-year old Holstein stallion Castlefield Cristobal, the Englishman produced a faultless round in 56.66 seconds to put himself on the podium.
