Christian Ahlmann won the Grand Prix at the international five-star show jumping tournament in Paris. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Ahlmann on Mandato van de Neerheide remained clear in the jump-off of the top seven rider-horse pairs and completed the course in 38.09 seconds.
This put the four-time Olympic participant from Marl at the head of the 36-strong field. The 2013 European champion, Roger Yves Bost from France, came in second. Bost and Cassius Clay were 44 hundredths of a second slower than Ahlmann on the jump-off. Third place also went to France. Penelope Leprevost, who rode with Bost on the 2016 Olympic gold team, was third in the Bingo del Tondou saddle.
For the 48-year-old Ahlmann, this victory meant a bonus of around 100,000 euros. It was Ahlmann’s first win with eleven-year-old Mandato van de Neerheide in a five-star tournament.
In addition to the winner, Christian Kukuk (Riesenbeck) on Mumbai and Daniel Deußer (Mechelen/Belgium) on Bingo Ste Hermelle also represented Germany in this Grand Prix. Both failed to reach the jump-off. Kukuk had to record a knockdown in circulation, with Deußer there were also three time errors.
Paris was the eighth stage of the show jumping series Global Champions Tour, there are 15 stages in total this season. In addition, there are the playoffs in November in Prague. The only German stage of the tour in Riesenbeck is on the program in July.
Ahlmann competed in the Global Champions Tour for the first time in 2007 and has been there almost every year since then.