After his false start at the start of the classic tournament in Hamburg, European Champion André Thieme got back on track in the second qualification for the 92nd German Show Jumping Derby. The 48-year-old from Plau am See won the 53,000 euro test on Contadur. Last year, the duo finished third in the derby.
Nevertheless, Thieme will not be using the 15-year-old stallion on Sunday in the 92nd edition of the derby, which is advertised at 153,000 euros, and will instead rely on the young Paule. With the only nine-year-old gelding, he finished 16th on Friday after a drop. “I found my candidate for Sunday,” said Thieme on NDR after his ride with Paule.
The reason for not taking the Derby-experienced Contadur was the impression from Wednesday. Thieme was eliminated in the first elimination competition with Contadur. The stallion had problems after jumping over the Buschoxer and became anxious. “This mishap on the first day is really serious. And I’m afraid that something will stick with him. That’s why we don’t do it to him,” said the three-time Derby winner.
During his performance on Friday, Contadur showed that he is in good shape. He confidently mastered the course, which for the first time also included the three meter high wall. With the fastest clear round, Thieme and his stallion relegated the Irishman Shane Green on Scarteen and the only 21-year-old Marvin Jüngel from Kamenz in Saxony on Balou’s Erbin to second and third place. Last year’s Derby winner Cassandra Orschel, who started for Poland, finished 33rd on Dacara after ten penalty points.
On Saturday, the focus in Klein Flottbek is on the Grand Prix, which is worth 300,000 euros. For the first time since 2008, jumping is not part of the Global Champions Tour million series.