As defending champion, show jumper Daniel Deußer is the focus at the CHIO in Aachen. But the competition is prominent – and motivated.
Daniel Deußer dives into a new world in Aachen. “Many interviews, many questions about last year”, says the 40-year-old show jumper in the WDR interview. In September 2021 he fulfilled a dream: winner of the Aachen Grand Prix. “Everyone would like to be on the winner’s board. Coming back, seeing my name there – that’s a relief to have achieved that once in my life. But on the other hand it’s also a bit more pressure.”
The Grand Prix of Aachen is part of the Equestrian Grand Slam, which was introduced in 2013. But even in the illustrious circle of tournaments in s’Hertogenbosch (Netherlands), Geneva (Switzerland) and Spruce Meadows (Canada) Aachen has a special position. The CHIO organizers like to compare this with the status of the traditional tournament in Wimbledon in tennis.
Deußer with a chance of one million euros
After his triumph, Deusser received calls from equestrian legends. “The ‘old hands’, as I like to call them, who are already on the board, of course congratulate you and say: ‘Every rider must have won the Grand Prix of Aachen once, otherwise you’re not a real rider.’ So I have to say: I’m very proud and appreciate it.”
The Grand Slam of show jumping is about a lot of money. Because Deußer last won in s’Hertogenbosch, he could win a whopping prize of 500,000 euros with a win in the Grand Prix of Aachen on Sunday (live stream from 2.25 p.m., live on the first from 3.30 p.m.) – in addition to the half a million euros in prize money for the winner. After the most recent increase in prize money, which came into effect for the first time last year, the organizers are upping the ante again for 2022. A total of 1.5 million euros will now be paid out at the Grand Prix.
Deußer relies on Killer Queen
When defending his title, Deusser relies on his best horse killerqueen, with which he won last year. “This morning at the warm-up with no jumps, she was very excited and very wild. I don’t know if she remembered galloping out here last year,” said Deußer on Tuesday (09/28/2022).
Daniel Deußer in front of the winners’ board of the Aachen Grand Prix
He bet killer queen entered the smaller “Prize of Craftsmanship” on Wednesday, rode flawlessly, was 13th but a good twelve seconds slower than the victorious Belgian Wilm Vermeir. “I’ll see how she feels, whether she’s calmer or whether she needs to have a second or third competition before the Grand Prix on Sunday,” Deußer said in advance. “That’s how we try to build up her form so that she’s focused on Sunday so that we really are a team and understand each other 100 percent.”
Martin Fuchs in first place in the world rankings
That will also be necessary because the competition is fierce. For example, there is Martin Fuchs, number one in the world rankings. The 29-year-old Swiss also has the chance of a Grand Slam bonus as the winner of Geneva in December 2021. Anyone who wins two Grand Slams that are not consecutive but are within the same cycle will receive 250,000 euros.
But Fuchs knows how difficult the task is. “There are so many good horses and riders here, in Aachen the best are always at the start Ben Maher, the Olympic champion, with explosionor teammate steve Guerdat With Venard – I can’t give a tip, but of course I’m hoping for a Swiss win.”
Prominent equestrian family Fuchs
Fuchs comes from a family of riders, his parents Thomas and Renata were also show jumpers and own stables. His uncle Markus was one of the most successful Swiss show jumpers ever. “It was clear to me early on that I wanted to ride horses”, said Fuchs in the WDR interview. “Even as a little boy I was often in the stable and cuddled with the horses. When I was seven years old I started riding a little pony. And from then on it was always progressing.”
Deußer lives and works in Belgium
Deußer also has a family background and learned to ride in his uncle’s stables near Limburg in Hesse. Ten years ago, however, he moved to the stables in Belgium to achieve great sporting success “Stephex Stables” near Brussels.
“Since then I’ve had great success, good horses and also a great relationship with my boss Stephan Conter”, said Deusser. “All of that has kept me there for the last ten years. And it could be a little longer.”