The German show jumpers are still waiting for their first home win at the largest horse show. At the first highlight of the CHIO in Aachen, show jumper Yuri Mansur rode to victory.
The professional from Brazil prevailed in the European Prize with his horse Miss Blue. Mansur won after two rounds with the fastest clear ride in the jump-off ahead of the Swiss Edouard Schmitz with Gamin. The last home win in the European Prize was in 2011 by Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with her mare Shutterfly.
“It means a lot to me,” said Mansur, who was widely celebrated by his children.
Gerrit Nieberg was the best German starter in the test, which was worth 200,000 euros. The 30-year-old from Sendenhorst finished fourth after a knockdown with Blues d’Aveline.
The second best result was achieved by Richard Vogel from Marburg in the saddle of United Touch with sixth place.
Last year’s winner McLain Ward was not at the start. The American said his horse Contagious was not fit.
Germans without luck
Three German couples were in the jump-off, but it didn’t go well. Richard Vogel conceded a knockdown with United Touch, Philipp Weishaupt from Riesenbeck even had eight with Coby.
Hopes were pinned on Nieberg, last year’s Grand Prix winner – but the 30-year-old from Sendenhorst was also unlucky with Blues d’Aveline and left the course with four penalty points.
There was also no local winner in the four smaller competitions of the first two days of the tournament. Irishman Daniel Coyle and Frenchman Marc Dilasser won the pre-Price of Europe stages on Wednesday.
New faces in the national team
This Thursday, the national show jumping team will start with two debutants. Hans-Dieter Dreher from Eimeldingen and Mario Stevens from Molbergen are riding for the first time at the Nations Cup of the largest horse show in the world. They saddle their horses Elysium and Starissa. Stevens said he wasn’t excited: “But I’m really happy.”
National coach Otto Becker also nominated Marcus Ehning from Borken with Stargold and Jana Wargers, who lives in Belgium, with Limbridge. For the coach, the two CHIO rounds under floodlights are also tests with a view to the European Championships in Milan. The hot EM candidates also include individual European champion Andre Thieme from Plau with Chakaria and Nieberg from Sendenhorst with Ben, who won the Grand Prix of Aachen last year and is aiming to defend his title on Sunday. “Everyone can still recommend themselves in the next few days,” said Becker.
The start in dressage was more successful than in jumping. Frederic Wandres secured the hoped-for home win in the arena with Duke of Britain in the first important stage on Wednesday evening. The 36-year-old rider from Hagen am Teutoburg Forest won the Grand Prix of the supporting program ahead of British World Champion Charlotte Fry with her third horse Lars. The second-best German result was provided by Matthias Alexander Rath from Kronberg, who rode fourth with Thiago.