CHIO Aachen Press Release / Photo : ©Equnews.de Yesterday, Mario Stevens won the qualifier of the “Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup”. Today, after finishing third yesterday, Christian Ahlmann rode to victory in the Final. In total, 36 pairs took part in the competition for seven and eight-year-old horses. The Course Designer, Frank Rothenberger slightly increased the level of difficulty in the Final. The course was extended up to 520 m and comprising of twelve obstacles in total, one more fence had to be overcome. Furthermore, the maximum obstacle height was increased from 1.40 m up to 1.45 m. 16 pairs had a clear round and thus reached the jump-off. Initially, the Irish rider Bertram Ellen went into the lead with his Zangersheide stallion, Cheese W Z, as in the first round. Hardly any other rider was able to match his time until just before the end. Then, came Christian Ahlmann. Last but one to enter the ring, he beat the 19-year-old Irish rider, after jumping clear in the new best time of 40.23 seconds. “The course was very challenging, but fairly built for young horses,” commented Ahlmann. His young talent “Casuality Z” is not an unknown quantity: Last year, with Ahlmann in the saddle, the grey stallion became Vice World Champion in the category “7-year-old horses” at the World Championships for Young Jumping Horses in Lanaken, Belgium. “Casuality Z is a very chic, ambitious and fast horse, who always shows initiative. He has great potential,” commented Ahlmann. After crossing the finish line clear in a time of 40.62, third place in the “Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup” went to the Brazilian show-jumper Marlon Módolo Zanotelli, who had saddled his aspiring young horse “Icarus” for this competition.
