Our team at Equnews.be recently interviewed new World.no 1 Daniel Deusser (GER). Recently you became a dad for the very first time. In which way has your daughter influenced your life at this moment ? Before Stella was born, the horses were the most important thing in my life. That's not the case anymore, she will always come first. And honestly, since her birth, my sport has improved : for the first time in my life I lead the world rankings, so maybe Stella is the 'lucky charm' I needed. How do you look back on the most recent indoor season ? I can only be satisfied. I managed to win a few important competitions, not only with Cornet d'Amour but also with other horses. That shows great promise for the future ! Without any doubt, Cornet d'Amour is your number one horse at this moment. Have you ever ridden a better horse ? What makes him so special ? No, I've never ridden a better horse than Cornet. According to me he's that good because he's simply a horse with a lot of qualities : he has a good technique, he has a lot of blood but not too much and he's very careful but yet not afraid of the fences. In others words, he knows what to do in the ring. Also, we arrived almost at the same moment at Stephex Stables and because of that's why we had the change to grow together and to get better. I think that's why we're such a good team. After the first GCT-show of this season in Miami, you will be starting in Antwerp as well. Will you be competing in all shows of the GCT or will you be skipping a few ? I want to ride all the shows, but I'm afraid that won't be possible. This year the Global Champions Tour counts more shows than last year and that's why I will probably have to skip a few. A rider depends on his horses and I don't know if all horses will be fit enough to start in every show. According to you, what makes the GCT so special ? Which are the strengths of these shows ? The Global Champions Tour has known such an evolution in the last 10 years and that evolution has proven itself to be good for our sport. It's a wonderful competition, that travels all the world and it always manages to find the most beautiful places of the earth. Moreover, for the riders the price money is also a big motivation to come to these shows. Next to these arguments on a sportive level, I think the atmosphere during these shows is also important. I love to come to the GCT with several horses and I always feel like I'm on a holiday. You have competed all around the world. What show has been the most special and why ? CHIO Aachen will always have a special place in my heart. They have such a lovely accommodation. Being in Aachen is like coming home, actually it is a home game for me. The wonderful atmosphere and the exuberant supporters complete the picture. What are your expectations and goals for the upcoming outdoor season ? Naturally, I want to perform the best as possible. One of my goals is obviously the European Championship, I hope I will be able to show my best there. I want to keep my horses on the same level as they are now. At this moment I'm number one on the World Ranking list, so I fact I can only drop to a lower place. I want to stay number one. Leading the rankings for the longest time possible is one of my main goals for this season. Photo : Daniel Deusser and Cornet d'Amour - Equnews.fr
