Rolex Grand Slam live contender Henrik von Eckermann (SWE) has decided not to participate in Sunday’s second Major of the year – the Grand Prix of Aachen.
Von Eckermann, who won the Major at The Dutch Masters in March, was in the run for a bonus of 250 000 Euro if winning the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen. However, Von Eckermann has decided it would not be in the interest of his 13-year-old mare Toveks Mary Lou to jump further rounds in Aachen after she was double clear for the winning Swedish team in Thursday’s Nations Cup.
“For the moment I only have Toveks Mary Lou for the biggest classes, and she jumped Thursday’s Nations Cup to qualify for the Grand Prix. In the Nations Cup, she fought for me like I never felt before and worked very hard for those two clear rounds – especially in that second round, that was even bigger than the first one. I honestly have to say I was very happy when that last fence was jumped. My immediate gut feeling coming out of the ring was that those two rounds were enough for this weekend,” Von Eckermann says to World of Showjumping. “I know very well that there are three extremely tough rounds waiting on Sunday, and that they probably will be even more demanding than on Thursday. As Mary Lou already has two hard rounds in her body, I don’t want to expose her to the possibility of jumping another three even harder ones. It does not feel like the right thing to do.”
“I would like to say that I am sorry for letting our supporters down – who were cheering on us and hoping for us on Sunday. While some might think it’s the wrong decision, I have to follow my feeling,” Von Eckermann closes off.
SOURCE: World of Showjumping
Von Eckermann, who won the Major at The Dutch Masters in March, was in the run for a bonus of 250 000 Euro if winning the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen. However, Von Eckermann has decided it would not be in the interest of his 13-year-old mare Toveks Mary Lou to jump further rounds in Aachen after she was double clear for the winning Swedish team in Thursday’s Nations Cup.
“For the moment I only have Toveks Mary Lou for the biggest classes, and she jumped Thursday’s Nations Cup to qualify for the Grand Prix. In the Nations Cup, she fought for me like I never felt before and worked very hard for those two clear rounds – especially in that second round, that was even bigger than the first one. I honestly have to say I was very happy when that last fence was jumped. My immediate gut feeling coming out of the ring was that those two rounds were enough for this weekend,” Von Eckermann says to World of Showjumping. “I know very well that there are three extremely tough rounds waiting on Sunday, and that they probably will be even more demanding than on Thursday. As Mary Lou already has two hard rounds in her body, I don’t want to expose her to the possibility of jumping another three even harder ones. It does not feel like the right thing to do.”
“I would like to say that I am sorry for letting our supporters down – who were cheering on us and hoping for us on Sunday. While some might think it’s the wrong decision, I have to follow my feeling,” Von Eckermann closes off.
SOURCE: World of Showjumping