"It is of course great to win this championship in front of a German audience," he continued. "I felt that everyone sympathised with me. You could really feel that the crowd was behind me and the German team. So when I got that error, I think I was at least as nervous as the crowd. I really thought 'oh god, oh god'. However, I managed to keep my composure and that was the deciding factor. I knew my horse was very special, of course, but now she is really starting to prove it with prize money and titles (laughs). She has done it and I am grateful for that. 


"It is a pity that I still have to drive several hours home but that also means that my team has time to prepare a 'surprise'," he laughs.