Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann set an unbeatable pace in the 1.45m morning class in Stuttgart, guiding the 15-year-old KWPN mare Glamour Girl (s. VDL Zirocco Blue x Caletto I) to a decisive victory.
Against the clock, Von Eckermann and the Stoeterij Gaesbeek V.O.F.-bred mare stopped the timers in 55.47 seconds—more than two full seconds clear of the rest of the field.
Germany’s Kendra Claricia Brinkop claimed runner-up honors aboard Sniper des Lilas Blancs (s. Hamilton du Chapitre x Calvaro Z). Bred by Simon-Pierre Herbiet, the 8-year-old BWP gelding crossed the finish line fault-free in 57.48 seconds to secure second place.
Belgium’s Thibeau Spits rounded out the podium with the 9-year-old Zangersheide stallion Gin Flip de Muze Z (s. Gino H x Elvis ter Putte). Bred by Lies De Backer and Jef Desmedt, the stallion delivered a clean round in 57.99 seconds for third place.
Just off the podium, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann steered the 11-year-old Zangersheide gelding Vivario JL Z (s. Vigo d'Arsouilles Stx) to fourth place in 58.20 seconds. Portugal’s Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida posted the fastest raw time of the class at 55.44 seconds aboard the 14-year-old Hannoverian stallion Solidat (s. Semper Fi x Chacco-Blue), though three added penalty seconds left the pair in fifth on a total of 58.44 seconds.
Germany’s Stefan Engbers finished sixth with the 10-year-old AES mare Be Gledis (s. Golden Hawk) in 58.91 seconds. Seventh place resulted in a dead heat at 58.97 seconds between Brazil’s Eduardo Menezes on the 13-year-old Hannoverian gelding H5 Messentus PS (s. Messenger x Dobel's Cento) and Japan’s Eiken Sato with the 11-year-old Hannoverian gelding Skip Intro (s. Stolzenberg x Carrico).
Further down the leaderboard, Belgium’s Jos Verlooy placed ninth aboard the 12-year-old Selle Français gelding Etundel de Marocy (s. Diamant de Semilly x President) in 59.32 seconds, while Austria’s Katharina Rhomberg completed the top ten with the 9-year-old Westphalian mare Cassina 95 (s. Cassus x Comme Il Faut) in 60.43 seconds. Dutch rider Thijmen Vos finished eleventh with the 9-year-old Zangersheide gelding Cornelis VM Z (s. Classe HS x Elvis ter Putte) on a final score of 61.09 seconds after adding three penalty seconds to his base time.
