The Grand Prix of Riesenbeck goes to Christian Ahlmann this weekend. Riding his ten-year-old Belgium stallion Mandato Van de Neerheide, he once again left the competition behind him as the last starter in the jump-off (0/43.13). The show jumper from Marl has won the Grand Prix three times in the past three weekends - each time with a different horse. Chapeau for that!
John Whitaker, who finished second in the Grand Prix on each of the two weekends in Riesenbeck, was more than satisfied: "I had two nice weekends here. This is a super show, the conditions are fantastic and the arena is beautiful. I'm happy with how my horses jumped." The Briton again rode the 14-year-old gelding Unick Du Francport (0/44.29), owned by his wife, in the Grand Prix. Third place went to Dutch rider Gerco Schröder on Glock's Lausejunge (0/46.64).
Twelve of the 56 starting pairs had qualified for the jump-off course designed by Peter Schumacher, including five starters from Sweden, three German riders, two Dutch riders, one Irish rider - and one rider from Great Britain. The field of competitors, who were guests at the CSI** Riesenbeck at the weekend, would have done credit to any 5-star event: World number one Peder Fredricson (Sweden), Longines world number seven Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (Brazil), Olympic medalists Gerco Schröder (Netherlands) and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (Sweden), and of course the German top riders Christian Ahlmann, Marcus Ehning, Marco Kutscher, Christian Kukuk, Felix Haßmann, Katrin Eckermann were at the start.
Host Ludger Beerbaum was delighted to welcome such an illustrious field of colleagues. Obviously, the tournament date was well chosen - some of the riders used the tournament as preparation for the event in Doha next week - and furthermore, the riders appreciate the conditions in the event hall and in the new, permanent stables.
For generations of show jumpers, John Whitaker from Great Britain is considered a role model and living legend. His calm way of riding, the feeling for and the symbiosis with the horse fascinated both his colleagues and hundreds of thousands of spectators on the show grounds of this world.
It was not only in the saddle that the 66-year-old Briton, son of a farmer from Huddersfield, won the hearts of the public. He is also known for his friendly manner and dry humor. Want an example? After winning Olympic silver with the team in Los Angeles in 1984 with the bay gelding Ryan's Son, and becoming European individual and team champion in 1987 with the gray Milton, journalists asked what the difference was between the two horses. John Whitaker's answer was short and to the point: "The color."
Ludger Beerbaum and John Whitaker share a decades-long friendship that has grown over their time together at the show. John Whitaker: "I remember our first meeting when he was a young rider competing in Dortmund. We've been good friends ever since." In 1999, the Briton wrote the foreword in Beerbaum's book "Success is no coincidence." Back then he already praised, "Ludger works with his horses, he doesn't fight against them."