December, the end of again twelve months full of equestrian highlights. This month we were treated to top-level sport in Geneva during the third Rolex Grand Slam tournament of the season. The World Cup in Mechelen, Belgium, concluded the year 2022 ...
The sporting highlight in December was by far the prestigious CHI Geneva, the third competition of the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Here, Henrik Von Eckermann and King Edward were able to claim the victory in the Rolex Top Ten, followed by McLain Ward and HH Azur winning the coveted Rolex Grand Prix trophy. During this iconic equestrian show, Martin Fuchs' 15-year-old champion horse Clooney 51 was also honored one last time.
In addition, we found top-level sport at the World Cup leg of La Coruna, and London. The last World Cup leg of the year will take place next week in Mechelen, Belgium. At Desert International Horse Park, Team Helios took the overall season title in the Major League Show Jumping Team competition.
Henrik von Eckermann, Harry Charles and Jessica Von Bredow-Werndl closed the year at the head of the Longines Ranking. Former showjumping rider David Broome won the H&H Lifetime Achievement Award, and Kevin Staut was voted best Nations Cup rider of 2022, while Belgium was rewarded as the best country. At the London International Horse Show, John Whitaker was in turn honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award of the British Equestrian Writer's Association.
Yet another auction record was broken this month with the sensational top price of a whopping 4.0 million euros for the 6-year-old Chyazint at the P.S.I. Auction in Ankum.
Furthermore, Lucy Deslauriers' GP-horse Hester, and Emily Moffitt's Hilfiger van de Olmenhoeve retired from the top sport this month.
The horse heaven also welcomed some new stars this month. Anky Van Grunsven had to say goodbye to her 28-year-old Grand Prix horse and best friend, Salinero. Also Robert Whitaker lost his GP horse, Catwalk IV, just a few days after Catwalk's sire, Colman, passed away as well. We were further startled by the sudden death of only 13-year-old Büttner's Minimax, the top horse of Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann.
Source: Equnews
Photo: Peggy Schröder
