Christian Ahlmann just won the Mechelen World Cup with Mandato van de Neerheide (by Emerald). With their time of 34.23 seconds, the duo left behind world number one Henrik von Eckermann and best Belgian Gregory Wathelet. "I enjoyed the days here in Mechelen," the brand new World Cup winner told us afterwards.
"The Mechelen audience is always behind a block behind the riders, whether you're from Belgium or not. That gives you that little support that makes you even more motivated to do well. It is now the third time I can write the Mechelen World Cup behind my name so Mechelen has a special place in my heart anyway."
He also speaks highly of his horse Mandato: "I bought him when he was six when he had only jumped a few cycles. Mandato is a very long horse so he needs a bit more time. I feel now that, after three years of jumping, he has his body fully under control which makes him ready for the bigger work. He jumps with a lot of confidence and quasi every jump is the same. I can look back on a very good second half of the year with him so he is definitely a horse for the future."
"Whether I knew I had won after my round? When Von Eckermann and Wathelet have yet to come after you, you are never sure," he laughed. "No I tried really hard and today was really 'our day' otherwise I definitely wouldn't have succeeded," he concludes.