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THOMAS MÜLLER: IT IS UNIQUE

Before the preparations for the new season at…


Before the preparations for the new season at FC Bayern München kick off, the professional footballer, Thomas Müller, popped in at the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen. He revealed in an interview why he especially keeps his fingers crossed for Ludger Beerbaum and Isabell Werth and what he finds so special about the CHIO Aachen.

Question: You and your wife Lisa are regular guests here at the Soers, what distinguishes the CHIO Aachen for you?
Thomas Müller: The dimensions alone here are amazing, the showgrounds, the stadiums, the tent city. It is unique in the equestrian world. The atmosphere here and to feel how important it is for the riders to take part is what makes Aachen so special.

Question: What will you watch while you are here?
Thomas Müller: We will try to visit both stadiums and also want to watch the eventing tomorrow. Everything totally relaxed, just what we feel like doing at the time.

Question: Who are you keeping your fingers crossed for most?
Thomas Müller: I know Ludger Beerbaum, we get on very well and own a foal together. And Isabell Werth is our trainer, so of course we particularly keep our fingers crossed for them.

Question: Has the break done you good?
Thomas Müller: We are still in the recovery phase, in the recreation mode. Everything kicks off again for me on Wednesday, till then we want enjoy our time here and experience some pleasant moments.

(Deutsch) O-Töne Mercedes-Benz Nationenpreis

Otto Becker, Chef d’Equipe Germany There is not…


Otto Becker, Chef d’Equipe Germany

There is not much left to say: A fantastic team that did a super job! We had hoped to win because we had a good feeling, but now it has also become reality. That is something else again. I am very proud of all four riders.

Simone Blum

I simply can’t believe it. It was a fantastic day, a fantastic team and I am proud of us all. And my horse jumped brilliantly.

Laura Klaphake

It is a dream come true: First of all, because I was actually able to ride in the team, secondly because we won. My recipe for success? I always give my horse a kiss before we enter the ring.

Maurice Tebbel

That is the second time I have won a Nations Cup in succession. I can’t actually believe it yet. It wasn’t until the prize-giving ceremony that I actually started to realise it a bit.

Marcus Ehning

Once you have won here once, you want to win every year! Indeed, we have succeeded in doing so for the last three years. So we are simply happy! The young riders performed superbly.

Rodrigo Pessoa, Chef d’Equipe Ireland

Firstly, we are very happy to actually have the opportunity to compete here in Aachen! The CHIO Aachen is such a special event with such a fantastic atmosphere, with such an impressive stadium. We came so close to taking the title, so of course we are a little sad at only coming second. But the team definitely gave a super performance.

Rob Ehrens, Chef d’Equipe of the Netherlands

We had a very good first round and were rather unlucky in the second round. But ok, that is simply the sport! I am very proud of my team. Next time we will simply do a bit better, so that we win.

CHIO Aachen: Laura Graves wins the Prize of the Tesch Family and helps the USA to take the lead in the Nations Cup

The US American dressage rider, Laura Graves, came…


The US American dressage rider, Laura Graves, came to Aachen with a clear goal in mind: To win. She succeeded in doing so at the first attempt in the Grand Prix of the Prize of the Tesch Family – however her most fierce opponent and constant rival, Isabell Werth, clearly underperformed today. That certainly is going to add an extra touch of excitement to the Lambertz Nations Cup of the dressage riders, which today’s Grand Prix formed the first part of.

 

The judges awarded Laura Graves a score of 80.606 percent for her performance in the Grand Prix, Prize of the Tesch Family, with the Florett As son, Verdades. A super result and the clear lead. However, Laura Graves had to wait until the last pair before she could celebrate her victory. Because the last pair to compete were Isabell Werth and Emilio. The Westphalian-bred gelding had to fill in for Werth’s World Cup winner, Weihegold, a decision that the German Dressage Committee took in view of the World Equestrian Games in Tryon. After all as is commonly know: Anyone, who survives in Aachen, will survive anywhere. If he survives…

 

Namely, Isabell Werth’s Emilio didn’t play along at all today, like he usually does. In the first piaffe he wanted to demonstrate that he also masters the exercises of the High School and tried to rear. Isabell Werth coped well with that thanks to all the experience she has gained after winning 595 national and international Grand Prix with 27 horses. But Emilio didn’t calm down. Diverse further mistakes followed, which ultimately led to a final score of 72.516 percent. Nobody had reckoned with that. And nobody could explain it either. Isabell Werth: “I don’t know what happened. I will have to sleep on that one first. One certainly envisages something totally different for the Nations Cup in Aachen…”

 

One thing is sure: Laura Graves and Verdades rode to victory in the Prize of the Tesch Family at the CHIO Aachen for the first time in their careers!

 

Isabell Werth and Emilio finished in 17th place in the Grand Prix. Second place went to the bronze medallist of the European Championships Cathrine Dufour with her Caprimond son, Cassidy (78.494 percent). Although she also had a big slip-up when the 15-year-old gelding spooked after the transition from collected walk to passage and leaped forward. But luckily he found his concentration immediately again. “Otherwise the test went very well for us,” she stressed later.

 

Third place could almost be described as a wonder of Aachen: Helen Langehanenberg gave birth to her second daughter, Finja, just four weeks ago. A few days later she announced that she intended to ride in Aachen. She had already mentioned the plan in the spring in Neumünster during the World Cup show – adding: “But it will have to be a precision landing.” Her daughter Finja obliged. Langehanenberg mounted her team European Champion, Damsey, just five days later. During the rider’s maternity leave her “super team” kept him fit so he hadn’t forgotten a trick. So much so that on Friday the national coach Monica Theodorescu rang Helen Langehanenberg and told her that she had been nominated for the team in the Lambertz Nations Cup instead of competing in the CDI4* Tour. “I couldn’t breathe for the first three seconds,” recounted Helen Langehanenberg. But nerves have never been a problem for her: “I am not the type who gets nervous. And I can’t do any better than ride well.” Which is exactly what she did today – 77.034 percent was a personal Aachen record for her and Damsey in the Grand Prix. Monica Theodorescu commented: “I can’t really say, because I have never given birth to a child, but that she rode that well is amazing!”

 

Fourth place went to Jessica von Bredow-Werndl with the Aachen debutant, Dalera BB (76.848). It was only the sixth Grand Prix in the eleven-year-old Trakehner mare’s career. And the matter of course way she presented herself here in Aachen even amazed her rider: “She just went straight in their and rocked it!” she said elated after her successful ride.

 

The fourth member in the German team, Dorothee Schneider, came sixth with Sammy Davis Jr. (75.916). The pair performed a super test, until a rabbit suddenly hopped across the arena in the Deutsche Bank Stadium. Dorothee Schneider and Sammy Davis Jr. were concentrating so hard that they didn’t even notice it – although it actually crossed the diagonal that Sammy was just doing his flying changes à tempi on. A murmur spread through the crowd which unnerved Dorothee Schneider: “I simply didn’t know what was going on. I thought I must have took the wrong course? Had my horse lost the tail toupet it doesn’t have?” The confusion led to Sammy Davis Jr. making a mistake in the flying changes. Nevertheless, the rest of the test went very well.

 

USA take the lead in the Lambertz Nations Cup

 

The Prize of the Tesch Family was the first part of the Lambertz Nations Cup of the dressage riders. The second competition is the Grand Prix Spécial, the MEGGLE Prize. So, nothing is decided yet. One had actually counted on the German team celebrating a relaxed home victory despite Sönke Rothenberger having to withdraw because his horse Cosmo came down with an infection. Instead the guests from across the seas have taken the lead with a total interim score of 231.988, ahead of Germany with a score of 229.798 and Denmark on 223.106.

 

Not only the winner Laura Graves collected plenty of points for the USA, her team mate Kasey Perry-Glass, who came fifth with her Danish Diamond Hit son, Goerklintgaards Dublet, was also awarded 76.801 percent after a very harmonious ride. The US team is completed by Adrienne Lyle with Salvino (74.581 percent) and Steffen Peters with Rosamunde (71.351).

 

The team from Denmark, which currently lies in third place, comprises of Cathrine Dufour with Cassidy, Anna Zibrandtsen with Arlando (70.434), Anders Dahl with Selten HW (70.093) and Daniel Bachmann Andersen with Blue Hors Zack (74.177).

CHIO Aachen: Niels Bruynseels fulfils his childhood dream in the STAWAG Prize

A childhood dream came true for the Rolex…


A childhood dream came true for the Rolex Grand Slam contender Niels Bruynseels today already: a victory at the CHIO Aachen. He achieved this in the STAWAG Prize.

 

Twelve 1.50 metre-high obstacles and 14 fences separated the Belgian rider, Niels Bruynseels, from fulfilling the long-cherished wish of finally winning a jumping competition during his fourth visit to the CHIO Aachen. The Course Designer, Frank Rothenberger, hadn’t made it easy for the riders: “It really was a difficult course for a speed competition,” the 34-year-old reported. “I was lucky because I was one of the last to go.” Then you can work out how much you have to risk. In Bruynseels’ case that was a mixed calculation. He didn’t want to risk everything. But on the other hand he knew that his ten-year-old Quaprice daughter, Lady Cracotte, is a horse that is fast by nature: “I have only had her for about three months. But she has won at least one class at each show so far. She loves going fast and she always wants to win!” Today, she did just that. None of the seven pairs who followed were able to beat the clear round in 61.48 seconds that had put the Belgian show-jumper and his horse into first place.

 

Lorenzo de Luca from Italy and the Irish-bred grey horse, Limestone Grey, came closest to his time (62.10 seconds). Marcus Ehning was pleased to take third place with Firth of Lorne. The stallion competed the last time here in Aachen four years ago, at the time under Katrin Eckermann, with whom he took a fall at a water fence in both the Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup and the Rolex Grand Prix. The chestnut stallion was subsequently sold to the USA, but he returned to Germany a few weeks ago and to Marcus Ehning – who together with Funky Fred, with whom he came third yesterday in the Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe, now has a further fantastic sun of his Olympic gold horse, For Pleasure.

 

Talking about fantastic horses – Niels Bruynseels also raved about the quality of his Lady Cracotte. But when things get serious on Sunday in the battle to win the Rolex Grand Prix, where for him half a million Euros is at stake should he win the Major in Aachen after his victory in `s-Hertogenbosch, he will be placing his bets on his top horse, Gancia de Muze.

Direct Quotes: Prize of the Family Tesch

Laura Graves I am always happy to be…


Laura Graves

I am always happy to be invited to compete in Aachen. That is a privilege. The best riders compete here. I am hoping to use Aachen as a stepping-stone for Tryon, of course. Because Aachen is my last show before the World Equestrian Games.

Catherine Dufour

I don’t know either why my horse spooked during the test today. Otherwise the competition went very well for us.

Helen Langehanenberg

It was absolutely amazing what happened today! I am excited to see how the rest of the week goes. Because I honestly didn’t have any expectations for me and my horse. But I did already have a good feeling at home and while training. Otherwise we wouldn’t have come to Aachen. I was expecting to compete in the small tour, but then on Friday I received the news that I was nominated for the Nations Cup team. That took my breath away. My horse has a very, very strong character. He knows what he wants, I hope I can keep him on my side and that he keeps fighting for me and continues to enjoy this sport.

CHIO Aachen: Exell overwhelms in the Prize of the Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG, the Netherlands in the lead in the Nations Cup

He may have broken his ankle, but the…


He may have broken his ankle, but the Australian driver, Boyd Exell, was and still is in a league of his own among the four-in-hand drivers. He impressively demonstrated this again today in the dressage competition of the Prize of the Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG.

 

Boyd Exell can concentrate on not overstraining he injured ankle on Saturday during the Marathon. He won the Prize of the Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG – which is also the first leg of the individual classification in the Prize of the Richard Talbot Family – with a score of 34.68 minus points. That gives him a comfortable lead ahead of the French driver, Benjamin Aillaud (41.29), who succeeded in relegating the co-favourite, Chester Weber (USA/42.18), into third place.

 

At the end of June, Exell landed unfortunately when jumping down from the coach box and broke his right ankle. Because he didn’t want to miss Aachen, he had his carriage converted so that he can brake with his left foot instead.

 

Team Classification

 

The Dutch have been unbeatable in the Nations Cup at the CHIO Aachen since 2007. And after the dressage competition in the Prize of the Martello Immobilienmanagement GmbH & Co. KG, in other words the first of three classes, the father and son duo, Ijsbrand and Bram Chardon, together with Koos de Ronde are on the road to success again. The Dutch team is currently heading the field on a score of 88.49 minus points ahead of Germany (94.68) and France (95.68).

 

From a German point of view second place is a huge success. The team comprises of the three drivers who took the European Championship title in 2015: Michael Brauchle, Georg von Stein and Mareike Harm. The latter delivered the best team result after finishing on a score of 45.13 minus points (6th place). Georg von Stein was awarded 49.55 minus points (8th place) and Michael Brauchle was the scratch score (58.93/19th place).

“We received two dressage scores with a 4 at the front, that was what we have always be striving for,” commented the delighted national coach, Karl-Heinz Geiger, who also has two individual drivers under his wing, namely Christoph Sandmann and his just 22-year-old daughter Anna, who is a real newcomer to the four-in-hand driving sport and who is competing in Aachen for the first time. After putting in two solid performances, the two “Sandmänner” finished 11th (50.97) and 14th (52.44) respectively in the individual classification.

CHIO Aachen: Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup number two goes to Brazil

Born in Brazil, discovered in the USA, victory…


Born in Brazil, discovered in the USA, victory in Aachen – that is the short version of the success story of Yuri Mansur’s grey mare, Havana M. Today the pair celebrated their hitherto biggest victory in the second class of the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup 2018.

 

Yuri Mansur risked all today in the Sparkassen-Youngsters-Cup at the CHIO Aachen 2018. He has competed at shows with his mare, Havana M, nine times to-date and she jumped clear in all nine. So, it was time to put it to the test. And that is precisely what the Brazilian rider did – selecting the shortest routes he only had one strategy today: Riding forwards! As Havana M flew over the finish line, the clock stopped at 62.91 seconds and Mansur was able to put a tick behind clear round number 10 as well as taking the lead, which he clung on to until the very end because nobody was able to catch him.

 

The pair won the competition, ahead of Marcus Ehning with the Westphalian-bred For Contest daughter, Mill Creek Filippa K – who incidentally already came third in round one on Tuesday – and Laura Kraut (USA) riding SFS Vincomte by Veni Vidi Vici. Fourth place was claimed by the winning pair from the first round, Daniel Deußer with Killer Queen. He was followed by Christian Ahlmann with the Westphalian-bred Cornado son, Cornwell.

 

Yuri Mansur discovered Havana M in an amateur’s jumping class in the USA. He did some research and found out that she was born in his home country, Brazil, and that she belonged to a friend of his. He bought the mare. Originally with the intention of selling her on pretty quickly. “But now she has jumped 10 clear rounds out of ten. She is getter more expensive all the time… Havana M has thus earned herself the right to stay a while with the Brazilian rider, who lives in the Netherlands.

 

Fingers crossed for Vitiki

 

Yuri Mansur fell yesterday with the stallion Vitiki during the jump-off of the Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe and the horse had to be brought to the clinic with an injury to his pastern. In the meantime, we have been updated on his state of health. Vitiki was successfully operated on today and has his leg in plaster so that it can heal.

“Vitiki” successfully operated

“Vitiki”, the horse of the Brazilian show-jumper, Yuri…


“Vitiki”, the horse of the Brazilian show-jumper, Yuri Mansur, which injured its pastern bone yesterday after a fall, was operated on successfully this lunchtime. The stallion is back in the stable with his leg in plaster. The rider and horse owner would like to express their gratitude for all the assistance the horse was given and for the many kind wishes received.

CHIO Aachen: Guido Klatte Jun. wins the qualifier for Germany’s U25 Jumping Trophy

In 2015, Guido Klatte Jr. was the first…


In 2015, Guido Klatte Jr. was the first winner of Germany’s U25 Jumping Trophy of the Foundation of German Top Level Equestrian Sports, Prize of the Müter Family, at the Soers in Aachen. At the time, he won the final with Coolio – and now the two of them are on track to repeat their success.

 

Guido Klatte Jr. and the eleven-year-old Oldenburg-bred Coolio by Contendro were the first pair to go in the qualifier of Germany’s U25 Jumping Trophy of the Foundation of German Top Level Equestrian Sports, Prize of the Müter Family. They mastered the challenges of the 1.45 metre high course with a clear round in 60.21 seconds. Indeed, the duo set a benchmark that none of the following pairs was able to beat.

Not even Maurice Tebbel or Laura Klaphake, who have both been nominated for the German team in this evening’s Mercedes-Benz Nations Cup. Klaphake came second on the Holstein-bred Cracker Jack daughter, Camalita (0 faults/62.55 seconds). Maurice Tebbel ranked fourth with Camilla PJ by Calme (0/64.01). Richard Vogel, the winner of the qualifier in Balve, who rides for the Beerbaum Stables, squeezed his way into third place between the two of them with Solitaer (0/63.55).

 

It was a very special occasion for Guido Klatte being able to compete at the Soers: “It was always my childhood dream to have the opportunity to ride here,” the 22-year-old commented. Whereby he turned his back on riding for several years during his early youth. “I played football for a long time. Then the fascination got the better of me again! I have my family to thank for that.” For example, Coolio belongs to Guido’s sister, Victoria. But horses play a big role for the Klatte family overall, as one can see from Klatte’s reply to the question what is the programme for him next at the CHIO 2018: “I am riding another horse in the Sparkassen Youngsters-Cup later, which belongs to my other sister and after that another young horse that my cousin owns in the STAWAG Prize.” Furthermore, Guido Klatte Jun. is in the privileged situation to have his own shuttle service for his horses if he needs to travel abroad – as for instance in 2017 when he was able to qualify for the World Cup Finals in Omaha, the USA with his top horse, Qinghai, where he succeeded in finishing sixth. Namely, his father Guido Klatte Sen. runs a horse shipping agency. Hence, Guido Klatte Jun. is well-prepared for all eventualities.

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