Tag Archive for: CHIO Aachen 2016

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RELIVE: ROLEX GRAND PRIX, GRAND PRIX OF AACHEN. Watch as PHILIP WEISHAUPT claims the victory

 LOVE & VICTORY FOR PHILIP WEISHAUPT AT THE CHIO AACHEN

…. MET HIS GIRLFRIEND, GOT ENGAGED, WON THE ROLEX GRAND PRIX

What a story. Five years ago, Philipp Weishaupt met his girlfriend, Bliss Heers, at the CHIO Aachen –the native American is, like himself, also a show-jumper. Yesterday, the two of them got engaged and today he won the Rolex Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Aachen.
And how he won! Two time faults after the first round, the entire world elite to follow. How high had he rated his chances of winning at that point in time? “Absolutely zero” he explained and has to laugh as he recalls the moment. Then, instead of preparing himself professionally for the second round, he chose to wonder round the CHIO Aachen Village with his Bliss. And went on to jump clear in the second round and experience how unluckily the second round ended for Martin Fuchs (SUI) and Gerco Schröder (NL) – all of a sudden his name is on the Winners’ Board of the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen: 2016 Ph. Weishaupt. Weishaupt finds this “incredible” and “awesome”.
After the victory in this first Major of the year, Weishaupt’s personal Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping has begun, a victory at the next Major – at Spruce Meadows in Canada in September – would mean his this success story would continue. And there is also a special story behind this too, because this fantastic showground at the gates of Calgary is precisely where Weishaupt prepared himself for the Aachen Rolex Grand Prix.

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Amid the backdrop of a full-house, the professional rider, who is employed at the Beerbaum Stables and the just nine-year-old Holstein-bred stallion, LB Convall, rode to victory in the Grand Prix of Aachen, the Rolex Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Festival. Albeit after a competition that the course designer, Frank Rothenberger, described to be the “most curious” in his career. The Federal Defence Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, who is known to be a huge equestrian fan and regular guest at the CHIO Aachen (“It is always something special!”), summarised the atmosphere at the Soers: “I was fascinated that 40,000 people can be so quiet, when things get exciting!”

 

Weishaupt and LB Convall were clearly the best pair in this class. They reached the finish line double clear with just two time penalties. Predominantly, what Weishaupt saw from the tent city and afterwards from the stands was that his fellow competitors were picking up faults. Weishaupt’s colleague at the Beerbaum Stables, Henrik von Eckermann, had already prophesied in advance that the course was extremely tricky. von Eckermann particularly thought that the time was going to be the problem. How right he turned out to be! Those riders, who jumped clear, all had time faults. Besides Weishaupt, these were Gerco Schröder (NED) with Cognac Champblanc and Martin Fuchs (SUI) with Clooney.

SOURCE: CHIO AACHEN NEWS

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Replay of the CHIO Aachen DEUTSCHE BANK PRIZE, DRESSAGE GRAND PRIX OF AACHEN

DEUTSCHE BANK PRIZE WITH RECORD SETTING DRESSAGE MOMENTS

 In the history of German dressage in Aachen this has never happened before: Three pairs over 80 percent in the Grand Prix, the Prize of the Tesch Family, three times over 80 percent in the MEGGLE Prize, the Grand Prix Spécial. That is an absolute record. And then the same three even took it a step further in the Deutsche Bank Prize by claiming the top three rankings there as well.

Kristina Bröring-Sprehe and Desperados won the most famous prize in the dressage sport in the most famous dressage arena in the world with a score of 88.825 percent, a personal record. Isabell Werth came second with Weihegold OLD on a score of 86.950 percent, followed closely by Dorothee Schneider with Showtime FRH on 86.925 percent. Rio here we come!

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Kristina Bröring-Sprehe reported to the National Coach (who couldn’t watch her, because she was helping her two other protégés warm-up for the competition – “But I heard the music and knew exactly where she was in her choreography!”) after her ride somewhat timidly about the only mistake that she had made in the first double pirouette. But then when the scores flashed up, this moment was forgotten. “I am delighted,” sighed the number one in the world rankings, who almost beat the multi-championess Charlotte Dujardin (GBR) with Valegro at the European Championships last year. She came just a few points behind her. The two will come up against each other again soon…

Isabell Werth’s world was back in order again today. She was eliminated from the WOTAX Prize yesterday, because she made two errors of course – totally untypical for the many-time Olympic gold-medallist, World and European Champion! Today, she knew what route to take – even though she rode the slightly revised freestyle routine to new music, a 1970s Italo pop medley, for the first time today with Weihegold. The highlights of the freestyle have a special soundtrack: “Dance Samba with me” – very fitting!

Dorothee Schneider and Showtime FRH were the next pair to provide goose-bump moments today. Showtime performs to a piece of music that couldn’t be more fitting for the stately dark bay horse: the E guitar sounds of the queen classic “The Show must go on”. One can hardly believe Schneider that this show-maker used to be a rather shy and introverted horse. She has turned the 10-year-old gelding into a world-class horse that hasn’t reached the zenith of his ability by a long way yet! We look forward to welcoming Showtime at CHIO Aachen 2017 – let’s wait and see if he can perhaps leave his colleagues trailing behind him then.

America’s Steffen Peters finished fourth again, this time on a mark of 76.627, and Team USA’s combined total of 437.139 saw them line up second ahead of Denmark in third on 430.418 and Spain in fourth on 425.316. Sweden finished fifth on a final tally of 425.186, and when the overall calculations were done, the Americans were declared the first-ever FEI Nations Cup™ Dressage series champions. Just four points separated them from the runners-up from Sweden in the final analysis, while Denmark was another seven points adrift in third.

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What a dramatic DHL-PRIZE CROSS-COUNTRY COMPETITION at Aachen

Team Australia Wins Aachen CICO3*, Michael Jung Individual Winner, Ingrid Klimke 3rd and 4th in Cross Country

Germany was able to leap up the team standings after cross country with fast and clean rides from Michael Jung and Sam, Ingrid Kimkle and SAP Escade FRH, and Dirk Schrade and Hop and Skip. They had less than 15 time penalties between them, which was good enough to jump from fourth to second behind the strong Australian contingent.
But it was Aussie speed that kept the home team at bay, with only six time penalties shared among Shane Rose, Chris Burton, and Samantha Birch, each putting in some of the fastest rounds of the day.
Michael Jung was among those who did not make the time, but with just 5.2 penalties he was able to clinch the top individual spot with his likely Olympic mount, FischerTakinou, as well as a 31,000 euro purse.
Shane Rose and CP Qualified were right on Ze Terminator’s heels, coming in just 1 time penalty behind with a final score of 42.80 to finish in second. Ze Lady Terminator Ingrid Klimke not only took the third slot on her individual mount Horseware Hale Bob OLD, she also nabbed fourth with SAP Escada FRH. Hale Bob was also the only other ride of the day to go double clear.

TO WATCH THE WHOLE EVENT AGAIN: RELIVE AVAILABLE ON DREAMSPORTS.TV

 

Team Sweden were especially challenged by the courseExpectations were high for the Swedish Team before the Cross Country event. But the challenges of the course – and especially the Fendt Complex took it’s toll on the Swedish team during the 4000 meter cross country course. First Ludwig Svennerstål had to retire with a dramatic stop on top of the fence. Then Niclas Lindbäck also had to retire in the Fendt Complex,Linda Algotson finished the course but due to 2 refusals her finalising time set her back in the results – last team mate Anna Nilsson did not start.

 

Ireland was the dark horse podium team today, and despite not having a drop score was able to put in three magnificent cross country rounds to pop from fifth to third. Aoife Clark and Wasting Light were their best individual finishers in 13th place, but all three finished in the top twenty. 
Great Britain had a heck of a final day at Aachen, dropping from third to fifth when only Nicola Wilson and One Two Many and Tina Cook and Calvino II were able to avoid jumping penalties.Laura Collett and Grand Manoeuvre had a runout at 22a/b a pair of angled brushes which proved to be by far the most troublesome spot on course for many riders today. Francesca Reid-Warrilow and Dolley Whisper were eliminated for multiple runouts, ultimately packing it in at 22a/b as well.
Americans Finish SixthThe American contingent ultimately maintained their sixth place slot on a very tricky course, though there were some extremely tense moments getting there. Phillip Dutton put in one of only two double clear rounds and the fastest round of the day, but the American celebration was cut short when the scoreboards briefly showed him as eliminated. The officials stated that he had missed a flag at the second water, resulting in elimination. Further review determined that he had been within the flag, and his double clear standing was restored, resulting in a rather chaotic few minutes for the team.Hannah Sue Burnett’s round was an equally bright spot in the day for the stars and stripes, with Harbour Pilot going clean and taking direct routes throughout, including the angled brushes near the end of the course that troubled so much of the pack. Hannah and William added just six time penalties to their final score of 55.60, good enough for 11th place individually.Lauren Kieffer and Landmark’s Monte Carlo were having a spectacular run before falling victim to the 22 a/b combination, as well as adding a bit of time. The combination, heartbreakingly close to home, caused more than half the run-outs on course all day, nearly more than all over fences combined. The pair finished in 25th.Matt Brown and Super Socks BCF struggled at 11b, which was one of the other infamous spots of the day. It’s a tight loop down an imposing normandy bank to two big narrow hedges, and the pair performed beautifully through 10 and 11a before just glancing off 11b.  Getting back on track cost them time as well, but the pair completed the remainder of the course admirably to finish in 30th place.Watch full relive of the CHIO Aachen Cross Country 2016