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07-09-2004 Otto Becker und Cento gewinnen in Calgary
Spruce Meadows, Calgary, Alberta - The CN International Grand Prix, the finale in the Spruce Meadows Masters Tournament, is the richest show jumping event in the world. The prize money is $1,000,000. This year fifty-two equestrian athletes entered the class.
The weather has been exceptionally warm and dry throughout the Tournament, factors that might have affected the outcome when competitors returned for the second round of jumping, except for the cooling breeze that came up. Once again, Leopoldo Palacios created an extremely challenging course for the competition. The track covered 630 meters and, in round one, encompassed fourteen jumping efforts.
The top twelve, or all competitors that go clear, would to return to compete in the second round.
At this level of competition, the height of the jumps is actually a relatively minor consideration. It is the technical aspects of the course that will separate the best from the rest. For example, the line from the 4.2m wide water jump(#4) to the double combination 5A (1.56m high vertical) to 5B (1.65m wide oxer) requires very careful riding, control, precision and elasticity from the horse. Typically riders push their horses forward in order to clear the width of the water. To negotiate the vertical 5A cleanly, immediately upon landing after the water the rider needs to bring the horse back so it can spring up and over rather than jump wide and flat. Then there’s only one short stride between the vertical and the oxer. Following that jump, there’s a related distance to a narrow green vertical supported by “antique bicycle” standards. And that’s just one of the tricky lines devised by Palacios.
The final line also offers some unique challenges starting with jump 12, the Spruce Meadows planks (painted a vicious looking yellow and black saw-tooth pattern). That is followed by the CN Triple Combination of an oxer, vertical, oxer with tight striding between the first two elements and long striding between the second and third.
As the class got under way it became apparent that the two lines mentioned above were, in fact, the biggest challenges to the competitors. The first 10 entries had significant problems and all amassed several faults. There were three tumbles – France’s Henri Prudent, Canada’s Jill Henselwood and Germany’s Armin Himmelreich.
Then came Great Britain’s Nick Skelton. Competing again after a two-year hiatus as the result of a broken neck, Skelton rode a textbook perfect course on Arko III and posted the first clear round. Ten riders later the second clear round was posted by another British rider, Andrew Davies on Limbo V.
After a phenomenal effort by Lutopia through the 4-5A-5B and 6 line, Molly Ashe (USA) posted the third clear. Then, Lauren Hough (USA) and Clasiko became the fourth clear.
Canada’s Ian Millar, who placed 2nd in the 2002 Grand Prix, posted a disappointing 24 faults in the first round.
The fifth clear was posted by Britain’s Michael Whittaker on Fleur. At that point in the competition it looked like a battle between the Americans and the British for the lead – but some of the world’s best riders had yet to tackle the course.
And then there was a sixth clear, Ludo Philippaerts (BEL) on Parco broke the British/American grasp on the top positions. Since the door was opened Beat Mandli (SUI) and L.B. Lacorrado added to the European contingent among the clear rounds. The eighth clear round went to Norman Dello Joio (USA) and Glasgow.
An indicator of the difficulty of the course came when the top ranked rider in the world, Markus Fuchs (SUI) and Tinka’s Boy retired after accumulating 12 faults. Last year’s winner of the Grand Prix, Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum and Goldfever 3 took out jump 13A, the first in the triple combination and finished the round with four faults and out of the second round.
Otto Becker (GER) and Dobel’s Cento, the only pair to post a double clear in the Nations’ Cup yesterday, became the ninth clear round and the first German to qualify for the second round. The tenth clear round belonged to Jos Lansink (BEL) whose 10 year old stallion literally flew over the jumps, clearing the highest by inches and with no apparent effort.
The first round ended with the spectators on the ends of their seats as Rodrigo Pessoa attacked the course. He had fence number six down (which, incidentally, defeated 24 riders – more than any other single jump) for four faults. Knowing that only a fast time would qualify for the second round, he and Baloubet du Rouet put the pedal to the metal for the balance of the course. He secured the eleventh spot in the returning competitors and Margie Engle (USA) and Hidden Creek’s Perin captured the 12th spot as the second fastest of the four-fault rounds.
During the break between rounds Pamela Carruthers, the original course designer at Spruce Meadows, gave an emotional farewell. Ron Southern, Co-Chair of Spruce Meadows, commented that at the first Grand Prix for which Carruthers designed a course there were 800 people in attendance, including the riders. “It was fitting,” he said, “that she be on the grounds for the 2003 CN Grand Prix attended by a record breaking crowd of 58,440 fans.”
The course for round two was slightly shorter at 500m, still with 14 jumping efforts, but it was technically no less difficult. Course designer Leopoldo Palacios said “this is the most difficult (challenging) course I’ve ever designed. The course for the second round is a fair test. There are challenges everywhere, not just one difficult jump or line. The best in the world are in the second round so we put the verticals up and made the second oxer of the double oxer wider and took two seconds of the time allowed to challenge the best.”
And challenge them he did. First into the ring, Margie Engle (USA) on Hidden Creek’s Perin had three jumps down and added 12 faults to the 4 from her first round for a total of 16. Rodrigo Pessoa (BRA) and Baloubet du Rouet had only one jump down, adding 4 faults to the 4 from the first round for a total of 8. Nick Skelton (GBR) and Arko III, the first of the clears from the first round had one jump down plus one time fault (the perils of trying to go too carefully) for a total of five.
Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts and Parco lowered jumps 6B and the dreaded bicycle jump, number 10 for eight faults plus one time fault. Jos Lansink (BEL) and Alaska Cumano Z hit only the Canada Planks, jump number 4 to take the lead half way through.
Clasiko and Lauren Hough (USA) barrelled through the Canada Planks, jump number 4 and also knocked down jumps 6B and 7A for a total of 12 faults.
Germany’s Otto Becker and Dobel’s Cento posted their second clear, living up to their Nations’ Cup reputation.
Norman Dello Joio (USA) and Glasgow had jump 6B down to add 4 faults to their first round clean.
Michael Whitaker (GBR) and Fleur, ears back and tail wringing, had a great round until the second of the double liverpools, jump 9B proved a little too wide.
Andrew Davies (GBR) and Limbo V also had an excellent and quick round, until jump number 10, the bicycle (a skinny vertical after two oxers) came down.
The final competitor to test the course was Molly Ashe (USA) and Lutopia who sped cleanly around the course before a hushed crowd until the back rail of the last jump came down – and the winner was??? Otto Becker – a true champion.
Becker said that his fourteen year old Holsteiner stallion “Dobel’s Cento is the best horse I have ever ridden. He is special. He has big scope and tries his best. I’ve had him since he was six and he’s very sensitive and very careful. I took my time (in training him) and waited to bring him along slowly. I’m so happy with my horse.” Becker has an impressive show jumping record, but commented that this was one of his most thrilling wins. Two double clear rounds in two days in the two most prestigious classes of the Masters Tournament is definitely something to be proud of.
Second place winner, Molly Ashe (USA) and Lutopia had nothing to be ashamed of either. Ashe said “Lutopia walks in to the ring and rises to every occasion. She’s fast across the ground (an understatement!) but when riding it doesn’t feel that fast. If you try to slow her pace, then you get into trouble. Last year (in the 2002 CN International Grand Prix) my clear first round was a gift. It wasn’t solid and it was all heart on her part. She didn’t have any more to give in the (disappointing) second round. This year she came into the second round as strong as for the first. She’s had an easy summer with only one show between the summer series and the Masters. I’m looking forward to a great future with her.”
Pl. Horse Rider Jump-off Time Prize
Faults Money
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1 Dobel's Cento Otto Becker 0 91.36 $325,000
2 Lutopia Molly Ashe 4 85.332 $200,000
3 Limbo V Andrew Davies 4 87.369 $100,000
4 Glasgow Norman Dello Joio 4 90.182 $ 75,000
5 Ak Cumano Z Jos Lansink 4 91.872 $ 50,000
6 Fleur Michael Whitaker 5 89.827 $ 37,000
7 Arko III Nick Skelton 5 94.163 $ 25,000
8 BaloubetDu Rouet Rodrigo Pessoa 8 82.962 $ 21,000
9 Parco Ludo Philippaerts 9 92.286 $ 17,000
10 Clasiko Lauren Hough 12 91.82 $ 15,000
11 L.b. Lacorrado Beat Mandli 15 93.306 $ 14,000
12 Hid.Creeks Perin Margie Engle 16 86.502 $ 13,000
2003 Springreiten: Eva Bitter neue Deutsche Meisterin
(fn-press). Bei den Deutschen Meisterschaften der Springreiterinnen in Gera setzte sich Eva Bitter (Münster) mit Argelith Stakkato im Duell der Amazonen durch. Duellcharakter hatte die Meisterschaft der springreitenden Damen insofern, als dass beide Wertungsprüfungen mit insgesamt drei Umläufen sowie das anschließende Stechen vom Zweikampf zwischen der Siegerin und der Vizemeisterin Pia-Luise Aufrecht (Affalterbach) bestimmt waren.
Schon das Ergebnis der ersten Wertungsprüfung legte den Grundstein für den überaus spannenden Verlauf dieser Meisterschaft. In dem Springen, das nach Fehlern und Zeit gewertet wurde, siegte Eva Bitter mit dem Hannoveraner Hengst und einstigen Bundeschampion Argelith Stakkato (von Spartan) mit einer Nullrunde in 76,38 Sekunden.
An zweiter Stelle konnte sich die 25-jährige Pia-Luise Aufrecht mit einer fehlerfreien Runde in 77,36 Sekunden platzieren. Mit dem zehnjährigen Holsteiner Hofgut Liederbachs Ingmar (von Cassini) ritt sie wie die Siegerin einen Hengst. Platz drei ging an Rebecca Golasch (Neuss) mit Centennial Z mit 0 Fehlern in 77,91 Sekunden.
Sechs weiteren Paaren gelang es, in dieser Prüfung fehlerfrei zu bleiben. Mit der an fünfter Stelle platzierten Stute Hofgut Liederbachs Eburovic ritt Pia-Luise Aufrecht ein weiteres Pferd fehlerfrei durch den Parcours. Gute Chancen auf eine Titelverteidigung wahrte sich auch Vorjahresmeisterin Mylene Diederichsmeier (Steinhagen), die mit Countess G 8. wurde.
In der zweiten Wertungsprüfung, die über zwei Umläufe ausgetragen wurde, gelang es lediglich Eva Bitter mit Argelith Stakkato und Pia-Luise Aufrecht mit Liederbachs Eburovic in beiden Runden ohne Fehlerpunkte zu bleiben. Auch im damit notwendig gewordenen Stechen setzte sich der Zweikampf der beiden führenden Reiterinnen fort. Mit einer Nullrunde in 41,09 Sekunden gewann Eva Bitter dabei ganz knapp gegen Pia-Luise Aufrecht, die ebenfalls ohne Fehler, aber in der etwas schlechteren Zeit von 41,34 Sekunden ins Ziel kam.
Für die 29-jährige Eva Bitter war dies die dritte und zugleich beste Medaille, die sie bei Deutschen Meisterschaften erringen konnte. 1995, ebenfalls in Gera, und 2000 in Balve hatte sie jeweils Bronze gewonnen. Für die knapp geschlagene Pia-Luise Aufrecht, die bereits anlässlich des CHIO Aachen durch mehrere gute Platzierungen auffiel, war der Titel der Vizemeisterin ihr bisher größter Erfolg bei Deutschen Meisterschaften.
Ihre Chance auf die Verteidigung des Meistertitels verpasste Mylene Diederichsmeier um exakt eine Sekunde. Denn genau eine Sekunde überschritt sie die erlaubte Zeit im zweiten Umlauf, was ihr ansonsten makelloses Punktekonto mit 0,25 Fehlerpunkten für Zeitüberschreitung belastete und in der Gesamtwertung zur Bronzemedaille führte. Vier Fehlerpunkte im ersten und 8,25 Fehlerpunkte im zweiten Umlauf warfen die bis dahin an dritter Stelle rangierende Rebecca Golasch auf Platz acht der Gesamtwertung zurück. T.H.
Marcus Ehning gewinnt den Welt Cup 2003 in Las Vegas
22-03-2003 Marcus Ehning of Germany won the 25th annual FEI Show Jumping World Cup Final when the world’s best show jumping horses and riders met to do battle at Budweiser World Cup 2003, April 16-20 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The international event featured 41 riders from around the world who competed for the prestigious title of World Cup Champion. Spectacular presentation of the sport with laser light shows, Las Vegas show acts, and the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales made the World Cup a hit with everyone.
Marcus Ehning put in a faultless performance in the final round of Budweiser World Cup competition on Sunday, April 20, riding his Oldenburg mare Anka to victory.
Marcus Ehning (Mitte) holt Gold
Rodrigo Pessoa (Silber)
Malin Baryard (Bronze)
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Three-time World Cup Champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil had to settle for the runner-up position this time aboard Baloubet du Rouet, owned by Diago Pereira Coutinho.
Third went to Malin Baryard of Sweden riding Christina Larsson’s H&M Butterfly Flip.
The top U.S. rider was Laura Kraut of Oconomowoc, WI, who tied for fifth aboard Anthem, owned by the Summit Syndicate.
Marcus Ehning received a wonderful birthday present a day late, as he had celebrated his 29th birthday on Saturday. “I can’t believe it,” he said. “I never thought I would win. If you think too much about it, it can hurt you, you need to go day to day.”
There was much to think about going into the last rounds of competition on the final day. Competition was fierce, and the top three were less than a rail apart in the placings. Going into Sunday’s first round, Marcus and Rodrigo were tied for second place with two faults, and Malin Baryard was in the lead with a perfect score of zero. Ehning, a Sydney Olympic team Gold Medalist, went clear, Pessoa had a rail down to give him a total of six faults, and Malin dropped a rail for four faults total.
The second and final round saw Pessoa go clear, putting pressure on the remaining entries. The atmosphere was thick as Baryard entered the ring. If the young Swede had even one rail down, there would be no chance to win, as that would give her a total of eight faults to Pessoa’s six. Unfortunately, she had a rail down and dropped to third place.
Ehning was the last to go and had no room for error. One rail would tie him with Pessoa and force a jump-off. Two rails would give Pessoa the title. Ehning and Anka rose to the occasion leaving all the rails up and claiming the title of World Cup Champion. He threw down the reins and raised his arms in the air as the crowd rose to their feet cheering for the pair. It was a spectacular finish for the most prestigious show jumping competition in the world this year.
Ehning’s win made it two in a row for Germany, following Otto Becker’s win at Leipzig last year. Germany now has three wins overall with Ludger Beerbaum having won at Gothenburg in 1993. The U.S. leads all nations with seven World Cup titles.
The opening rounds leading up to the dramatic finish of the year’s most important equestrian event in the entertainment capital of the world were just as action-packed as the concluding ones.
Thursday, April 17, featured McLain Ward of Brewster, NY, riding Viktor, owned by Ward and Harry Gill, winning the first round of Budweiser Word Cup competition, a speed class in which faults are converted into seconds.
Ward, one of the 14 riders representing the United States, had one rail down in the speed class, but was able to claim the win with his lightning fast time. The pair had a final score of 72.73. Baryard finished without any jumping faults, but at a slower time, placing her second. Pessoa was third.
01-08-2003 Fünf Holsteiner im EM-Einzelfinale
Es war eine denkwürdige Europameisterschaft für die deutschen Springreiter. Nach dem Gewinn des Nationenpreises holten Christian Ahlmann (Marl), Ludger Beerbaum (Riesenbeck) und Marcus Ehning (Borken) in Donaueschingen zudem noch alle Einzelmedaillen.
Dass Gold gerade an Ahlmann ging, freute den Holsteiner Verband in Elmshorn besonders, denn mit dem neunjährigen Calato-Constant-Sohn Cöster gewann ein Holsteiner Pferd, das bei Johannes Köster in Mohrkirch (Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg) zur Welt kam.
Durch diesen Sieg blieb auch der Ehrenpreis des Verbandes, ein Stutfohlen von Clearway, in deutschem Besitz. "Wir sind glücklich, dass Christian das Fohlen bekommen hat", sagte Norbert Boley, Geschäftsführer der Abteilung Hengsthaltung/Vermarktung, "zumal sein Vater Georg vor Jahren großes Interesse am Ankauf von Clearway hatte."
Bei der EM gingen insgesamt 16 Reiter mit einem Holsteiner an den Start, wobei fünf im Einzelfinale der besten 23 dabei waren. Zum deutschen Gold-Quartett gehörte auch Otto Becker (Steinfeld) mit Dobel's Cento (von Capitol I, aus der Zucht von Heinrich Schoof/Büsum).
Holsteiner setzten auch in der Schlussprüfung die Akzente. Die dritte Wertung der Einzelkonkurrenz gewannen mit je einem Strafpunkt für Zeitüberschreitung gemeinsam der Schwede Peter Eriksson mit VDL Cardento (von Capitol I/Reimer Witt, Willinghusen) und der Franzose Reynald Angot mit Tlaloc M.
11-03-2003 Christian Ahlmann gewinnt Großen Preis von Braunschweig
Christian Ahlmann (Marl) hat den Großen Preis von Braunschweig gewonnen: Mit der Stute Comtessa (vom Holsteiner Hengst Campione -v. Capitol- aus einer Mutter von Alcatraz) schlug der 2. der letztjährigen Riders Tour den Mannschafts-Olympiasieger Marcus Ehning (Borken), der mit Anka als einziger Reiter neben Ahlmann im Stechen der besten 7 fehlerfrei blieb.
Christian Ahlmann benötigte für das Stechen über acht Hindernisse 33,02 Sekunden, Marcus Ehning immerhin 33,87 Sekdunen. Auf den dritten Rang kam mit Katharina Offel (Lohmar) die beste Amazone, sie hatte mit Lucy allerdings genauso einen Springfehler wie der viermalige Olympiasieger Ludger Beerbaum (Riesenbeck), der mit Figaros Boy den vierten Rang belegte.
Für den Sieger gab es ein Auto im Wert von 30 000 Euro, die Plazierten konnten sich noch einmal 30 000 Euro an Preisgeldern teilen. Zuvor hatte die viermalige Olympiasiegerin Isabel Werth die Spitzenprüfung der Dressur-Reiter, den mit 2500 Euro dotierten Grand Prix, gewonnen. Mit ihrem 9jährigen Hannoveraner Hengst Satchmo schaffte sie 908 Punkte. Der zweite Rang ging an den Stuttgarter Martin Schaudt mit Weltall und 881 Punkten.
Insgesamt besuchten rund 14 000 Zuschauer das Turnier in der Braunschweiger VW-Halle, das in diesem Jahr erst zum zweiten Mal statt fand und mit sechs Reitern aus den Top-Ten hervorragend besetzt war.
Sport in Zahlen
Großer Preis von Braunschweig:
1. Christian Ahlmann (Marl) mit Comtessa 0/33,02;
2. Marcus Ehning (Borken) mit Anka 0/33,87;
3. Katharina Offel (Lohmar) mit Lucy 4/32,42;
4. Ludger Beerbaum (Riesenbeck) mit Figaros Boy 4/32,59;
5. Franke Sloothaak (Borgholzhausen) mit Joli Coeur 6/47,43,
6. Carsten-Otto Nagel (Wedel) mit Elwood 8/33,50;
7. Hauke Luther (Wedemark) mit Caresino 8/34,89 (alle im Stechen)
Grand Prix de Dressage, dotiert mit 2500 Euro:
1. Isabell Werth (Wedemark) mit Satchmo 908 Punkte,
2. Martin Schaudt (Stuttgart) mit Weltall 881 Punkte,
3. Dolf-Dietram Keller (Medingen) mit De Niro 853 Punkte,
4. Holga Finken (Verden) mit Gianna 851 Punkte,
5. Karin Rehbein (Grönwohld) mit Capuccino 844 Punkte,
6. Falk Rosenbaur (Grönwohld) mit Dona Castania 826 Punkte
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