Ben Maher (GBR) triumphs in the GLOCK’s CSI5* Opening!
Prize money totalling 600,000 euros, five FEI Longines world-ranking show jumping competitions and, with the GLOCK’s CSI5* Grand Prix on Sunday that alone carries 400,000 euros of prize money, the chance to qualify for the 2016 Olympic Games; on the strength of these impressive statistics, the CSI5* International Show Jumping this weekend has attracted the best show jumping riders in the world to the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER in Treffen.
Around one third of the top 100 in the current world ranking, four of them in the top 10, the full complement of the Aachen EC gold-winning team, along with Olympic victors and world champions sized up to one another for the first time today in the GLOCK’s CSI5* Opening. Waiting for the 81 participants was a course over 1.45 m, which 16 of them finished penalty-free. The decision for first place was extremely close, because the ride by Ben Maher from Great Britain on nine-year-old Contigo 37 in 61.62 seconds beat that of Marco Kutscher (GER) on Balermo (0/61.68) by just six hundredths. „I’m here for the first time and I’m amazed. It’s astonishing how the horses, riders and all the spectators are treated!“ said Ben Maher in the winner’s interview.
Third place was secured by Robert Whitaker (GBR), always good for a fast, clear round, on that outstanding jumper USA Today (0/62.91). His father, twice GLOCK’s Grand Prix winner John Whitaker (GBR), riding his AES stallion Argento, delivered a relaxed clear round (0/72.54), underlining his position as favourite for the GLOCK’s CSI5* Grand Prix on Sunday.
Among those aiming to prevent John Whitaker’s hat trick is Olympic winner, double world and European champion Jeroen Dubbeldam (NED) who, with his Oldenburg gelding Quality, remained penalty-free in the GLOCK’s CSI5* Opening (16th place). Athina Onassis de Miranda (GRE), riding AD Rackham’Jo, showed her equestrian class among the strong field of participants and, with just two time penalty points, took 19th place (2/80.39).
01 – CSI5* GLOCK’s Opening Competition
Int. jumping competition against the clock with penalties 1.45 m
1. Contigo 37 – Maher, Ben (GBR) 0/61,62
2. Balermo – Kutscher, Marco (GER) 0/61,68
3. USA Today – Whitaker, Robert (GBR) 0/62,91
4. Hidalgo VG – Deusser, Daniel (GER) 0/64,51
5. Royalty Des Isles – Hough, Lauren (USA) 0/65,09
6. Farfelu de la Pomme – Verlooy, Jos (BEL) 0/65,56
7. Sportsmann – S – Jung, Michael (GER) 0/66,08
8. Poker Face – Puck, Gerfried (AUT) 0/67,90
9. Caletto Cabana – Will, David (GER) 0/68,35
10.Chaplin W – Davis, Lucy (USA) 0/69,95
11.Clintop – Deusser, Daniel (GER) 0/71,44
12.Athena – Reid, Chloe (USA) 0/71,54
13.Mcb Ulke – Bruggink, Gert Jan (NED) 0/72,14
14.Gatsby – Kenny, Darragh (IRL) 0/72,30
15.Argento – Whitaker, John (GBR) 0/72,54
16.Quality – Dubbeldam, Jeroen (NED) 0/73,03
17.Yandoo Oaks Constellation – Kermond, Jamie (AUS) 1/78,78
18.Carambole N.O.P. – Greve, Willem (NED) 2/80,34
19.AD Rackham’Jo – Onassis-de Miranda, Athina (GRE) 2/80,39
20.Sunshine – Verlooy, Jos (BEL) 2/81,51
Link to results
INFOBOX
What: CSI5* CSI2* CSIYH1* CSIAm-A | International Show Jumping
When: August 27th-30th 2015
Where: GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Treffen, Villach
VIP day tickets for Thursday, Friday and Sunday: 300 euros per person on +43 664 887 344 01
Free entry to the competition events in the tournament arena
www.ghpc.at
This article was written by EQUESTRIAN WORLDWIDE – EQWO.net on behalf of the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER and is NOT a press release. Copying of the text and pictures is not allowed.
