Pia-Luise Aufrecht and Hofgut Liederbach's Abrisca came out on top at the seventh leg of the FEI World Cup Jumping 2005/2006 series at Mechelen in Belgium this evening and the 28 year old German rider has rocketed up from 55th to joint-11th place on the leaderboard as the league passes the halfway stage.

From a starting field of 36, just eight went through to the jump-off and while Aufrecht's time of 37.45 seconds was bettered by some, only Switzerland's Pius Schwizer and Unique matched the German partnership's double clear performance to slot into runner-up spot.

Aufrecht came to the Belgian fixture after a desperately disappointing week at London's Olympia just before Christmas. "It was a super-nice show, but everything went wrong for me there and I came to Mechelen determined to do better and I gave it my maximum concentration" she said afterwards.

Brazil's Bernardo Alves and Topic Van'T Voorhof were first to go against the clock and registered a fast time of 35.20 seconds but left one fence down and Belgium's Dirk Demeersman and Clinton did the same in the slower time of 39.67. The home side had three into the final round and Kristof Cleeren and Andiamo were next to take their turn but eight faults put paid to their chances. Pius Schwizer decided that caution was the only answer and steered Unique home for the first clear in 42.72 seconds, but Aufrecht and Abrisca shaved more than five seconds off that when racing home in 37.45 seconds to put it up the remaining three riders.

"I knew I had to go as fast as possible because I had some very fast ones coming behind me but I wondered if I had been fast enough when I was going through the finish" Aufrecht said. She had no need to worry however as fellow-German Heinrich-Hermann Engemann and Aboyeur collected eight faults, Belgium's Patrick McEntee and Sherry du Mury Marais Z had three down and, last to go, the final German partnership of Toni Hassman and Meurer's Le Patron left two on the floor.

"The very first time I ever jumped Abrisca in a big class was here in Mechelen two years ago so this is special for me" Aufrecht explained. "I've been missing her a lot this year because she was so sick - she had a lung infection and could not work - but at last she is better and today she was so happy to be here. She really enjoyed herself at this show all week, she felt really fresh, and today she was unbelievable. She is a sweetheart!" Aufrecht said with delight after her victory.

Originally from Affalterbach near Stuttgart, Aufrecht, who trained as a teenager with Aachas Von Buchwald, has been based in Kurt Gravemeier's yard near Dortmund for almost three years now and she has her sights set on a place at the FEI World Cup Jumping final in Kuala Lumpur in four month's time. "I have been dreaming all year about going to Kuala Lumpur but I kept having one fence down, one fence down all the time - however now it might be possible because things have come right for me and I hope that I can get there" said the German rider who will line out at the next leg of the series in Leipzig next month.

RESULT: 1, Hofgut Liederbach's Abrisca (Pia Luise Aufrecht) Ger 0/0 37.45; 2, Unique X CH (Pius Schwizer) Sui 0/0 42.72; 3, Topic van't Voorhof (Bernardo Alves) Bra 0/4 35.20; 4, Clinton (Dirk Demeersman) Bel 0/4 39.67; 5, Aboyeur (Heinrich Hermann Engemann) Ger 0/8 34.90; 6, Andiamo Z (Kristof Cleeren) Bel 0/8 35.73; 7, Meurer's Le Patron (Toni Hassmann) Ger 0/12 41.58; 8, Sherry du Mury Marais (Patrick McEntee) Bel 0/12 41.58; 9, S&L Bleeker & 11th (Gerfried Puck) Aut 4/69.23; 10, Andante (Tina Lund) Den 4/69.42; 11, Le Coup C (Maurice van Roosbroeck) Bel 4/70.84; 12, Isovlas Jus de Fontaines (Steve Guerdat) Sui 5/74.16; 13, Hariane D'Authieux (Nathale Chiaudani) Ita 8/67.56; 14, Bessemeind's Caloma Z (Morten Djupvik) Nor 8/68.64; 15, Melansa (Mikael Forsten) Fin 8/69.45; 16, Madick (Helena Lundback) Swe 8/70.03; 17, Nagano (Nick Vrins) Bel 8/70.53; 18, Item de Quintien (Niels Bruynseels) Bel 8/70.82; 19, Toronto Van de Padenborre (Juan Carlos Garcia) Ita 8/70.91; 20, VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 8/71.53; 21, Gestion Priamus Z (Vincent Voorn) Ned 8/71.62; 22, Clausen (Holger Wulschner) Ger 8/72.16; 23, Cristallo (Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst) Ger 9/72.43; 24, Sarah de St Pierre (Philippe Lejeune) Bel, Cavalor's Cumano (Jos Lansink) Bel 8/72.54; 26, Kelvin de St Hermelle (Nina Fagerstrom) Fin 9/74.57; 27, Sea Coast Conan (Perry Geryl) Bel 11/82.04; 28, Utopia van de Donkhoeve (Grant Wilson) NZL 12/67.20; 29, Nouvelle (Wout-Jan van der Schans) Ned 12/67.20; 30, La Corrada (Peter Wylde) USA 12/69.68; 31, Triumphe de Muze (David Jobertie) Fra 13/75.10; 32, Kira (Ludo Philippaerts) Bel 14/79.66; 33, Levisto Z (Judy-Ann Melchior) Bel 16/70.31; 34, Verelst Goliath (Marc van Dijck) Bel 16/72.85; 35, Van Schijndel's Now or Never (Piet Raymakers) Ned Elim; 36, Audi's Oklund (Eric Van der Vleuten) Ned, AK Locarno (Ellen Whitaker) GBR, Irish Independent Echo Beach (Cian O'Connor) Ret. 42, Heritiere D'Adriers (Philippe Rozier) Fra DNS.

FEI WORLD CUP JUMPING 2005/2006 LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 7 AT MECHELEN IN BELGIUM:

1. Beat Mandli - 56
2. Marcus Ehning - 48
3. Gerco Schroder- 47
4. Robert Smith - 46
5. Nick Skelton - 34
6. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst, Heinrich-Hermann Engemann - 32
8. Juan Carlos Garcia, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 28.
10. Piet Raymakers- 26
11. Harrie Smolders, Pia Luise Aufrecht - 25
13. Thomas Velin - 23
14. Linnea Ericsson- 22
15. Jean-Marc Nicolas- 21
16. Albert Zoer, Eric van der Vleuten, Thomas Fruhmann, Steve Guerdat - 20
20. Franke Sloothaak, Jessica Kurten, Wim Schroder, Patrick McEntee - 19.

For further information on the FEI World Cup qualifier at Mechelen check out the WEBSITE - www.jumping-mechelen.com. Show President at the Belgian fixture is Wout van de Walle, Show Director is Peter Bollen, Show Secretary is Yolande Wauters and Press Officer is Edith de Reys, email edith.dereys@skynet.be or Tel (mobile) +32 475 659281.

The next leg of the series takes place in Leipzig, Germany from 19-22 January 2006. Show President and Show Director is Volker Wulff, Show Secretary is Conny Reuss - mobile ++49173 3506259, email reuss@engarde.de and Press Officer is Andreas kerstan - mobile ++49177 827970, email akerstan@kerstan.de. WEBSITE - www.engarde.de.

For all information on the FEI World Cup Jumping final in Kuala Lumpur (26-30 April) check out the WEBSITE www.klworldcupfinal.com or contact Press Officer Lo Wai Fai at email waifai@asiapromote.net or Tel (mobile) +6012 209 0068. Show Director is Peter Winton, email paw@asiapromote.net.