2005 CSIO Aachen

Show Jumping Headlines - Thursday

Otto Becker wins the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia

It is always great to win, but winning in Aachen, in this wonderful stadium and in front of such a great crowd tops it all," Otto Becker told over 20,000 spectators at the prize-giving ceremony of the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. The 46-year-old rider from Steinfeld hadn't considered himself as being one of the favourites, because the 16-year-old Holsteiner stallion Cento by Capitol I x Caletto had sustained a slight injury. Becker: "I took things a little more carefully today, so I'm thrilled that everything went so well." Becker was slightly disappointed that he has not been nominated for the Nations' Cup team on Friday in spite of his good performance this season and his victories in the Grand Prix of San Patrignano at the European Championships and now in the Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia here in Aachen.

Quite a few riders had difficulties with the demanding course of the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia. At first it looked like only two or three riders would manage to go clear. But in the end six riders reached the jump-off. Behind Becker (48.49 seconds) came Markus Beerbaum (34) from Thedinghausen, who rode the second fastest clear round with the Zweibrücker gelding Le Mans by Leubus x Landadel (51.62). In third place after the German double victory was Gerco Schröder with Eurocommerce Milano, a Dutch stallion (4/46.94). The jump-off turned out to be a family get-together for the Beerbaums, since in addition to Markus Beerbaum, brother Ludger took fifth place with Goldfever and wife Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum came sixth with Checkmate.

The German Nations' Cup Show Jumping Team

The national coach, Kurt Gravemeier, nominated the following riders for the Show Jumping Nations' Cup, which begins at 13.15 on Friday:

The team comprises of Marcus Ehning with Gitania, Marco Kutscher with Montender, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with Checkmate and Ludger Beerbaum with L'Espoir.

Sampras was the Fastest

The US American, Jeffery Welles (43) from Ridgefield beat his fellow competitors in the first qualification competition for the Sparkasse Youngsters Cup, the series for seven to eight -year-old young jumping horses. Welles rode the eight-year-old bay Holsteiner gelding Sampras by Concerto II x Sacramento Song to victory, finishing the course in a time of 61.8 seconds. Second place went to the Dutch mare Purple Rain by Wolfgang x Liberto ridden by Heinrich-Hermann Engemann from Bissendorf (0/62.37). Toni Hassmann (Lienen) achieved the third best result with the Zweibrücker mare Aisha by Cayman x Alexis (63.37 seconds).

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