Daniel Deusser Wins Rolex Grand Prix at Indoor Brabant

 

‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, 15 March 2015 – Germany’s Daniel Deusser today left it until the very last minute to win the Rolex Grand Prix at Indoor Brabant in The Netherlands, ahead of the Great Britain pair of Michael Whitaker in second and Scott Brash in third.

On a Louis Koninckx designed course which offered a great deal of variation, 40 starters were reduced to 16 to go through to the jump-off, a fitting tribute to the quality of riders competing at Indoor Brabant this year.

Michael Whitaker and Viking led for much of the jump-off. Third to go, his time of 34.97 was good enough to hold off all challengers including Scott Brash riding Hello Santos who got close with 35.15, but it was not until the final rider, Daniel Deusser riding Cornet d’Amour, entered the arena that Michael’s time was seriously threatened.

Although a German national, Daniel has been based in the Netherlands and Belgium for many years, and Indoor Brabant has virtually become his home show; the support he enjoyed from the packed crowds when he entered the ring was on a similar level to that given to the home riders. And in the end, home advantage paid off, as Michael Whitaker could only sit back and watch as Daniel Deusser took in excess of a second off his time to win the Rolex Grand Prix title.

Speaking after his victory, Daniel Deusser said, “If you look at all the horses and riders here for the Rolex Grand Prix it shows that Indoor Brabant is something special. If you see the show and how many people come here; if you see how big the indoor area is, you realise that it is something special and something unbelievable.”

One of Europe’s most prestigious indoor shows, Indoor Brabant is staged in the historic city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch in southern Netherlands. With its spectacular cathedral and pedestrianised streets, the city is a popular destination for the Dutch people, and this spirit of admiration for the city extends into the horse show, where capacity crowds of 7,000 spectators flood in to watch world class sport that extends late into the night over four days.

The show’s 48 year history, coupled with it geographical position in the heart of Western Europe, regularly attracts a collection of the world’s greatest competitors. And in 2015, no less than 16 of the Top 20 ranked riders were competing for the Rolex Grand Prix title, including World Number 1 Scott Brash, and Rolex Testimonees Kevin Staut and Steve Guerdat, ranked 6th and 10th respectively.

Rolex and the Indoor Brabant continue to enjoy a long and rewarding relationship, and in 2014 Rolex became a Main Partner and title sponsor of the Grand Prix, which enabled the show to strengthen its position on the international show jumping circuit.

Over the years, the show has grown in size and now has two arenas staging international and national show jumping and dressage competitions.

The President of Indoor Brabant, Gerrit Jan Swinkels, said, "The sport is the winner from all four days. We have excellent sport and our public were also very enthusiastic. Since we had Rolex here with the Rolex Grand Prix we see all the best horses and it has become a competition at the same level as a European Championship, with similar quality and high standards.”

In the World Cup dressage competition, Rolex Testimonee Isabell Werth, riding Don Johnson, came second in both the Grand Prix on Friday afternoon and the Freestyle in front of a full-house on the Saturday afternoon, and has qualified for the World Cup Final in Las Vegas at the end of April. 

The Organising Committee of Indoor Brabant also invited three of the graduates from the Rolex supported Young Riders Academy, a joint initiative developed by the European Equestrian Federation (EEF) and the International Jumping Riders Club (IJRC) to identify and nurture the next generation of talented riders. Ireland’s Bertram Allen, Chantal Müller from Switzerland and Monika Martini from Greece, were invited to compete in a number of International competitions over the four days, with Bertram riding in the Rolex Grand Prix.

The Young Riders Academy is currently selecting the six riders aged 18-23 years old for 2015 who will receive not only special training from some of the leading names in the sport, but also guidance on business, sponsorship and dealing with the media. These highly talented individuals are also given invitations to a number of International shows.

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About Rolex
Leading brand of the Swiss watch industry, Rolex, headquartered in Geneva, enjoys an unrivalled reputation for quality and expertise the world over. Its Oyster watches, all certified as chronometers for their precision, are symbols of excellence, performance and prestige. Pioneer in the development of the wristwatch as early as 1905, the brand is at the origin of numerous major watchmaking innovations, such as the Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch, launched in 1926, and the Perpetual rotor self-winding mechanism introduced in 1931. Rolex has registered over 400 patents in the course of its history. A truly integrated and independent manufacturing company, Rolex designs, develops and produces in-house all the essential components of its watches, from the casting of the gold alloys to the machining, crafting, assembly and finishing of the movement, case, dial and bracelet. Rolex also actively supports the arts, sports, exploration, the spirit of enterprise, and the environment through a broad palette of sponsoring activities, as well as philanthropic programmes.