Ziya Taskent, Senior Vice President Sales Turkish Airlines (centre), Yigit Avci, General Manager Turkish Airlines Cologne (right) and Wolfgang Mainz, Advisory Board member of the Aachen-Laurensberger Rennverein e.V. congratulating the winner (Photo: Aachen 2015/ Strauch).

Aachen (GER)- The French rider, Pénélope Leprevost won the first qualifier at the FEI European Championships Aachen 2015 with “Flora di Mariposa”. In the “Turkish Airlines-Prize”, she led the rankings ahead of Ludger Beerbaum from Germany with “Chiara”. Joe Clee from Great Britain finished third with “Utamaro d´Ecaussines”.

Even if it didn’t suffice for the top step of the winners’ podium – and thus also 1 million air miles with Turkish Airlines on top of the prize-money – Ludger Beerbaum and the rest of the German team were very satisfied with their performances. The “Turkish Airlines-Prize” was namely also the first team competition before the “Mercedes-Benz Prize”. In the interim result Beerbaum, Christian Ahlmann, Daniel Deußer and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum are currently lying in front ahead of France and Great Britain. “The course was suitable for fast horses and my horse is fast – so it suited us well,” grinned Ludger Beerbaum, who was also satisfied with the overall result: “Of course, I am happy that we got off to a good start.” Pénélope Leprevost also knows that “Flora di Mariposa” is a fast horse, “but I was even surprised myself that she was so fast.” Joe Clee, who came third, also said at the subsequent press conference that he was surprised: It my first time here in Aachen, so it is a huge surprise that I am sitting here.” The “Mercedes-Benz Prize” will be decided in two rounds, one tomorrow and the second one on Friday.

www.aachen2015.de