The injured and operated Ludger Beerbaum and Philipp Weishaupt also on site
Michael Symmangk and his 14-year-old gelding Caillaux won the Grand Prix of Riesenbeck (0/33.19) at the International Two-Star Show ahead of the Japanese rider Eiken Sato with Dexter Bois Margot (0/33.67) and the Irish rider Shane Carey on Skorphults Baloutendro (0/33.86).
37 riders had entered their horses for this 1.45m jumping competition, 15 made it into the jump-off after a clear round. Course director Olaf Hermann set challenging pacours over the past three show days. The "usual suspects" - riders who like to visit the tournaments at the Surenburg - were at the start with their horses: Felix Hassmann, Katrin Eckermann, Hans-Thorben Rüder, Anneliese Vorsselmans (BEL), Eiken Sato (JPN), Noora Pentti (FIN), but also the world's best event rider, multiple Olympic and World and European Champion Michael Jung.
Philipp Hartmann has already been second in a ranking show jumping competition four times. The Ludger Beerbaum Stables rider always took it in his stride, lining up behind the winner at the award ceremony with his 15-year-old gelding Cool Feeling. In the first qualifier for the Grand Prix on Thursday, he again had to give way to a competitor in second place: the Belgian Rik Hemeryck on Morfine De Muze. On Friday, Felix Hassmann won the second qualifier for the Grand Prix on Elli ahead of Selina Höger on Flintstone. Philipp Hartmann gave Cool Feeling a break before the Grand Prix. He wanted to win, you could see that already at the brisk start of the jump-off course. But Cool Feeling stumbled once briefly and had another mistake. The pair ended up in 12th place - and Philipp Hartmann will have to be patient again until he can finally win the Grand Prix of Riesenbeck.
From the home stable, in addition to Philipp Hartmann, the runner-up in last week's Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix in Doha, Christian Kukuk, was competing at the home tournament.
Colleagues Ludger Beerbaum and the winner of the Doha Grand Prix, Philipp Weishaupt, were unable to ride due to injury. However, they both watched the rides live. Ludger Beerbaum came into the arena with the help of crutches. Philipp Weishaupt, whose broken foot had to be surgically treated, was also on site. He assured before the Grand Prix: "We were both very well looked after at the Ibbenbüren Clinic and would like to thank the medical team very much!"
The next CSI** tournament will be held outdoors again at the end of April.
All results at:
https://results.riesenbeck-international.com/2023/riesenbeck-international_5/index.html
