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Aachen, July 2nd, 2009

The Danish rider Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein wins the HAVENS Pferdefutter Prize
Fourth place for the best German - Matthias Alexander Rath in the Grand Prix CDI

Top summer temperatures reigned during the Grand Prix CDI, the HAVENS Pferdefutter Prize at the World Equestrian Festival, CHIO Aachen 2009. Some of the horses had trouble with the heat, but it obviously didn't affect the 13-year-old Rubinstein son, Rigoletto. "It was incredible, he was highly concentrated and was listening to me from the very first step," remarked the delighted winner Nathalie zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who competed last and overtook the rest of the starting field with a score of 72.128, thus pipping the Dutch rider Hans Peter Minderhoud, who had been in the lead until then with a score of 71.745, at the post. "Exquis Escapado performed very well, but unfortunately we made a mistake in the two-tempi flying-changes. I started riding this horse after the European Championships in Hagen in 2005, but unluckily he has been out of action due to injury a few times, so it has been a constant to and fro, which is a shame because he has a lot of potential," the Dutch rider said about his Oldenburg Ex Libris son. A Rhineland horse that was born near to Aachen headed the field for a long time: The Fidermark son, Favourit, was bred by the Eberhard Schulte-Böker Stud, Gut Muthagen in Geilenkirchen and now competes for Sweden with his rider Tinne Vilhelmson-Silven. In the end the pair ranked third with a score of 69.362 percent.

Matthias Alexander Rath achieved the best result among the German riders on the KWPN gelding, Triviant. Sixth place went to Carola Koppelmann on Le Bo. "I could tell that Le Bo was struggling with the heat, he could have been a bit fresher and a bit more willing to go forward. It was a strenuous competition, especially for older horses, and he is already 16," stated Koppelmann. At the age of 67, the oldest competitor in the HAVENS Pferdefutter Prize was the Japanese rider, Hiroshi Hoketsu, who took seventh place with his Hanoverian mare, Whisper, a Wolkenstein daughter. The former businessman from Tokyo had the shortest journey to the show: He trains with Ton de Ridder at Gut Roßheide, just a few kilometres away from the Soers.

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