There have been a lot of changes at the Aachen Soers over the course of its 100-year equestrian show history. But one thing is exactly the same as it was in 1924: From day one onwards the top athletes in each discipline offer thrilling sport. As was the case today during the opening competitions of the vaulters in the Prize of Sparkasse at the CHIO Aachen 2024.

The compulsory and technical tests of the individual vaulters were on the agenda in the Prize of Sparkasse today. In the ladies classification, there was a head-to-head race between the defending title holder, Kathrin Meyer, and Alice Layher, who is participating in Aachen for the first time. Both represent Germany.

Whereas Meyer, who won both the CHIO and the World Cup last year, excelled in the compulsory test with her trusted partner, San Classico S OLD, lunged by her mother, Dr. Sonja Meyer, with an overall score of 8.327. The outstanding talent, Layher, turned the tables in the technical test. The compulsory test entails the vaulters performing pre-defined movements in a set order. In the technical test, the vaulters can choose freely in which order they perform the set movements. In her first appearance at the CHIO Aachen, Layher, who came second behind Meyer in the compulsory routine (8.277), succeeded in achieving a higher score (8.713) than her experienced fellow competitor. Her four-legged partner, Lambic van Strokappeleken, and her lunger, Alice’s sister Helen Layher, made this possible. Kathrin Meyer finished second (8.607). Hence, the scores of the two leading vaulters lie only 28 hundredths of a point apart. Layher is currently in the lead with a total score of 8.496 points, Meyer lies in second place on a score of 8.468. The Swiss vaulter Danielle Bürgi, is presently third with Bartelino, lunged by Lisa Hube (8.337). So, tomorrow’s concluding, freestyle competition promises to be riveting!

In the Men’s competition, the defending title holder, Quentin Jabet from France won both the compulsory and the technical test. As with his victory at Aachen last year, at the European Championships in 2023 and his World Cup triumph in 2024, Jabet performed with Ronaldo 200 NRW and was lunged by Andrea Boe. The trio were awarded a score of 8.888 in the compulsory test and 8.236 in the technical test. Jabet thus has an interim total score of 8.562, the four-time Aachen winner, Thomas Brüsewitz, also proved to be in top form and achieved scores of 8.728 and 8.224 respectively. That means a total score of 8.476 and second place for him and William II Z (lunger: Maik Huesmann).

Three German athletes are currently lying third, fourth and fifth prior to the freestyle competition tomorrow. Leon Huesgen with Cairo, lunged by Claudia Döller-Ossenberg-Engels (8.009) is third, followed by the winner of Aachen in the year 2021 Jannik Heiland – who broke his foot in the spring and has made a recovery in time for the CHIO Aachen – with his successful horse, Dark Beluga FRH, lunged by Barbara Rosiny (7.976). Right behind them in fifth place are Julian Wilfling and Aragorn lunged by Alexander Zebrak (7.860).

The vaulting competitions in the Albert-Vahle Arena begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the freestyle of the pas de deux.