When claiming the victory in a special two-phase competition of the side programme is more important than winning a five-star Grand Prix, you know it is CHIO Aachen time. Today, Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida fulfilled his dream of heading the lap of honour in the VBR-Prize.

“Slow down, slow down!”, the stadium commentator, Kaj Warnecke, warned, as Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida sped through the Aachen Soers during the lap of honour in the VBR-Prize with his grey mare, Karonia.L, and headed for the exit. Warnecke didn’t need to worry at all, Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida pulled his ten-year-old Harley daughter up in plenty of time with ease.

But long after he had slowed down to a walk, he was still euphoric himself. He and Karonia.L had just snatched the victory in the 1.45-metre two-phase jumping class, the VBR-Prize with a lead of 0.57 seconds, relegating Denis Lynch (IRL) with King Blue and Nicola Philippaerts (BEL) with Que Sera into second and third place, respectively.

Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida has had already some fantastic wins in his career, particularly with Karonia.L, including also Grand Prix, but from an emotional point of view it was the victory of his life: “I have already won five-star Grand Prix, but nothing compares to hearing the Portuguese national anthem in this stadium!”