10.07.2017

Germany on the move

The big names of show jumping will be competing at the CHIO Aachen from July 14th-23rd. Seventeen of the top 20 will be making an appearance.

“A strong line-up,” is how Show Director, Frank Kemperman, concisely described the field of participants. He is especially looking forward to the US American team. Led by the number one in the world rankings, Kent Farrington, their top riders will be competing in the stadium in Aachen. What’s more, Farrington, Lauren Hough, McLain Ward (No. 2 in the world rankings), Beezie Madden and Laura Kraut will also be saddling their top horses. With this line-up they are one of the favourites to win the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup on Thursday evening (July 20th).

 

For team Germany defending their title in the Mercedes-Benz Nations’ Cup is going to prove to be a difficult task. The best riders in the world will strive to strip them of this coveted title. In addition to the successful show-jumpers Daniel Deußer (No. 5 in the world rankings), Christian Ahlmann (No. 6), Marcus Ehning, Ludger Beerbaum and Marco Kutscher, the upcoming talents of the German show jumping sport will also be the focus of attention. The CHIO Aachen 2017 is a huge chance for aspiring young talents such as Laura Klaphake and Maurice Tebbel. Everyone is keen to know which team the national coaches, Otto Becker and Heinrich-Hermann Engemann, will nominate. Incidentally: In 2017, the name Beerbaum will be announced three times at the Soers, besides Ludger, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Markus Beerbaum will also be competing.

 

From the top riders of the world rankings, Eric Lamaze (CAN), Steve Guerdat (CH), Kevin Staut (FRA), Lorenzo de Luca (ITA) and Scott Brash (GB) will also be travelling to Aachen. Brash is the only rider in the world, who has hitherto succeeded in claiming the victory in the “Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping“. Pedro Veniss could be the next rider to achieve this legendary achievement. The Brazilian rider won the last Major in Geneva and is in top form for Aachen. For example, he recently won a 5* class in Spruce Meadows, Canada, where he is training for the CHIO Aachen in a targeted manner. Since, like Aachen, Spruce Meadows has a spacious grass arena.

 

The hopes of the current CHIO Aachen partner country, the Netherlands, are pinned on the reigning World and European Champion, Jeroen Dubbeldam. By the way, he knows what victory feels like: He already won the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHIO Aachen, the most coveted Grand Prix in the world, in 2001. Belgian’s national coach, Peter Weinberg, is also sending a strong squad to the Soers. One of them is Pieter Devos, a rider who has also succeeded in riding to victory in a Major (in 2013 at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’). In addition to him, the Philippaerts brothers and Gregory Whatelet will be saddling their horses for Aachen.

 

All of the superstars will already be in action on Wednesday, July 19th, in the Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe. Tickets for the Wednesday and for all other days are available online at www.chioaachen.de/tickets and from the hotline on: +49-(0)241-917-1111.

Marcus Ehning with Pret A Tout in Mercedes-Benz Nations´ Cup. Photo: CHIO Aachen/ Arnd Bronkhorst.

Marcus Ehning with Pret A Tout in Mercedes-Benz Nations´ Cup. Photo: CHIO Aachen/ Arnd Bronkhorst.