Photos: Stefano Grasso /
LGCT
It was standing room only at the stunning
Spanish round of the Longines Global Champions Tour as
Marcus Ehning (GER) took a sensational win with the 13 year
old chestnut gelding Pret a Tout. In front of packed
passionate crowds, an eight rider jump off had spectators on
the edge of their seats right until the final fence as last
combination to go, Marcus and Pret a Tout, galloped the
course in a stunning display of skill and speed.
Following his win, Marcus praised his phenomenal horse Pret
a Tout, saying: "I knew he was a good horse, but I didn’t
expect him to be that good or that quick! [He] showed all
the experience and all his quality and I’m really happy to
win today." Marcus also spoke of the momentous and
ground-breaking impact of the Global Champions Tour on
improving the sport of show jumping internationally: "It is
one of the biggest improvements in the sport in the last 20
years for all of show jumping worldwide - for other shows
it’s a big goal to come close to the Global Tour. I think
over the years you could see how the sport improved, and
what kind of countries we have now with all the stages. It’s
amazing what Jan did and I think for the sport it could not
be something better.”
LGCT Ranking leader Christian Alhmann (GER) spoke of the
world class action on show today: "It was an unbelievable
class and an unbelievable jump off. It was super fast and it
was really nice to watch."
To the delight of the home crowd, who packed the grandstands
to watch the action unfold and cheered passionately
throughout the competition, local rider Eduardo Alaverz
Aznar (ESP) took home the bronze medal. Speaking of what it
mean to take the podium on home turf, Eduardo said: “It’s
really special to be on the podium in my city and in my club
where I have been riding for so many years.” Abdullah Al
Sharbatly (KSA) and his LGCT Grand Prix of Shanghai winning
horse, the 16 year old Tobalio, took the Silver medal, and
were the ones to beat after setting the initial early pace
as the first combination into the jump off.
Only hours before his sell-out concert in Madrid Bruce
Springsteen spent time at the show with his wife Patti
watching their daughter Jessica Springsteen compete in the
Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Madrid
presented by Caixa Bank. The Boss joined guests to watch the
high calibre competition before heading off to perform in
front of tens of thousands of fans in the City as part of
his "The River" tour.
The Infanta Elena, a member of the Spanish Royal Family, was
also a guest at the elegant and historic Club de Campo Villa
de Madrid for the show jumping extravaganza featuring the
world's top riders. Other guests included Friends creator
James Burrows who saw his daughter, the talented young
American rider Paris Sellon, jump clear in the Grand Prix
first round on Adare.
Against the stunning Spanish setting, the Longines Global
Champions Tour Grand Prix of Madrid presented by CaixaBank
got underway with a full field of 50 international riders in
action for round six of the Tour Championship. Course
designer, Guilherme Nogueira, who will be building the show
jumping courses for the 2016 Rio Olympics, set a fair but
challenging Grand Prix, set to test the best in the world.
Big names included 2015 LGCT Champion of Champions and last
year’s LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid winner, Luciana Diniz, who
returned to compete with her LGCT Grand Prix of Doha winning
horse Fit For Fun. Other key combinations were LGCT Ranking
leader Christian Ahlmann (GER) who rode Taloubet Z, Scott
Brash (GBR) and Hello Guv’Nor and John Whitaker (GBR) with
his formidable stallion Argento.
The initial round proved tough, however first rider in Paris
Sellon (USA) and Adare went clear, setting the pace for the
rest of the international field. Compatriot Georgina
Bloomberg (USA) lead the way for most of round one after a
beautiful showcase of show jumping with her mare Lilli. 18
riders went through, including Bertram Allen (IRL) with
Hector van d’Abdijhoeve, Kevin Staut (FRA) with For Joy
van't Zorgvliet HDC and Gregory Wathelet (BEL) with
Citizenguard Taalex. LGCT Ranking leader Christian Alhmann
(GER) had an unlucky fence down, but pushed to the final
fences, just squeezing him into the top 18 and through to
the next round.
The second round was met with further tests for the riders
who jumped clear. Harrie Smolders (NED) with Don VHP,
Georgina Bloomberg (USA), and John Whitaker - who had an
unusual time fault - just missed out on the jump off which
saw eight riders through, including Roger-Yves Bost (FRA)
with Qoud'Coeur de la Loge, Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (SWE) with
Unita Ask, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) with Fibonacci
17 and Olivier Philippaerts (BEL) with H&M Legend Of Love.
Abdullah Al Sharbatly (KSA) was first to go, setting the
pace at an impressive 36.08s. He put the pressure on the
rest of the field who were unable to beat his time as the
final stages played out. Each round had the crowd on the
edge of their seats as they cheered the horses and riders
on. But it was the last combination to go who triumphed, and
with his foot to the floor Marcus Ehning (GER) galloped the
course, pushing at every opportunity but keeping Pret a Tout
careful over the full 1.60m height verticals and
intimidating oxers. A flat out gallop to the last, and the
pair finished in a blistering 35.17s, with an ecstatic
Marcus celebrating as he passed the cheering crowd.
Jan Tops, Founder and President of Longines Global
Champions Tour: “It was top sport. The riders went
faster and faster and it’s the dream for every organiser and
every sport to keep the excitement until the last. What
Marcus did today was very slick - in the jump off his horse
is naturally very fast; he stayed good to the end and he was
the deserved winner today. Abdullah Al Sharbatly did very
well, he had a great result, and we are very pleased for
Eduardo - he’s not so much in our events because of the
ranking, but I know he is a great rider, he comes from a
great horse family. His father was also a top rider, so it’s
nice to see the next generation do well particularly in his
home. Every week Christian is there - he’s like a German
machine, like a Mercedes! It doesn’t matter which horse he
has, every horse goes great. He’s far in the lead and it
will take some beating.”
Alvaro Arrieta Konyay, CEO Oxer Sport: “First of all
I want to congratulate all four riders at the table for a
fantastic performance. We’re very happy. This is the eighth
year that we organise the Longines Global Champions Tour of
Madrid. This one is special as, like last year, we have a
Spanish rider on the podium which is very important for the
City. Thanks to Longines, thanks to all our sponsors and
CaixaBank and of course thanks to the Tour, and thanks to my
friend Jan. It is his confidence and trust in my company to
organise some legs of the Tour - six weeks ago we organised
Mexico and now Madrid in this fantastic facility. So I’m
happy for the nice sport we have seen.”
Christian Ahlmann, LGCT Ranking Leader: “I had an
unlucky rail, Taloubet jumped really good. On the turn to
the triple bar I saw the chance and thought ‘ok I need to
take a risk’. So I took the short way to the vertical on the
second to last. I was really lucky to make it, I was just in
the top 18 through to the second round where Taloubet did
very very well. I was really happy with him as it was the
first show after the World Cup Finals and he did a great
job. I want to congratulate the whole podium, especially
Marcus as it was an unbelievable class and an unbelievable
jump off. It was super fast and it was really nice to watch.
Thank you to the organiser and team for this wonderful show.
Thank you to the sponsors and hopefully you’ll see us next
year again!"
Marcus Ehning, LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid Gold Medallist:
“I’m very happy to win here today. For me it’s one of the
nicest Globals that we have - it’s a fantastic atmosphere
with unbelievable conditions here. Two years ago I came very
close, but now I’m happy to win here in Madrid, it’s a
traditional show. I’ve had my horse just since January - I
knew he was a good horse, but I didn’t expect him to be that
good or that quick. I was very close in Hamburg to win the
Global. In the jump off I saw Sharbatly, and I saw that he
really put us under pressure, but in the end my horse showed
all the experience and all his quality and I’m really happy
to win today. For us, [the Global Champions Tour] is one of
the biggest improvements in the sport for the last 20 years.
It’s not only for the Global Tour, but all for worldwide
show jumping - for other shows it’s a big goal to come close
to the Global Tour. I think over the years you could see how
the sport improved, and what kind of countries we have now
with all the stages. It’s amazing what Jan did and I think
for the sport it could not be something better.”
Abdullah Al Sharbatly, LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid Silver
Medallist: “I would like to thank everyone and all the
organisers, especially our friend Jan Tops, our sponsor
Longines and everyone who arranged this amazing event. It’s
amazing to have the Global Tour - it’s super for the riders,
for the owners and everyone. It’s improved the sport. I’m
really happy with my horse - he won LGCT Shanghai and was
second here. We were first to go in the jump off, which is
always a difficult situation when you start at the
beginning. But I set a good time without taking a risk
before my colleague Marcus did a good round and beat my time
- I was really happy for him as he deserved to win today. My
horse is 16 now, but really in great health, and I hope he’s
going to jump a couple more years.”
Eduardo Alaverz Aznar, LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid Bronze
Medallist: “It’s really special to be on the podium in
my city and in my club where I have been riding for so many
years. I was very pleased with my horse, it was the first
time he did three rounds and the first time I really tried
in the jump off with him. The result is there - I went close
to them but not fast enough!”