Aachen Culminates With Strong Start List for Rolex Grand Prix

Pedro Veniss has his sights set on the Rolex Grand Slam trophy. Copyright: Rolex Grand Slam
Pedro Veniss has his sights set on the Rolex Grand Slam trophy. Copyright: Rolex Grand Slam

Aachen, Germany – July 22, 2017 – The show week of the CHIO Aachen 2017 is gradually coming to a close and now we can already reveal, which 40 riders are going to compete in the Final on Sunday afternoon, the “Rolex Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Aachen”.

A huge surprise up front: The current Grand Slam contender, Pedro Veniss, will not be on the starting list, as became clear after the third and last qualifier today, the “Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia”: “I noticed in the ring that my horse, ‘Quabri de l‘Isle’ didn’t feel good today. He wasn’t in his usual form, so I retired right after the first few obstacles,” commented a visibly disappointed, Pedro Veniss, who could only have secured himself a place in the Major final, if he had achieved a top placing in today’s class. “It was my big dream to compete in the ‘Rolex Grand Prix’ on Sunday, but of course the well-being of ‘Quabri’ definitely takes priority.”

Even if luck wasn’t on the side of Pedro Veniss in Aachen, his personal Rolex Grand Slam is not over yet. Because at the 2017 Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in September, the Brazilian rider still has the chance to claim his second Major victory within a Grand Slam cycle. A bonus that the British show-jumper, Scott Brash, will have his sights set on this Sunday. Because the winner of the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in 2016 was one of the 40 riders to qualify for the “Rolex Grand Prix”.

Scott Brash will be battling it out against the strongest competitors the international show jumping sport has to offer – heading his list of rivals is the current number one in the world rankings, Kent Farrington from the USA, who demonstrated that he is in absolute top form after riding to victory in today’s “Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia”. His team colleagues, Beezie Madden, McLain Ward, Lauren Hough and Laura Kraut are all on board too. Also on the starting list for the “Rolex Grand Prix”: the Olympic gold-medallist Steve Guerdat from Switzerland, Eric Lamaze from Canada as well as Kevin Staut and Roger-Yves Bost from France. The Irish rider Bertram Allen; the Italian show-jumper Lorenzo de Luca, Spain’s Sergio Alvarez Moya, Henrik von Eckermann from Sweden and the Dutchman Harrie Smolders have also secured themselves a ticket for the final. Together with the youngest Major winner of all time, Olivier Philippaerts from Belgium, who won the Grand Prix at the Spruce Meadows ‘Masters’ in 2012 at the tender age of 19, he is accompanied by his fellow countrymen Gregory Wathelet and Pieter Devos, who won the Major in Calgary in 2013.

Twelve riders will be representing the host nation, including last year’s winner, Philipp Weishaupt; the three-time Aachen Champion, Ludger Beerbaum; the winner from the year 2005, Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum as well as the youngsters, Laura Klaphake and Maurice Tebbel.

The best riders in the world will be competing against each other in the “Rolex Grand Prix, the Grand Prix of Aachen” on Sunday, the competition commences at 1:15 p.m. (7:15 a.m. EST). One of them will leave the most famous arena in the world as the new Major winner. The Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping is entering a new round!

View the start list below or click here.

SNR Rider Horse
1  Bernard Briand Chevalier Qadillac du Heup
2  Sergio Alvarez Moya G & C Arrayan
3  Scott Brash Ursula XII
4  Mario Stevens Baloubet 4
5  Andre Thieme Aretino 13
6  Daniel Bluman Sancha LS
7  Frank Schuttert Chianti´s Champion
8  Henrik Von Eckermann Chacanno
9  Elizabeth Madden Darry Lou
10  Eduardo Menezes Quintol
11  Kevin Staut Silver Deux de Virton HDC
12  Martin Fuchs Clooney 51
13  Meredith Michaels-beerbaum Daisy
14  Felix Hassmann Cayenne WZ
15  Laura Klaphake Catch Me If You Can 21
16  Janne Friederike Meyer-zimmermann Goja 27
17  Luciana Diniz Fit For Fun 13
18  Gregory Wathelet Coree
19  Marc Houtzager Sterrehof´s Calimero
20  Andreas Kreuzer Calvilot
21  Lauren Hough Ohlala
22  Simone Blum DSP Alice
23  Aniek Poels Athene
24  Olivier Philippaerts Ikker
25  Ludger Beerbaum Chiara 222
26  Juan Carlos Garcia Gitano v.Berkenbroeck
27  Cian O´connor Good Luck
28  Eric Lamaze Fine Lady 5
29  Nadja Peter Steiner Saura de Fondcombe
30  Harrie Smolders Emerald N.O.P.
31  Pieter Devos Espoir
32  Marcus Ehning Pret A Tout
33  Maurice Tebbel Chaccos´ Son
34  Philipp Weishaupt LB Convall
35  Laura Kraut Zeremonie
36  McLain Ward HH Azur
37  Bertram Allen Hector van d´Abdijhoeve
38  Lorenzo De Luca Ensor de Litrange LXII
39  Kent Farrington Voyeur
40  Steve Guerdat Bianca

 

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