First Global Champions League stage at Madrid in Motion

After the first jumping over 1.60 meters(due to the new rules), the “Madrid in Motion” team had already taken the lead with two clear rounds. However, it was not Madrid that was in motion, but the Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten on Quastor vd Heffinck, ridden by team sponsor Marta Ortega Perez, in the first round and on medal winner Beauville Z N.O.P in round two. Van der Vleuten was the only team rider to compete in both competitions. In the first round, Great Britain’s Jack Whitaker was clear alongside him with Izara des Dames. In the second round, Victor Bettendorf (LUX) rode Atchoum de la Roque Z home to victory, also with no faults. They were the only team to come home penalty-free in both rounds.

Second place went to Valkenswaard United, the team where the whole tour is at home, so to speak, because it is the team of the Tops family. It was also Edwina Tops-Alexander (AUS) who crossed the finish line twice yesterday without fault, first on Fellow Castlefield, then on Cydello, previously presented by Richard Vogel and Katrin Eckermann. The second man this time was Gilles Thomas (BEL), who had a knockdown with Qalista in the first jumping competition, but remained clear with Qiara de Kalvarie.

The third-placed team, the Cairo Pharaohs, also had four penalty points. But as Valkenswaard United had the better time, they finished second and the Pharaohs third. Annelies Vorsselmans (BEL) rode here in both rounds. With Trezeguet she had one down, with VDL Kelton she was clear. Nayal Nasser not only rides for an Egyptian team, but also for his home country. He presented Orphea HQ cleanly in the 1.60 meter test. Pim Mulder followed suit on Viktor Z in round two.

And how did it go for the Germans?

The best German result was achieved by Cannes Stars with Sophie Hinners and Katrin Eckermann in fourth place. Both had the decisive four faults in the first test, Hinners on Combella and Eckermann on Dialog Blue PS. The two then set off on a furious chase to catch up. Hinners rode Lommers clear over the 1.55 meter course in the second class. Eckermann put in such a fast round on the former national champion and world champion from his own breeding, Chao Lee, that the other eight-fault teams could pack their bags.

The second German team, Riesenbeck International, had nothing more to do with the decision. After both Abu Dhabi Nations Cup hero Marco Kutscher with Catelly and Philipp Weishaupt with Oreo D.R. each collected eight penalty points, the team competition was over for them after round one. Only the top ten made it through.

Individual ratings

Katrin Eckermann and her wonderful Rhenish Comme il faut daughter took almost four full seconds off the competition with their performance in the second jumping competition and thus clearly secured victory in the individual classification ahead of Gilles Thomas and Qiara and Piergiorgio Bucci (ITA) in the saddle on Pallieter vd N.Ranch.

Sophie Hinners and the ten-year-old Carrera VDL son Lommers jumped to sixth place.

You can find all the results here.