André Thieme and Chakaria win the Grand Prix of Hamburg 2026

Hamburg is a “practice tournament”. That’s what Andre Thieme said with a slight smile at the opening press conference for the German Show Jumping Derby in Hamburg on Tuesday. And he was certain that his mare DSP Chakaria was in good form. Not least after her good performance at Horses and Dreams in Hagen a few weeks ago. Thieme has now also managed to take home prize money of 62,500 euros from this “practice show”. Or to Aachen, where the Grand Prix of Aachen will be held next weekend in May as an unscheduled event. On grass, the very surface on which the World Championships will be decided in the same stadium in August.

Eight pairs in the jump-off of the Grand Prix of Hamburg

In the jump-off, André Thieme and DSP Chakaria, the penultimate of eight starting pairs, had pretty much put all their eggs in one basket. He already initiated the right turn after jump one over this steep jump. And Thieme didn’t miss a beat in the rest of the eight obstacles over 345 meters. He had already asked himself how much he should risk. “But then Otto Becker also said, just let go a little. Just don’t do anything crazy. And so I tried to to keep a sense of proportion and that’s why I didn’t get carried away.” Although the Mecklenburg rider’s approach in Hamburg was courageous. “I really came around extremely short, two or three times, and I know that she can jump from a standing start. She played to all her strengths.” The turns, Thieme concluded, “were then probably decisive”. A look at the scoreboard said: more than a second ahead and only one rider behind him, Sanne Thijssen (NED) and Cupcake, who finished fifth after a knockdown.

When Chakaria is “knee-high”

In the morning, the mare was “knee-high”, says Thieme. If you can’t find the adjective in the dictionary: “Typical chestnut mare,” explains Thieme. And then finally explains: She just doesn’t have the body that is inherently loose. Riding her is not always nice. And when she was ridden out in the morning today, she was “knee-high”. In other words, “she was cold, just like us, she was in a bad mood”. So Thieme stopped the morning training and decided to ride a little longer before the actual jumping. This concept worked.

When I realized it was running, I let it go. What a horse.

Harm Lahde finishes fourth

Eight pairs made it into the jump-off of the Grand Prix of Hamburg. Four of them did well in the jump-off. Second and third place went to Belgium. Emily Conter and the mare Portobella van de Fruitkorf by Bamaco de Muze showed how it’s done early on. The small, agile chestnut mare, who was part of the team that came third in the League of Nations in Ocala, swept around the course, jumped off with great courage and finished in 40.94 seconds. This was the best result until Thieme cantered into the arena.

Gudrun Patteet and Sea Coast Qarvaljo d’Or had previously beaten Harm Lahde’s time with a clear round (0/41.51). Lahde, one of four hopefuls from Germany in the Grand Prix of Hamburg, had made the start with Commander Bond. He turned the unsightly first starting position into a faultless ride. The pair needed exactly 42.0 seconds and had already shown what long distances had to be covered in this jump-off on the spacious grass arena in Klein Flottbek. In the end, the pair from Lower Saxony finished fourth.

Two veterans with two throws each

Things went less well for the other Germans. Christian Ahlmann and the nine-year-old Applebridge Tag Z by Aganix du Seigneur were incredibly fast. But fate befell the Zangersgheide duo shortly before the end of the second course (8.52.22, 8th place). Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann and her hope for the future Cascais also came far too close to jump two, a mighty oxer, and also had another down later on (8/44.57, sixth place).

Results Grand Prix of Hamburg 2026