André Thieme and DSP Chakaria Claim Friday's Highlight at Spruce Meadows

DSP Chakaria, André Thieme’s longtime Olympic and World Championship partner, former European champion, and Aachen winner, had been injured. With a great deal of patience, he gradually rehabilitated the 16-year-old Chap daughter from Brandenburg. She was back in top form just in time for the World Championships in Aachen. Nevertheless, after encountering problems at the water jump in Falsterbo, the 2021 European champion decided to withdraw his superstar mare from the World Championships on home soil. It was a difficult decision. Yesterday at Spruce Meadows, Thieme was rewarded for his foresight.

The most important jumping event on Friday during the Spruce Meadows Masters weekend was the Tourmaline Oil Cup, a 1.60-meter competition with a jump-off. With a purse equivalent to just under 68,000 euros, it offered the pairs not competing in Saturday’s Nations Cup their last chance to qualify for Sunday’s Grand Prix. André Thieme succeeded—and how!

The Jumping

They were the last of the four pairs in the jump-off, and the mare was in absolutely top form. As if pulled by a string, she galloped toward victory with her ground-covering stride and powerful yet efficient jumping. The clock stopped at 43.35 seconds. With that time, they once again beat Sweden’s Thomas Ryan on Jezebeau by more than a second (44.62). The two finished second, followed by Johan Sebastian Gulliksen (NOR) on Harwich VDL (45.9) and Denis Lynch on Brooklyn Heights, who had two knockdowns against the clock.

A fifth pair had qualified for the jump-off but decided not to compete, with an eye toward what lies ahead: the Belgian World Championship silver medalists Thibeau Spits and Impress-K van’t Kattenheye. They still finished fifth, ahead of world champion Steve Guerdat riding Venard de Cerisy, who had previously won the Rolex Grand Prix at Spruce Meadows in 2021. The 17-year-old Selle Français gelding also had a clear round yesterday but incurred a time penalty in the regular course.

A Look Ahead to the Nations Cup

Nine pairs will compete in the Nations Cup today. Germany is the last team to compete. Team manager Otto Becker is fielding three of his four World Championship riders, but on different horses:

Daniel Deußer will ride Pepita van’t Meulenhof, with whom he has already enjoyed success at League of Nations tournaments this year.

Sophie Hinners will compete with her European Championship partner Iron Dames My Prins, who has fully recovered and already demonstrated on Thursday that he’s back among the frontrunners.

Jörne Sprehe will ride Toys, the winner of the Mannheim competition.

Richard Vogel will be the final rider, competing on Cloudio, his successful horse from Falsterbo.

You can find all start lists and results here.