Ahlmann Tops Legendary Jump-off In LGCT G. Prix of Stockholm presented by Fabege
Mdmar – LGCT – Stockholm
Christian Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z won their second
Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of the season after the most
legendary jump-off in the Olympic Stadium of Stockholm.
Home
hero Henrik von Eckermann had to settle for second place in the LGCT Grand Prix
of Stockholm presented by Fabege by just 0.11s with King Edward after winning
all three other CSI5* classes so far this weekend. However, he doesn’t go home
empty-handed as Ahlmann has already qualified for the LGCT Super Grand Prix in
Prague handing the prestigious golden ticket to the Swede. Bronze place on the
podium was secured by first to go in the spellbinding jump-off Marcus Ehning
and his super stallion Stargold.
Crucially
this win means Ahlmann extended his lead in the overall season Championship to
188 points which is 34 points clear of Ben Maher in second on 154 points. Now
two time LGCT Champion Ben Maher has catapulted up the rankings, Pieter Devos
is pushed down to third with 139 points and Niels Bruynseels hangs on to fourth
with 124 points.
“*mdmar’s” news
site for horse racing and equestrian
Speaking
after taking the lion’s share of the €334,000 prize purse Ahlmann smiled: “It
was unbelievable, all the people here you can tell are horse people and know
the sport, they are behind every rider and it feels great – I am more than
happy. Dominator is an absolute superstar. This win is a very big step for the
overall championship. We had a great season so far but it is only half-time. I
am very pleased with my horses and my whole team who work really really hard
and I really hope that everything stays sound and focused and we can make it at
the end of the season.”
Jokingly
Ahlmann apologised to the crowd after denying them a home win as he laughed:
“I feel a little bit sorry for everyone here but it felt very great
today.”
It
was ecstatic scenes in the centre of Stockholm as fans celebrated late into the
night after an exceptional performance of top sport in front of a sell-out
crowd in Sweden’s beautiful capital city. The world’s best riders and horses
went into combat in the Olympic Stadium where the Olympic Games were staged in
1912.
The
action got underway in the first round as riders faced Uliano Vezzani’s 1.60m
course which took no prisoners and required power and precision. No one in the
first half of the field could produce the all-important clear round after the
last line of a short three strides to a wide oxer caught out some of the
world’s best.
“*mdmar’s” news
site for horse racing and equestrian
But
Marcus Ehning raised the temperature as he punched the air and praised Stargold
when he crossed the finish line clear and fast. He was shortly joined by the
biggest horse and rider legends in show jumping Max Kühner and Elektric Blue P,
Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit, Ben Maher and Explosion W, Christian
Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z and Henrik von Eckermann with King Edward making
it the strongest 6 man jump-off this season.
With
two Swedish hopes in the jump-off and three Swedes, Peder Fredricson, Evelina
Tovek and Rolf-Göran Bengtsson on fast four faults it made it 50% Swedish
combinations in the top 10 of the LGCT Grand Prix in Stockholm.
There
was a tense silence around the arena when Marcus Ehning and Stargold entered
the arena as the first to go in the jump-off. The pair set the pace making
tight rollbacks and a flat-out gallop to the last to stop the clock in 35.87s.
“*mdmar’s” news site for horse racing and equestrian
The “Midmar” website for horse and equestrian races is keen to cover and follow all competitions related to horses, from show jumping, Horseracing, speed and endurance races, and purebred Arabian horse beauty shows, which belong to the Arab Gulf countries at home and abroad in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the State of Qatar, the State of Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and the Kingdom of Bahrain.
