World Cup winner Beezie Madden wins GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix
Three Olympic winners, three World Champions, four World Cup winners, six European Champions and 25 riders from among the current top 100 in the world were more than pleased to spend three days (08-10/06) at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER. With prize money totalling 345,000 euros, the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix stood as the crowning glory of the sporting, exciting and star-struck days of International Show Jumping. At stake alongside the substantial prize money were important points for the World Ranking as well as the chance to fulfil qualification criteria for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon and the 2019 European Championships.
In the exciting basic round over 1.60 m, ten participating duos could qualify for the jump-off through penalty-free rounds. Here it was the Swiss rider Alain Jufer, second to start, who achieved the first “double zero”, to be followed by a further six penalty-free rounds.
But it was twice team Olympic and World Cup Final winner and number ten in the show jumping world, Elizabeth Madden, who took victory in the prestigious GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix. “Beezie”, as the 54-year-old distinguished female rider from the USA is known on the show jumping scene, had ten-year-old Holstein gelding Coach, son of Con Air, under her saddle and, as penultimate starter, was able to prevail in the jump-off. The likeable duo were not unnerved by the sudden rainfall and were the only ones to remain under the 50 second mark (0/49.21).
“You’re absolutely focussed before and during a ride like that. Neither my horse nor I were going to be disturbed in any way by that brief downpour”, said the experienced rider following her success. “I’m here for the second time now and I think it’s fantastic how the same emphasis is placed on the wellbeing of the horses and riders as that of spectators.”
The twice team gold medallist at the Pan American Games, Lauren Hough (USA), completed the female dominance of the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix. Currently number 42 in the world and in the saddle on 15-year-old KWPN gelding Waterford, she achieved an outstanding second place in 50.08 seconds.
Also making it into the jump-off was the winner of the Gaston Glock Championat on Saturday, Dutchman Marc Houtzager. On Sterrehof’s Calimero, the London 2012 Olympic team silver medallist took only 15 hundredths of a second longer for the abbreviated jump-off course.
Olympic medallist, team world and European Champion Gerco Schröder, riding eyperienced Clearway-son GLOCK’s Cognac Champblanc, jumped free of penalties to sixth place.
CSI5* GLOCK’s 5* GRAND PRIX
Int. jumping competition with jump-off (1.60 m)
Competition counts for LONGINES Ranking
Qualifier for the WEG 2018 & EU CH 2019 (certificates of Capability)
1. Coach – Madden, Elizabeth (USA) 0/49.21
2. Waterford – Hough, Lauren (USA) 0/50.08
3. Sterrehof’s Calimero – Houtzager, Marc (NED) 0/50.23
4. H&M Indiana – Baryard-Johnsson, Malin (SWE) 0/50.99
5. Rahmannshof Tic Tac – Jufer, Alain (SUI) 0/51.71
6. GLOCK’s Cognac Champblanc – Schröder, Gerco (NED) 0/52.79
7. Connery – Moneta, Luca Maria (ITA) 0/53.24
8. Sirene de la Motte – Modolo Zanotelli, Marlon (BRA) 8/49.17
9. Chianti’s Champion – Schuttert, Frank (NED) 8/50.77
10. Clenur – O’Connor, Cian (IRL) 8/55.19
11. Dsarie – Mändli, Beat (SUI) 1/82.03
12. Catwalk IV – Whitaker, Robert (GBR) 4/77.54
Full results HERE