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FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2006/2007 - Gothenbug (SWE)

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24 February 2007 Author: webmaster
Christian and Coster score again in Gothenburg FEI World Cup™ Jumping Qualifier presented by Samsung 
 
German riders had it all their own way again when taking the top three placings at the penultimate qualifying leg of the 2006/2007 FEI World Cup™ Jumping series at Gothenburg, Sweden today where Christian Ahlmann came out on top ahead of Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum in second and Ludger Beerbaum in third. But it was a special day too for Tony Andre Hansen. as the young Norwegian who shares his time between his career as a pop-singer and his life as an international show jumping rider slotted into fourth in one of the most challenging competitions of the season.

"It was difficult - one of the toughest we've jumped so far" Ludger Beerbaum said after only four of the 39 starters managed to jump clear in the opening round, "but it was fair and the result shows that it was a good course because the best riders on the standings came out on top".

Amongst the five riders who retired after accumulating numerous faults on the track were Dutch veteran Piet Raymakers with Van Schijndel's Curtis and Germany's Marco Kutscher with the eight year old Quidam de Revel gelding Quincy. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst eventually slotted into fifth with just a single time fault for his nine year old, Lord Luis, and the home-side supporters were frustrated when their stars Malin Baryard-Johnsson, Rolf-Goran Bengtsson, Royne Zetterman, Helena Lundback and Svante Johansson all fell victim to an irritating single-fence error.

Course designer Leopoldo Palacios had been asking them big questions at the Swedish fixture all weekend, and today's competition was no different with horses and riders tested all around the track. "Absolute concentration" was the key according to Ahlmann who also pointed out that the time-allowed had a considerable influence on the final result. "The time was tight and proved difficult for some horses so they made a mistake, and you had to concentrate 100% all the way around the track" he explained.

Beerbaum's Couleur Rubin was first to leave all the fences up when fifteenth into the ring but another twelve jumped before Hansen recorded the second clear and, as it came down to the closing stages of the first round, it seemed possible that it might turn into a two-way tussle. However Michaels-Beerbaum and Shutterfly and Ahlmann with Coster were the last two to go, and when both left the course intact it was to be a four-way decider - and an exciting one too.

Ludger kicked off the timed round with Madeleine Winter-Schulze's chestnut stallion Couleur Rubin, and the 10 year old son of Cordalme Z set a sharp target when clear again in 30.61 seconds. Hansen could have been forgiven for being a little over-awed in the company in which he found himself, but the 28 year old kept a cool head to bring his 10 year old grey gelding, Camiro, across the line just over a half-second slower.

Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum can always be relied upon to pile on the pressure and, steering Shutterfly through the finish in 30.18 to take the lead, she threw down the gauntlet to team-mate Ahlmann in no uncertain terms. But Ahlmann has been on somewhat of a winning streak of late. Riding Coster he led another German rout in Leipzig last month where he recorded his first-ever FEI World Cup™ Jumping victory and today he had nothing to lose as he set off against the clock again. Already leading the Western European League by a handsome margin he could afford to take all the risks and with the 14 year old gelding in flying form he broke the beam in 29.51 seconds to secure the win.

"I have to admit I would have expected that we would have about eight or ten clears here today - it was a bit surprising the way it worked out, but it was a big track and the time was difficult so there were just four of us fighting it out in the end" Ahlmann said. He now intends to give Coster a short break "until Dortmund and then if he is fit and well I will take him to Las Vegas" he pointed out. In the meantime the German is joining the vast migration of riders who are travelling to compete in Arezzo in Italy over the next few weeks where the combination of warmer weather conditions and good jumping for young horses is proving a strong draw. In the unlikely event that he cannot take Coster to the FEI World Cup™ final in Las Vegas then he will choose from Lorenzo or Sinclaire- "they are both good horses, but of course Coster is my No. 1 and he is the one I want to take if I want to win!" he pointed out.

With 98 points to his credit Ahlmann maintains a strong lead at the head of the league table but Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum is also well-qualified with 80. Despite his excellent third-placing today however her brother-in-law Ludger Beerbaum has accumulated only 30 points so far so the last qualifying leg at s'Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands next month could prove crucial to him. Fourth-placed Tony Andre Hansen has done just about enough to make the cut as he has now collected 40 points but he may need to run again to ensure that those coming behind him don't pass him out with good results at the very last leg. He is very much hoping to make the trip to the Thomas and Mack Centre in Las Vegas so that he can get his moment under the spotlights. He is part of a five-man band called Ovation with whom he sings and plays guitar "but show jumping takes priority" he explained today. Based in Sandsjord, about one and a half hours from Oslo, he plays with the band whenever he is at home "but I do a lot of travelling and training with the horses so sometimes the rest of the band have to work without me" he pointed out.

The 10 year old Camiro has improved dramatically since bought from Dietmar Gugler in Germany as a six year old - "it took time to build him up and it was last year here in Gothenburg that he won his first big international class" Tony Andre pointed out, "but in the short time since then he has been very impressive". His girlfriend, former "Miss Sweden" Jessica Almemos, is a commentator at Gothenburg Show so was on hand to see Hansen's great performance today and the Norwegian rider is very much hoping to find himself on the list of qualified riders for the FEI World Cup™ Jumping final in April - "I'm very excited about the idea of going there!" he said.

RESULT: 1, Coster (Christian Ahlmann) Ger 0/0 29.51; 2, Shutterfly (Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum) Ger 0/0 30.18; 3, Couleur Rubin (Ludger Beerbaum) Ger 0/0 30.61; 4, Camiro (Tony Andre Hansen) Nor 0/0 31.01; 5, Lord Luis (Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst) Ger 1/66.07; 6, The Sixth Sense (Thomas Fruhmann) Aut 4/62.77; 7, Madick (Helena Lundback) Swe 4/63.40; 8, Mac Kinley (Rolf-Goran Bengtsson) Swe 4/63.94; 9, Tymoon Caloo Merchen (Dirk Demeersman) Bel 4/64.33; 10, Isovlas Pialotta (Edwina Alexander) Aus 4/64.65; 11, Peu a Peu (Daniel Etter) Sui 4/64.76; 12, Nostradamus (Svante Johannson) Swe 4/64.92; 13, Butterfly Flip (Malin Baryard-Johnsson) Swe 4/64.97; 14, Isaac (Royne Zetterman) Swe 4/65.52; 15, Hofgut Liederbach's Abrisca (Pia-Luise Aufrecht) Ger 4/65.59; 16, Fresh Direct Corlato (Tim Stockdale) GBR 5/66.07; 17, Exquis Oliver Q (Harrie Smolders) Ned 5/66.51; 18, Fein Cera (Peter Wylde) USA 5/66.97; 19, Casino (John Whitaker) GBR 5/67.31; 20, Sundal Colliers Cattani (Geir Gulliksen) Nor 5/68.02; 21, Jolly Royal C (Linnea Ericsson) Den 5/68.30; 22, Quibell (Jessica Kuerten) Irl 8/63.77; 23, Gitania (Marcus Ehning) Ger 8/64.84; 24, Lowina (Albert Zoer) Ned 8/64.88; 25, Thesaura (Mark Armstrong) GBR 9/66.13; 26, Eurocommerce Acapulco (Gerco Schroder) Ned 9/66.13; 27, Ovation (Markus Fuchs) Sui 9/66.80; 28, Irco Mac (Erika Lickhammer) Swe 12/62.45; 29, Godsend du Reverdy (Thomas Velin) Den 12/64.63; 30, Amorina (Niklas Jonsson) Swe 12/64.55; 31, Insul Tech Mozart des Hayettes (Michael Whitaker) GBR 12/65.56; 32, SIEC Concept (Cameron Hanley) Irl 12/65.83; 33, Zamiro (Tina Lund) Den 13/66.02; 34, Al-Kaheel Spender S (Jos Lansink) Bel 13/66.14; Equal 35, Dover (Luciana Diniz) Por, Quincy (Marco Kutscher) Ger, Thunderbird (Linda Heed0 Swe, Van Schijndel's Curtis (Piet Raymakers) Ned, Loro Piana Toronto Van de Padenborre (Juan Carlos Garcis) Ita Retired.


FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2006/2007 - WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE LEADERBOARD AFTER ROUND 12 AT GOTHENBURG:

1. Christian Ahlmann - 98
2. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum - 80
3. Beat Mandli - 64
4. Michael Whitaker - 59
5. Albert Zoer - 58
6. Steve Guerdat - 50
7. Leopold Van Asten - 47
8. Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst - 46
9. Eugenie Angot - 46
10. Markus Beerbaum - 45
11. Judy-Ann Melchior - 44
12. Gerco Schroder - 42
13. Rene Tebbel - 42
14. Patrick McEntee - 42
15. Tony Andre Hansen - 42
16. Edwina Alexander - 41
17. Malin Baryard-Johnsson - 40
18. Michel Robert - 34
19. Marcus Ehning - 34
20. Marco Kutscher - 33

For further information on the FEI World Cup™ Jumping leg at Gothenburg Sweden on Sunday 25 February check out WEBSITE www.goteborghorseshow.com. Show President is Peter Lojdquist, Show Director is Tomas Torgersen, Show Secretary is Wiveka Lundh and Press Officer is Mayvor Thorin, Tel (mobile) +46 705828420 or Email mayvor.thorin@gotevent.ie.

The last qualifying leg of the series takes place in s'Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands on Sunday 25 March 10th 2007. WEBSITE www.indoorbrabant.nl.

2006/2007 FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE:
1. Oslo (Norway) 13-15 October: 2, Helsinki (Finland) 19-22 October; 3, Verona (Italy) 10-12 November; 4, Stuttgart (Germany) 15-19 November; 5, Geneva (Switzerland) 7-10 December; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 12-18 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 18-21 January; 9, Amsterdam (The Netherlands) 25-28 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 2-4 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 8-11 February; 12, Gothenburg (Sweden) 22-25 February; 13, 's-Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 22-25 March. Final - Las Vegas (USA) 19-22 April.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE RULES FOR THE FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING RIDERS FROM FEI WEBSITE www.feiworldcup.org

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 29th season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 132 preliminary competitions will qualify for the final in Las Vegas, USA which takes place from 19 to 22 April 2007. The title-holder is Germany's Marcus Ehning.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations.

Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms It is also the only sport which involves two athletes - horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.

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