Stuttgart, Germany – November 15, 2018 – The Swiss Pius Schwizer claimed the opening class of Thursday’s evening session at the 34th International Stuttgart German Masters Horse Show. Atop the gelding Living The Dream (Toulon x Flamenco de Semilly) in the speed jumping for the €28,000 Prize of XXL-Sicherheit – the first of two qualifying competitions for the Mercedes German Masters on Friday.

Pius Schwizer (SUI) & Living the Dream

The 56-year-old European Team Champion in 2009 left all the fences standing in a time of 57.51 seconds for the victory. Watched by 6,700 spectators in the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, he was a comfortable one and a half seconds quicker than second-placed Maurice Tebbel (GER), who stopped the clock in 59.07 seconds.

“It was a brutally quick class,” said the Swiss Schwizer, “here you need a horse that wants to go flat out – that’s the feeling he gave me today. It meant I could attack.” Maurice Tebbel (GER), the bronze medal winner with the German team at the World Equestrian Games™ in Tryon, was in the saddle on his top horse Chaccos’ Son, an 11-year Westphalian stallion (Chacco-Blue x Falkenhof’s Lancer).

Third place went to the Belgian Karel Cox (BEL) after riding nine-year-old gelding Wallach Evert (Amadeus x Indoctro) to no penalties in 59.44 seconds.

Pius Schwizer (SUI) & Living the Dream

The second qualifier for the Mercedes German Master, the second most important jumping class of the equestrian highlight in the state capital of Baden Württemberg, will take place at 05:15 pm on Friday for the Prize of Aragon Robotics. Only the 12 top riders from the two qualifying classes will be in the starting line-up for the Mercedes German Masters at 10:15 pm.

Pius Schwizer (SUI) & Living the Dream

For full results, please click here.

Source: Press release from Stuttgart German Masters

Photos: © Stuttgart German Masters