Aachen, Germany – July 17, 2019 – The first Rolex Grand Prix qualifier, the €100,000 Turkish Airlines-Prize of Europe CSI 5*, provided thrilling entertainment for the packed crowds at CHIO Aachen. The nail-biting jump-off saw Great Britain’s Ben Maher (GBR) take the top prize following a tightly fought contest, with Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (ESP) and Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot and Daniel Deusser (GER) and Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z finishing in second and third place respectively.

With eleven horse and rider combinations reaching the jump-off it was Dutch rider, Marc Houtzager (NED) and Sterrehof’s Dante, who put the pressure on his fellow competitors with a careful round in 50.13 seconds to secure the first clear on the scoreboard.

But, much to the delight of the home-crowd, Germany’s Daniel Deusser (GER) and Tobago Z showed off his enviable skill to shave nearly three-seconds off Houtzager’s time and with an eruption from the patriotic spectators he took the lead.

His position was not held for long, with Great Britain’s Ben Maher (GBR) and the notoriously fast chestnut Dutch Warmblood gelding, Explosion W (Chacco-Blue x Baloubet du Rouet), producing an electrifying round finishing in 46.28 seconds, a time that proved too difficult to beat.

Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (ESP) and Rokfeller de Pleville Bois Margot (L’Arc de Triomphe x Apache d’Adriers) claimed second place after a penalty-free performance in 47.08 seconds during the tiebreaker.

Deusser (GER) and Tobago Z (Tangelo vd Zuuthoeve x Mr. Blue) earned bronze honors with no penalties and jump-off time of 47.71 seconds.

Winner’s Circle – Ben Maher 

Explosion looks to be in amazing form, how did he feel during this first class?

It is his first time in Aachen, he hasn’t seen many arenas like this in his life yet but when you put the tack on and you get on this horse, he makes you believe you can do anything. He makes my life and my job much easier than most!

There seemed to be few problems at the water, was that an issue for Explosion at all?

It wasn’t an issue for him, but it was an issue for me! I actually made a mistake, I made eight strides in the first round instead of nine. I had a kick in the head this morning from a fall, so maybe I can’t count anymore! But he made up for my small mistake and that’s the difference between an incredible horse like him and some of the other horses I have had.

It appeared to be quite a difficult course for the first 5* class at CHIO Aachen, what were your thoughts on this?

I agree, it was a difficult first class, but it creates good sport for the spectators to watch when they see a little drama like this in the competition. It was a big course and, judging it on this, we now know what might be coming on Sunday for the Rolex Grand Prix.

CHIO Aachen is renowned as one of the best equestrian events in the world, how does it feel to win a class here?

Winning never gets old, I am very competitive! I think the difference with winning here is the size of the arena and the number of fans that are watching, we don’t have that in our sport normally. I think that’s what makes it even more special, to ride into this ring that has so much history and so many people following it, that’s why every rider wants to win here.

For full results, please click here.

Source: Press release from Rolex Grand Slam

Photo: © Rolex Grand Slam / Tiffany van Halle