Hungry for success - in Hamburg
He began with a modest statement: "I don't ride as often at such big shows as here in Hamburg." However, Kristaps Neretnieks has already competed at the 2021 and 2024 Olympic Games. The show jumper from Latvia then continued with a grin: "Maybe that's why I'm a bit hungrier for success." And he satisfied his hunger at the Al Shira'aa German Show Jumping & Dressage Derby 2025: He had already won the opening class of the five-star tour on Wednesday with his Olympic partner from Tokyo, Valour. On Friday, he came second with Corlansky-Pro in the five-star 1.50 metre class and on Saturday, the 35-year-old secured another victory in the Al Shira'aa five-star tour, this time in the 1.50 metre class presented by Range Rover. His partner was once again the ten-year-old Corlani son Corlansky-Pro. "I like the big arena in Hamburg, it's fantastic. And my horse feels very comfortable here. The width suits him, I can utilise his big canter and do one canter jump less at each distance. That saves time." Indeed! In the fault-time jumping competition, he finished almost three seconds ahead of Felix Hassmann, who is actually known for his speed. Hassmann had also saddled the ten-year-old C'est la Vie. "My mare has never seen such a large grass arena before," explained Hassmann "She jumped well on the first day, but was still too cautious and we made mistakes. Today she jumped just super." The Comme il Faut daughter came to the professional rider's stable at a young age. "We bought her at the end of her fifth year and trained her in tests for young show jumpers. Last week she won her first Grand Prix over 1.60m. She did very well, I'm super happy with her."
Great honour for Dr Michael Rüping
As part of the Al Shira'aa German Show Jumping & Dressage Derby, a great of German show jumping was honoured in front of a large audience by Peter Hofmann, Chairman of the Show Jumping Committee of the German Olympic Committee for Equestrian Sports (DOKR), and in the presence of national coach Otto Becker and show director Matthias Rath. Dr Michael Rüping received the Equestrian Cross in Gold and was also made an honorary member of the DOKR Jumping Committee. Rüping was German Champion, won the Grand Prix in Aachen, was victorious 14 times in Nations Cups, earned team bronze twice at European Championships and team gold once at World Championships and won the German Show Jumping Derby in 1987 at the venue where the honour was bestowed. "Otto Becker and I admire your knowledge, your skills, your feeling for rider and horse... Your dream horse Silbersee and you stood for exemplary, horse-friendly and successful riding.... It is so important that we have role models like you, who are real horsemen and live horsemanship, who embody respect for the horse as a fellow creature."
(KiK/pe&pa)