Thoroughbred victory for Guy Williams
She has a lot of energy and thoroughbred in her," emphasises Guy Williams with a smile. "A lot of thoroughbred! You have to let them run." That's what the Brit did and won! The Irish show jumping pro and his ten-year-old mare BH Gringos Legacy secured victory in the second derby qualifier, the Prize of Dreame.de, at the Al Shira'aa German Show Jumping & Dressage Derby 2025. Out of 44 rider-horse pairs, only four completed the course clear - and all of them were cheered and celebrated like winners by the spectators.
"My mare is an event horse, but she has now also been successful in show jumping competitions in Spain. So I thought I'd come here for the Derby and then take her to Hickstead for the Derby," says the Brit, explaining his plan. The 53-year-old won the famous British Show Jumping Derby in Hickstead 15 years ago and has also competed twice before in Hamburg, but this was his first time with this ambitious, fast mare. "You can't fight with her, then you lose control. She has to be allowed to go through the course at her own pace - we managed to do that today."
Frederic Tillmann and the now eleven-year-old DSP Comanche VL are taking part in Hamburg's Derby Tour for the fourth time. "Comanche already mastered the course brilliantly as an eight-year-old," recalls Tillmann. "But now I have so much confidence myself: Once I'm over the black and red oxer, it's just the 'derby stuff' that comes next, and we'll bring that home!" No sooner said than done, penalty-free in 103.57 seconds - second place. Today's runner-up joked with a wink: "I really don't begrudge Guy his victory today if we swap places on Sunday," he said with a grin.
The derby always in the back of your mind
"It would be nice if we were in the same round here on Sunday," agreed third-placed Janne-Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann cheerfully. She jumped through the course seemingly effortlessly with ten-year-old Electric Joy. "It was really fun," beamed the Hamburg girl, who loves the derby. "I didn't have the opportunity to prepare for it for very long because I was travelling a lot at competitions. But whenever I was at home and did jumping training with him, I set up the small railway barriers and rode up and down the hills. The derby was always in the back of my mind. And today I'm really happy about the decision. I think he enjoyed it just as much as I did."
Sven Gero Hünicke caused a brief moment of shock when he and his partner My Mister fell in the ditch. According to initial examinations, the rider probably broke his collarbone. And show vet Dr Michael Köhler reported: "My Mister is fine. He bruised his shoulder a bit and stepped on a leg. That can be painful at first. But the horse has been x-rayed and everything is OK. He's now in the box and eating his hay."
Like a stadium
Hamburg loves the Derby and celebrates Derby riders like world champions. Even though it was only the second qualifier today, everyone who crossed the finish line received frenetic applause and cheers. "The atmosphere was really cool," explained tournament director Matthias Rath. "It was incredibly crowded, the stands were full, people were packed around the outside, even on the standing walls. People practically created a stadium - it was tremendous!"
Double victory in the final: Lilli von Helldorff
14-year-old Lilli von Helldorff left no room for doubt in Hamburg. She made a statement by winning the first and second qualifying rounds of the German Pony Dressage Derby and confidently qualified for the Derby Final presented by Gruppo Selleria Equipe. Lilli was in the saddle with her 13-year-old partner Dobbi Dobsen, winning the first time with 72.564 percent and the second time with 72.561 percent.
The pony riders competed in two qualifying rounds, with the top three from these two results competing in the final on Sunday with a change of horses. In addition to the double winner, these are Lisa Marie Westrup and Carlotta Wittmann. Lisa Marie and her pony Terbofens Quick took second place in the first qualifier with 70.598 percent and third place in the second with 70.081 percent. Third place in the final went to Carlotta and Deinhard B.
The pony riders and their dressage derby have been part of the program in Klein Flottbek since 2009, and their final is scheduled for Sunday morning, directly before the 65th Almased German Dressage Derby.
(KiK/pe&pa)