Friday, 07 June 2019 CSI5* CSI2* CSIYH1* 2019

Meet the Best at GHPC Austria!

When the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria opens up for CSI5* International Show Jumping from June 14th till 16th 2019, show jumping fans’ pulses are sure to race. Because numerous top athletes from 19 nations have registered for Austria’s only CSI5* event. With prize money totalling 597,000 euros, the tournament begins on Friday (14/06) at 9am with the opening competitions for all classes. On Saturday the action also starts at 9am, while competitions on the final day begin at 8am. The highlight will be the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix at around 02:30pm.

GLOCK Champions, Olympic winners, World and European Champions
It’s going to be an especially exciting weekend for the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix, with prize money totalling 344,000 euros. As well as the large prize purse, also at stake in this competition are points counting towards the World Ranking list and the chance to qualify for the 2019 European Championships in Rotterdam (NED) and the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo (JPN). Counting among the clear favourites are, in particular, those riders who have already achieved victory in a previous GLOCK’s Grand Prix. Foremost among them is Christian Ahlmann. This German rider is currently in thirteenth place in the World Ranking and, since 2006, has contributed to team bronze at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, taken bronze twice in the World Equestrian Games, twice team gold and three-times team silver in the European Championships. Christian Ahlmann entered the list of GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix winners in 2016 and also rode to top placing in the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix of February 2019. So might he achieve his hat trick at GHPC Austria?

Ready to challenge him for that chance of victory is current number three in the World Ranking, Martin Fuchs (SUI). He has already succeeded in winning two GLOCK’s 3* Grands Prix and one GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix. Following silver in the World Equestrian Games and the World Cup Final, this year the Swiss rider is heading from one success to another. In May 2019 he took victory in the CSI5* Longines Grand Prix in Madrid (ESP) and is more than ready for another victory. However, both top athletes, Christian Ahlmann and Martin Fuchs, will be facing up to competition including a strong Belgian team headed by Olivier Philippaerts and Gregory Wathelet, top British riders Laura Renwick and Robert Whitaker, successful Italian rider Emanuele Gaudiano and Margie Golstein-Engle (USA). This US-American horsewoman was “Rider of the Year” ten times, broke the world record in 1987 with a jump over 2.36 m, took a total of four team medals, namely silver at the World Equestrian Games (Aachen) along with gold, silver and bronze at the Pan American Games.

Also strong contenders are the delegation from the Netherlands. Coming over will be the twice silver medallist at the Olympic Games in London, World and European Champion GLOCK Rider Gerco Schröder along with his Team World and European Champion colleague Marc Houtzager, who took victory of the Gaston Glock’s 5* Championat in 2018 and is equally hungry for a win.

Fully informed

All the information about the competitions, daily summaries, lots of photos and news, along with a live stream of International Show Jumping at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER, are all to be found at www.ghpc.at as well as on the GHPC’s Facebook and Instagram channels.

INFOBOX
What: International Show Jumping
When: 14-16/06/2019
Where: GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria
VIP day tickets: to request please call +43 664 88 73 44 01
Free entry to all competition events
Web: www.ghpc.at
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GlockHorsePerformanceCenter
Instagram: www.instagram.com/glockhorseperformancecenter

Twice GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix winner and multiple medallist at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, Christian Ahlmann (GER) is a hot favourite to win the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria. © Arnd Bronkhorst

Be it in youngster show jumping or championships, Martin Fuchs (SUI) is always in contention. A Swiss national, as a young rider he already showed his special class with nine team and individual medals in the Young Rider European Championships. © Michael Rzepa

In 2018 Marc Houtzager (NED) and his gelding Sterrehof’s Calimero took third place in GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix. Will it be victory this year? © Cedric Vlemmings