Battle of the giants: Eight Olympic champions are coming to the GHPC

When the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria opens from 15th till 18th June 2017 for the CSI5* International Show Jumping, fans’ pulses are guaranteed to race. Because a large number of top athletes from around 20 nations have registered for Austria’s sole CSI5* event, which GHPC Austria allows everyone to experience right up close – all in a breathtaking atmosphere and accompanied by top-class show acts!

Nine GLOCK champions against the rest of the world
Particularly exciting this weekend will be GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix, with a prize pot of 345,000 euros. Because, alongside the generous prize money, also at stake in this test are World Ranking list points and qualification for EC 2017 and WC 2018. Among the clear favourites are particularly those riders who have already achieved victory in a previous GLOCK’s Grand Prix. In pole position is Christian Ahlmann. This German rider is currently placed sixth in the World Ranking, was a member of the bronze-medal-winning team at the Rio Olympic Games and is, as GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix winner of 2016, the defending champion. His compatriots Daniel Deusser, who came a close second in the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix last year and is currently number two in the world, and master-of-style Marcus Ehning have their eyes on this year’s title nevertheless.

But they will have to triumph over twice World Cup champion and London 2012 Olympic-individual winner Steve Guerdat (SUI), Rio 2016 Olympic silver medallist Peder Fredricson (SWE), Rio 2016 Olympic-winning French-team-members Kevin Staut and Roger-Yvest Bost, Ireland’s best show jumper Bertram Allen, and the top female riders Laura Kraut (USA) and Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (GER) amongst others.

Also definitely to be considered is the delegation from the Netherlands: because GLOCK Rider Gerco Schröder is coming with his World- and European-champion team colleagues Jeroen Dubbeldam, Jur Vrieling and Maikel van der Vleuten. Belgium will be represented by Nicola and Olivier Philippaerts, Gregory Wathelet, and Jérôme Guery, that nation’s best riders. Sergio Álvarez Moya will be in Spanish colours, whilst Cian O’Connor and Denis Lynch will ride into the arena for Ireland.

Come on over, share the excitement
With prize money totalling 601,000 euros, the tournament starts on Thursday (15/06) at 10am with the preliminary qualifiers for all classes. On both Friday and Saturday it all starts at 8:30am, whilst the final day competitions begin at 8am. The highlight will be GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix at around 2:45pm.

INFOBOX
What: International Show Jumping 
When: June 15th – 18th 2017
Where: GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria 
VIP day tickets: for requests please call +43 664 8873 4401
Free entry to all competition events
www.ghpc.at

As defending champion in GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix, Christian Ahlmann (GER) is of course among the favourites again this year. © Michael Rzepa

Silver medallist in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Peder Fredricson (SWE) is seeking victory in the GLOCK’s 5* Grand Prix at the GLOCK HORSE PERFORMANCE CENTER Austria. © Arnd Bronkhorst

GLOCK Rider Gerco Schröder (NED) and his Dutch team colleagues are among the contenders for victory at the GHPC Austria. © Michael Rzepa