Katharina Offel had the German anthem play for her for the first time since changing back to ride for her birth country, and it was also the first Grand Prix win on the stunning 10-year-old stallion Umeunig Z (Untouchable Z x Chellano Z). Offel snatched the win from Spanish rider Eduardo Alvarez Aznar aboard Chatman (Carinjo HDC x Lasino), after a spectacular jump-off where one rider went faster than the other.

This was the first Grand Prix for Offel at the Sunshine Tour, who up to this point has been schooling in smaller classes. In today’s GP everything came together giving a fabulous result for her in a very exciting class.

“I was very focused as I entered the ring, the course was very complicated, hard and demanding. The designer had created a very exciting jump-off for the public with a lot of long galloping distances,” said Offel after. Offel went on to explain that this has been her first victory since she has returned to compete under the German flag as she before was riding for Ukraine. “Because of this, this win is twice as special for me,” she added.

Katharina Offel's time in the jump off was 36.23, almost one second faster than that of the Spanish rider Eduardo Alvarez Aznar. Sergio Alvarez Moya, also Spanish, took third place riding the only 8-year-old G&C Don Vito (Quaprice Z x Jus de Pomme) to a time of 37.48 seconds.

The trophy for the winner of the GP was designed and made by Julio Guisado Rawas, the ‘on-site’ farrier at the Sunshine Tour. This wonderful sculpture was both designed and made using one horseshoe to make up the base of the trophy, another moulded to form the head, neck, body and tail with a third forming the back and the legs, of a jumping horse. Curiously this was not the first time that Katharina Offel has won this trophy, she won it once before in the Sunshine Tour 2012. “Without any doubts, the Julio Guisado GP is a very lucky one for me! I am really happy to win this new sculpture and will treasure it." 

Source: Press release from the Sunshine Tour // Picture © Sunshine Tour