Marco Kutscher and Balance were in a class of their own in the CSI3* Glock’s Perfection Tour. Photo (c) Michael Rzepa.
It was Marco Kutscher that was the best of the thirty nine participants that entered the second qualification for the Glock’s CSI3* Grand Prix in Treffen. The 1.55 world ranking class saw
fifteen athletes move on to the jump-off. First to start was twice bronze medal winner at the Olympic Games and three-times European Champion, Marco Kutscher. Riding Balance (Baloubet du Rouet x Lancer III), the German rider set the target time at 31.45 seconds with a very fast clear round and it turned out to be unbeatable.
As the sixth participant in the jump-off, Brazilian Marlon Modoló Zanotelli went all in on Extra van Essene (Diamant de Semilly x Gotthardsen) and did everything right and yet with 32.13 seconds, he couldn’t quite beat Marco Kutscher’s time and had to settle for second. Double Olympic winner Michael Jung was a strong candidate for victory at the end of the field. On Tamarindo (Tlaloc la Silla x Cash) he finished with a clear round in 32.22 seconds, and secured third place.
As to the question of what chance the winner Marco Kutscher might see for himself in the Glock’s CSI3* Grand Prix, he said: "Tomorrow I won’t be riding Balance but rather Van Gogh, so let’s see what happens. But as to this weekend here at the Glock’s Horse Performance Center, I’m already totally satisfied."