It was an emotional moment for Kamal Bahamdan when he won the CSI4* DKB-Riders Tour Grand Prix in Wiesbaden on Monday with his amazing mare Noblesse des Tess (Cumano x Irak E). "It still needs to sink in a little bit," said Kamal after. "I had a pretty sticky start to my weekend here," he continued referring to his two 1.50 classes that did not go quite according to plan. Today, the Saudi rider was in a different league though and rode two tremendous rounds on 14 year old Noblesse des Tess who gave everything for her rider. Speaking about his mare, Kamal laughed "How much time do we have? She has everything, she is an incredible mare!"

The 1.60 class - the third leg of the DKB-Riders Tour - was a tough one and out of the field of fifty only seven riders produced clear rounds, to be joined by one time-faulter and four riders on four penalties for the second round making it a total of twelve riders.The track was tricky, and it was especially the line to the water on either six extremely forward strides or seven supporting that made trouble with several riders experiencing hairy moments here. The triple combination also caught out many, as did the vertical at fence eleven which was placed in such a way that most riders chose to ride inside fence four and came on a line that was less than straight - with several of the horses pulling the pole down.

With five home riders in the jump-off, it was plenty to cheer about for the German crowds that had met up filling the seats that surround the beautiful grass ring with the stunning castle as backdrop. Both Luciana Diniz on Fit For Fun (For Pleasure x Fabriano) and Holger Wulschner on BSC Cavity (Caretino x Lansing) set good target times in 47.62 and 47.07 respectively to eventually end fourth and third, while Kathi Offel - winner of the GP qualifier - yet again raced aroun on Charlie (Cornet Obolensky x Potsdam) to bring the time down to 46.11 but on the expense of a pole as a stirrup got lost on the way. Ludger Beerbaum went for a steady clear in 48.59, while Bertram Allen went all in only to have the back pole on the final oxer down as he raced down the last line without once pulling back. The time was amazing though, and showed it was possible to bring the time down on the 45-second mark.

That was excactly what the next rider in the ring did as well, but on a clean sheet as Christian Ahlmann and his faithfull 15 year old Taloubet Z (Galoubet A x Polydor) rode one of their trademark accurate and fast rounds to stop the clock on 45.93 seconds to take over the lead as the crowds cheered their home heros on. Janne Friederike Meyer also went for another clear on Goja 27 (Wandor van de Mispelaere x Palestro vd Begijnakker) stopping the clock on 48.37 seconds.

Then it was time for Kamal Bahamdan. Kamal, hungry for another good round, chased every fraction he could galloping on around the shortened track and coming down the final line he pushed and pushed coming flying over the final oxer to take over the lead in an unbelievable 45.45 seconds. The last four riders could do nothing about Kamal's time; Rene Tebbel went for a steady clear, Denis Nielsen had one early pole down and slowed down, Bliss Heers the third last vertical and Constant van Paesschen two down - leaving an incredibly happy Kamal to celebrate his fantastic and very popular win in Wiesbaden.

Text/picture (c) World of Showjumping.com.