Press release from Al Shira’aa German Jumping and Dressage Derby, edited by World of Showjumping

“This horse is incredible,” Germany’s Andre Thieme said about his sensational 16-year-old mare DSP Chakaria (Chap x Askari) after the two topped the CSI5* 1.60m Longines Grand Prix at the Al Shira’aa German Jumping and Dressage Derby in Klein Flottbek in Hamburg, Germany.

Eight horse-and-rider combinations cleared their way into the deciding jump-off, where Thieme and DSP Chakaria clocked the winning time of 39.59 seconds. “That wasn't easy at all,” Thieme said about his winning strategy. “Next week is Aachen, and everyone knows how important Aachen is – especially with the World Championships in mind. Also, Chakaria was injured for over a year, which is something you still have in the back of your mind. Additionally, it rained, and our national coach was here and said: 'Don't do anything crazy’ – there were a lot of things that made me unsure about how much I really wanted to risk. I didn’t win this competition with speed; I think I won it with two extremely tight turns.”

Emilie Conter (BEL) and Portobella van de Fruitkorf (Bamako de Muze x Nabab de Reve) placed second after stopping the clock on 40.94, while Gudrun Patteet (BEL) on Sea Coast Qarvaljo d’Or (Mosito van het Hellehof x Figo de Muze) completed the podium in third in 41.51. Harm Lahde (GER) and Oak Grove’s Commander Bond (Comme Il Faut x Lux Z) finished fourth with a time of 42.00 seconds, followed by Sanne Thijssen (NED) and Cupcake Z (Chacco-Blue x Caretano Z) in fifth with one down in 44.35 seconds.