"He’s given me so much," von Eckermann praised his incredible horse King Edward after the two took an emotional home win in Stockholm. Photo © LGCT.
Edited press release from Longines Global Champions Tour
In a fairy-tale ending to a sensational weekend of sport, Sweden's very own Henrik von Eckermann and the incredible King Edward (Edward x Feo) reigned supreme in the €480,000 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Stockholm presented by Fabege.
In a nail-biting jump-off between nine horse-and-rider-combinations, von Eckermann and King Edward were last to the enter the arena at Stockholm's Olympic Stadium. Von Eckermann aimed for his fourth win of the weekend with full support from the home crowd, and after finishing second in the LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm last year behind Christian Ahlmann and Dominator 2000 Z, managed to this time around beat Shane Breen (IRL) and Haya (Mylord Carthago x For Pleasure) by 0.06 seconds to secure his Golden Ticket to the Longines Global Champions Tour Super Grand Prix in Prague this year. For the second year running, power duo Marcus Ehning (GER) and Stargold (Stakkato Gold x Lord Weingard) finished third.
"He’s given me so much," von Eckermann praised his incredible horse King Edward. "As long as we stay good and he stays healthy, I know there are going to be more good things."
"Of course when you have a good feeling and self-confidence it always helps," he continued to explain when asked if his other wins during the weekend helped him get it right in the Grand Prix. "I felt like yesterday, even though I didn't have the greatest round from my riding point of view, my horse felt amazing… I won many things with him, but it was a long time ago that he felt like this."
Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward received a standing ovation from the home crowds after securing the win in the LGCT Grand Prix of Stockholm. Photo © LGCT.
Shane Breen and Haya secured the second place, missing out on the top spot by just 0.06 seconds in their five-star and LGCT Grand Prix debut as a combination. An ecstatic Breen commented on Haya's impressive form to GCTV: "I’ve been riding her a lot in speed [classes], so I knew she was pretty quick. But I thought to get on the podium would be amazing, to win would just be another dream. But to come second, I am absolutely over the moon. It’s her first Grand Prix ever, and it took the best combination in the world to beat us!"
Ben Maher (GBR) and Dallas Vegas Batilly (Cap Kennedy x L'Arc de Triomphe) finished fourth and Pieter Devos (BEL) fifth aboard MoM's Toupie de La Roque (Kannan x Nabab de Reve).
After the 7th LGCT leg in Stockholm, Maikel Van Der Vleuten leads the 2023 LGCT overall ranking with 175 points, followed by Malin Baryard-Johnsson in second with 160.14 points and Christian Kukuk in third with 134 points.
Then