PURE EMOTIONS!
Mexico's 26-year-old Eugenio Garza Perez impressed big time in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, when delivering a double clear round on the lovely Contago to qualify as one of five riders for the jump-off. Garza Perez has had Contago since the gelding was 4, and although it took some time for them to gel, they have now formed the perfect partnership. After a fantastic 2023-season, Garza Perez topped it all when jumping two clear rounds in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen and his reaction after the second clear says it all!
In addition to finishing 5th in the Grand Prix, Garza Perez was awarded as the rider with the best style in the 2023 Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen – very well deserved after displaying immaculate riding, and making the tricky tracks look effortless.
Garza Perez had a great week with Contago and jumped with only one time penalty in the Turkish Airlines Prize of Europe to place 11th, as well as double clear in the RWE Prize of North Rhine-Westphalia to place 7th.
Here we look back at the Grand Prix as it reached its decisive stages last Sunday.
Photos © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
It was painful to watch as Nicola Philippaerts crossed the finish line outside the time allowed in round two to finish on one time penalty after absolutely amazing rounds! With the lovely Katanga vh Dingeshof the Belgian rider had to settle for 6th place this time around, a shame as the two would have been a real danger in the jump-off.
“Normally, when you ride a jump-off, you always want to win, but in my situation here, I am riding a 9-year-old horse which I think no one else did so sitting next to those two guys with very experienced championship horses – I’m over the moon with Zineday today," Weishaupt said after having the front pole down on the Mercedes-Benz oxer in the jump-off but with the fastest time of the day in 43.36 to finish behind Ehning and Deusser.