Highlights from the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen, part two

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.

Richard Vogel and United Touch S made it to the second round carrying on a score of four from round one, but had to see two poles fall to the ground to eventually finish 16th.

The lovely Miss Blue-Saint Blue Farm had two green mistakes and with a score of eight in round two, and four from round one, she finished 15th with Yuri Mansur. Watch out for this mare who has a bright future ahead!

Sean Vard and Luigi Baleri watching Leone Jei...

...who jumped absolutely flawless in round two, to finish on his score of four from round one, which was good enough for the 8th place.

A snack for Dexter Fontenis Z after a clear in round two. With Simon Delestre, the 10-year-old gelding finished 7th with his four faults from round one.

These two...

...were absolutely outstanding...

...and the emotions show just how special Aachen is.

All the feels!

A very happy support team.

What an Aachen-debut for Garza Perez and Contago who really stole the show at Soers!

The triple combination at 8abc caused most headache in round two. The two oxers coming in were massive and the back poles fell again and again.

Jens Fredricson and Markan Cosmopolit were maximum unlucky in round two. After a clear the first time out, the front pole on the last oxer fell to the ground in round two – keeping the two out of the jump-off.

We love Dynamix! A green mistake on the wall at no. two in the second round kept Guerdat and his amazing mare out of the jump-off, but there will be great things coming from these two.

The power in this horse! Rodrigo Pessoa's Major Tom has that little something extra that just makes him really special. With two clears, the pair qualified for the jump-off.

We feel you Ludo, we feel you... There's not much that is more nerve-racking than this sport, at this level.

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.

Philipp Weishaupt's only 9-year-old gelding Zineday jumped unreal and joined the jump-off. "I’m over the moon with him," Phillip said afterwards.

Philipp's brother Maximilian was there to congratulate.

Stephan Conter was ready with treats as his fantastic mare Killer Queen VDM jumped two clear rounds with Daniel Deusser to once again qualify for the jump-off in the Rolex Grand Prix of Aachen.

We have a crush on Major Tom...

Live contender McLain Ward had to watch round two from the sideline.

Getting ready for the jump-off.

Garza Perez was first to come back for the jump-off, but unfortunately Contago clipped the front rail on the Mercedes-Benz oxer midway and finished on four faults in 48.77 seconds.

Luck was not on Rodrigo Pessoa’s side either, who had the back rail on the Grand Slam oxer down – slotting in just ahead of Garza Perez after stopping the clock on 47.08 seconds. But one thing is for sure, there is a lot more to come from these two!

“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.

Killer Queen was the first deliver a clear in the jump-off, and went into the lead with a time of 45.73 seconds.

But, Stargold and Marcus Ehning prevented Killer Queen from taking another Grand Prix title at Soers as they galloped around to a time of 45.12 seconds.