Three Olympic Champions, three World Champions, four World Cup Champions, six European Champions and 25 riders from the current top 100 in the world were more than pleased to spend three days at the Glock Horse Performance Center this weekend. With prize money totalling 345,000 euros, the GLOCK’s five-star Grand Prix stood as the crowning glory of these exciting days. At stake alongside the substantial prize money were important points for the world ranking as well as the chance to fulfil qualification criteria for the 2018 World Equestrian Games in Tryon and the 2019 European Championships. 

In the exciting first round over 1.60m fences, ten participating duos managed to qualify for the jump-off after jumping clear rounds. In the jump-off, it was Swiss rider Alain Jufer, second to go, who achieved the first double clear, to be followed by a further six penalty-free rounds. 

But it was twice team Olympic and World Cup Final Champion and number ten in the showjumping world, Elizabeth Madden, who took victory in the prestigious GLOCK’s five-star Grand Prix. Beezie, as the 54-year-old distinguished female rider from the USA is known on the showjumping scene, had the 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding Coach (Con Air x Corofino I) under the saddle and as the penultimate starter she was able to prevail in the jump-off. The likeable duo were not unnerved by the sudden rainfall and were the only ones to remain under the 50 second mark with their time of 49.21. 

“You’re absolutely focused before and during a ride like that. Neither my horse nor I were going to be disturbed in any way by that brief downpour,” said the experienced rider following her success. “I’m here for the second time now and I think it’s fantastic how the same emphasis is placed on the wellbeing of the horses and riders as that of spectators.” 

Twice team gold medallist at the Pan American Games, Lauren Hough (USA), completed the female dominance of the GLOCK’s Grand Prix. Currently number 42 in the world and in the saddle on the 15-year-old KWPN gelding Waterford (Coolcorron Cool Diamond x Julio Mariner XX), she achieved an outstanding second place in 50.08 seconds.

Also making it into the jump-off was the winner of the Gaston Glock Championat on Saturday, Dutchman Marc Houtzager. On Sterrehof’s Calimero (Quidam de Revel x Achill / Libero H), the London 2012 Olympic team silver medallist took only 15 hundredths of a second longer around the jump-off course to end third.

Sweden's Malin Baryard-Johnsson and H&M Indiana (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Animo's Hallo) finished fourth, while fifth went to Alain Jufer on Rahmannshof Tic Tac (Contact van de Heffinck x Fuego du Prelet).

Olympic medallist, team world and European Champion Gerco Schröder, riding eyperienced Clearway-son GLOCK’s Cognac Champblanc, jumped clear as well to sixth place. 

Earlier in the day, Dutch rider Gert-Jan Bruggink won the CSI5* 1.55m GLOCK's Perfection Tour aboard Charmeur 436 (Cristallo 7 x Oldenburg).