Germany's very own Christian Ahlmann and the 12-year-old stallion Solid Gold Z (Stakkato Gold x Calvin) won Friday's CSI5*-W 1.50m Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ qualification on home soil at Partner Pferd Leipzig 2023. 

With a time of 56.79, Ahlmann and Solid Gold Z bested a field of 47 horse-and-rider-combinations. “It was a great round, everything worked out – every turn. We had a good flow throughout the course and Solid jumped very well from A to Z,” Ahlmann said. “He is simply totally uncomplicated. It’s a big plus that he never puts a foot wrong; he rarely makes mistakes. He was always great to ride. At seven he was world champion in his age group and has made every step up to five-star level easily. He is always ready, very athletic and fast.”

"I have a good feeling here in Leipzig," Ahlmann said of one of his lucky venues – where he won the FEI World Cup Final back in 2011. “The prize giving ceremonies here are really special. People stay on the stands – for all the prize givings, for all the classes. The crowd celebrates the winners and runners-up. Then you really want to be placed. It’s really fun!"

Brazil's Marlon Modolo Zanotelli and the 11-year-old Harwich VDL (Arezzo VDL x Darco) slotted into the runner-position when the clock stopped at 59.57 seconds. "The course was very good for my horse, it suited him well with his large canter stride," Modolo Zanotelli said after his round. "Christian (Ahlmann) had a tremendous round, that was hard to beat. But I'm super happy with my horse, he jumped fantastic and the audience was fully behind us – that was a very good feeling."

The hosts showed great form, with Gerrit Nieberg (GER) and Ben (Sylvain x Quincy Jones) placing third in 60.46 and Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann (GER) fifth in 61.92 aboard the wonderful Messi van'T Ruytershof (Plot Blue x For Pleasure). Gregory Cottard (FRA) and the lovely Bibici (Norman Pre Noir x Nelfo du Mesnil) finished fourth in between the Germans with a time of 60.60. 

The first CSI5*-W class of the day, the 1.45m IDEE Kaffee Prize, went to Philipp Schulze Topphoff (GER) and the 10-year-old Carla (Comme Il Faut 5 x Potsdam NRW). “She finished with a win in Basel last weekend and starts with a win here. She's in great shape, it couldn't be any better," the 24-year-old Schulze Topphoff said after his victory. "It was clear to me that if I didn't make any mistakes, she would pay attention and play along, and so we were competitive today.”

With his time of 52.22, Schulze Topphoff took the win ahead of Gregory Cottard (FRA) and Cocaine du Val (Mylord Carthago x Si Tu Viens) in second in 53.03, followed by Jana Wargers (GER) in third in 54.65 aboard Dorette (Dollar du Murier x Fighting Alpha).