Text © World of Showjumping

Philipp Weishaupt says he “feels very lucky” after both he and his mare Che Fantastica escaped a dramatic accident in Friday’s RWE Prize of North Rhine- Westphalia at CHIO Aachen without serious injuries. 

The 33-year-old German rider experienced a real nightmare when the bit on Che Fantastica broke as he approached the oxer at fence no. 5. Weishaupt desperately tried to pull the mare up, but had no chance of stopping her. Despite a scary jump, Weishaupt miraculously managed to stay on. However, Che Fantastica got a real fright, running off and with the bit on her neck Weishaupt decided to throw himself off in full speed – hitting the ground hard. 

“First of all, I’m very happy that Che Fantastica is doing well,” Weishaupt says to World of Showjumping. “I felt that something broke, and I tried to steer her off the jump – but could not. As to myself, I have an oedema on my tailbone – so I’m really sore. Luckily, it’s nothing serious and I will be fine. I’m of course upset that I am not qualified to ride the Grand Prix on Sunday, I definitely had other plans for the weekend than this – but there will be another Aachen.” 

Weishaupt’s compatriot André Thieme also had a scary accident in the same class, when his mare Crazy Girl took a fright to the water jump, crashed in the wing and fell. Crazy Girl had to be transported out of the ring with a horse ambulance, but after being examined by the vet the organizers announced that the only injury on the mare was a heavily bleeding cut. Also Thieme escaped the accident without injuries.