Emotional Beerbaum rides Mila to Grand Prix of Doha victory

HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, applauds after Germany’s Ludger Beerbaum won the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix Doha at the Longines Arena at Al Shaqab on Saturday.

German multiple-time showjumping champion and four-time Olympic Gold medallist Ludger Beerbaum brought his great experience to fore as he emerged triumphant in the Grand Prix of Doha CSI5* 1.60m class, the feature event of the season-opening Longines Global Champions Tour. Under lights at the packed Al Shaqab arena on Saturday, the 58-year-old veteran riding the ten-year-old mare Mila cruised to victory in 38.18 seconds. Only eight combinations managed to qualify for the jump-off and as the last combination to go in, Beerbaum pulled out all the stops to beat the time of Swede Henrik von Eckermann and his horse King Edward. With one extra stride towards the combination it seemed that he wouldn’t come close to von Eckermann’s winning time, but Beerbaum started to speed up and take off over the jumps to secure the first place. Eckermann was thus kept from victory at the very last moment. He could count on the legendary King Edward to ride in 38.74 seconds to second place. Dutch Jur Vrieling and his mount Long John Silver took some risks in the jump-off and that yielded a time of 40.02 seconds which saw them claim the third place. Beerbaum now has his golden ticket for the play-offs in Prague. His Doha GP win also brought with it the prize of €123,750. Extremely pleased with his enthralling show, the 58-year-old said he was thrilled as he was not expecting to finish at the top of the podium. “I am very happy also because the horse (Mila) is not very experienced. Today, the way he jumped the combinations I am really, really happy.” Beerbaum explained that he also had luck by his side. “You have to be bit lucky in the jump off. And the way we went about it makes me a bit emotional and proud,” he said. He stressed that while he’s had many wins under his belt, this one was special for many reasons. “Honestly did not expect to end on the top of the podium. The occasion, this show and my fears all make for this as one of my most emotional wins. Believe me, when I woke up this morning I didn’t expect to win. “My last big show was Prague last year, then I broke my little finger, a few weeks later I fell from a horse and broke my ribs and didn’t didn’t ride for three weeks. Last week, I felt we not ready at 5-star level. I also didn’t have my horses ready. But Mila is a quality horse she jumped all clear and amazingly. My goal now for the season will be Prague,” he signed off. Setting the stage to a great day of finale of the opening leg earlier was Briton Scott Brash who won the CSI5* (1.55m) Against the Clock jumping with Hello Mr President in a lightning fast time of 65.03 seconds, leaving the competition far behind. He claimed the prize of €23,800. Frenchman Kevin Staut was kept from victory by Brash and finished second with Visconti du Telman (by Toulon) with a time of 65.83 seconds. Swiss Martin Fuchs with Leone Jei took the bronze. He crossed the finish line in 66.61 seconds with the 10-year-old KWPN horse. LGCT Doha Event Director and Commercial Manager of Al Shaqab, Omar al-Mannai lauded the efforts of all in making the splendid Doha show a great success. “We had two amazing two weekends (CHI Al Shaqab and LGCT). The crowds were also very interactive with the action. Everything was wonderful and up to the expectations,” al-Mannai said Meanwhile, Stockholm Hearts Powered by H&M We Love Horses nailed their debut performance as a team, winning the GCL opening event on a clean sheet with power pairing Peder Fredricson and Malin Baryard-Johnsson. Starting their championship campaign the Swedish duo riding Hansson Wl and H&M Indiana held their nerve leaving all the fences up to continue the streak of GCL Doha always being won by a team on 0 faults. Hamburg Giants who didn’t make any changes from their round one squad secured second place on the podium with Jur Vrieling onboard Long John Silver and Bart Bles with Comme-Laude W jumping the only other double clear of the weekend. In third place were Madrid In Motion’s combination of Jack Whitaker and grey stallion Equine America Valmy de la Lande and team anchor Maikel van der Vleuten who were the fastest team on 4 faults. In the Longines Hathab competition (1.30/1.45 m) Against the Clock, Mohamed Khalifa Albaker astride Verona emerged best in 59.66 secs. In the (1.15/1.25 m) Two Phases, Mohamed Rashid al-Amri excelled on Cornett Des Forrets to win in the jump-off clocking 23.14 secs. Results Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha with jump-off (1.60 m) CSI5* 1. Ludger Beerbaum (GER); Horse: Mila; Time: 73.05 secs; Jump-off time: 38.18 secs; Prize money: €123750 2. Henrik von Eckermann (SWE); King Edward; 72.46 secs & 38.74 secs; €75000 3. Jur Vrieling (NED); Long John Silver; 77.30 secs & 40.02 secs; €56250 CSI5* - 1.55 m Table A, FEI Art. 238.2.1 - against the clock 1. Scott Brash (GBR); Horse: Hello Mr President; Time: 65.03 secs; Prize money: €23800 2. Kevin Staut (FRA); Visconti du Telman; 65.83 secs; €19040 3. Martin Fuchs (SUI); Leone Jei; 66.61 secs; €14280 GCL: Jumping Against the Clock (1.55m) CSI5* 1. Scott Brash (GBR); (Horse: Hello Mr. President); Faults: 0; Time: 65.03secs; Prize: €23,800 2. Kevin Staut (FRA); Visconti du Telman; 0; 65.83secs; €19,040 3. Martin Fuchs (SUI); Leoni Jei; 0; 66.61secs; €14,280 GCL Team Competition Against the Clock (1.55m) 1. Stockholm Hearts; Prize-Money €19,055 Malin Baryard-Johnsson (Horse: H&M Indians) 72.51secs; 70.03secs Peder Fredericson (Hansson WL); 69.39secs; Olivier Philippaerts (H&M Legend of Love) 66.43secs. Team Total: Faults: 0; Time: 139.42secs 2. Hamburg Giants; €15,879 Jur Vrieling (Long John Silver); 76.14secs; 74.71secs; Bart Bles (Comme-Laude W); 74.91secs; 72.25secs Team Total: 146.96secs 3. Madrid In Motion; €13,339 Jack Whitaker (Equine America Valmy De La Lan); 76.34secs; 71.31secs Maikel Van Der Vleuten (Beauville Z) 70.01secs; Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (Bentley De Sury); 76.28secs. Team Total: 141.32secs Longines Hathab (1.15/1.25 m) Table A, Art. 274.1.5.3 - in Two Phases 1. Mohamed Rashid al-Amri; Horse: Cornett Des Forrets; Time: 23.14 secs; Prize money: QR6250 2. Hamad Nasser al-Qadi; Callisto; 23.20 secs; QR5000 3. Hussain Saeed Haidan; Viahipi D’Auzay; 23.32 secs; QR3750 Longines Hathab (1.30/1.45 m) Table A, Art.238.2.1 - Against the Clock 1. Mohamed Khalifa Albaker; Verona; Time: 59.66 secs; Prize money: QR11250 2. Cyrine Cherif; Brennus Villelongue; 60.52 secs; QR9000 3. Mohamed Khalifa Albaker; Demilion; 66.99 secs; QR6750