In a career that has included 19 medals at Olympics, European and World championships, including four gold at the Olympics, Ludger Beerbaum has added Chantilly to his victories for the first time in his career riding his wonderful grey mare, Chiara.
“I took inspiration from Daniel Deusser’s round, especially on a distance where he went on five instead of six, which made the difference on my watch. I wanted to do exactly the same, and when I was at five, I was like shit, I can’t make it so I had to do one more stride in the last instance. So I had only one solution left, turn shorter than him on the second last vertical and that’s where I made the difference.”
Ludger Beerbaum on Chiara / Photo:Stefano Grasso/LGCT
“Chiara has only jumped two five stars Grand Prix this season: one in Doha where she won, and one in Antwerp where she was clear in the first round but with one pole down in the second. In short, over three Grand Prix, she wins two, and I’m happy, like I’m happy now to be second on the overall Longines Global Champions Tour rankings as I have only participated in 4 of the 7 legs that took place.”
Daniel Deusser on First Class van Eeckelghem/ Photo:Stefano Grasso/LGCT
Ludger has Chiara and Casello, winner of the Hamburg leg of the Longines circuit in line for Rio. Ludger dropped the hint a few months ago that he was considering retirement after the Games. Does this mean we won’t see him in Chantilly anymore?
“Maybe…” he said with a mysterious smile. The owner, Madeleine Winter-Schulze, reassured the press: “It’s the first time I have come to Chantilly, and I think I’ve chosen the right year. It’s more beautiful than what I was told. There is a real atmosphere here, and I want to come back again. So, don’t worry, he will come back too!”