Stars shining in Stuttgart this weekend

Indeed, Stuttgart is the fifth of 13 qualifiers in the Western European League circuit after Oslo, Helsinki, Verona and Lyon, with seven counting for the individual standings. Those numbers will be on the minds of the elite riders who have brought their mounts to Germany this weekend in the aim of securing one of the 18 places allocated to Western Europe for the 2018 Final — the last edition of which was won by American McLain Ward and HH Azur in Omaha, Nebraska this past spring.

Another number which comes to mind in Stuttgart is 34. That is the number of points of the current leader in the league, Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann (who at the time of publication has already had great results at the German event). Von Eckermann (pictured above in Lyon) is followed in the standings by France’s Simon Delestre — winner of the last World Cup stage in Lyon before a home crowd with Hermès Ryan des Hayettes at the outcome of an exciting jump-off — and Delestre’s compatriot Kevin Staut. 

All three riders are in the city of 612,441 this weekend, hoping to confirm a ticket for Paris next spring. But they are up against stiff competition in the 1.60 m World Cup Grand Prix, slated for 3 p.m. local time on Sunday. Great Britain has two riders present at the show: Robert Whitaker (currently 13th in the standings) and Samuel Hutton. And while Ireland’s top two-ranked riders in the standings, Mark McAuley and Denis Lynch (8th and 9th respectively) have not made the trip to Germany this time, Bertram Allen is among a strong group of four for Ireland at the competition.

Not surprisingly, the home nation has a huge contingent in Stuttgart — 18 out of the total of 50 riders, with big names among the list: Ahlmann, Beerbaum, Deusser, Ehning, and more. For France, Roger Yves Most and Pénélope Leprevost are there alongside Staut and Delestre. And Italy’s Alberto Zorzi and Belgium’s Nicola Philippaerts are just some of the other names to watch for in in the 5* showdown.

In fact, there are numerous elite athletes across different disciplines at the Stuttgart horse show, including World No.1 Michael Jung in Eventing, already winner of the Indoor Eventing Class and also taking part in the pure Show Jumping with some fantastic results against the world’s best. Jung is the very definition of versatile as an athlete. Jung’s compatriot, Dressage superstar Isabell Werth, has also continued her winning ways on home soil, showcasing once again the powerhouse stature of Germany in diverse equestrian sports.

Between all the action at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle, visitors to Stuttgart can also enjoy the city’s green space and nearby historical architecture, as well as the Mercedes-Benz and Porsche museums located in this major manufacturing hub.