Marcus Ehning wins the Grand Prix of Aachen

It could be THE year for Marcus Ehning: First the World Cup Final victory in Kuala Lumpur, then the Grand Prix victory of La Baule and now the “climax”: First place in the Prize of the AachenMünchner/Grand Prix of Aachen – a competition that every world-class show jumper must have won, as the stars in the riding scene always emphasise.

In an exciting jump-off in front of around 50,000 spectators and a number of guests of honour from political and economic circles, the number one in the world ranking list, Marcus Ehning from Borken, showed just how quick the mare with the unusual name Noltes Küchengirl can be. The Bavarian-bred Lord Z daughter is actually called Lord's Classics and she is only nine. Ehning's younger brother, Johannes, introduced the bay mare to competition sport. Purchased by his sponsor Nolte and under the saddle of Marcus Ehning since six months, she is on her way to the top. The 32-year-old Ehning didn't want to comment yet as to whether this will be the horse he rides at the World Equestrian Games.

The pair completed the long course of the jump-off in a sensational time of 55.821 seconds.

The experienced French rider, Herve Godignon, took almost three seconds longer to finish the course with the ten-year-old Dutch gelding Obelix by Burgraaf. Godignon, who already competed at the Olympic Games in Barcelona with the now famous stallion Quidam de Revel, has often taken part at the CHIO Aachen, but today's second place in the Grand Prix is his best ever result.

The third place winner, Eric Lamaze, comes from Canada. The 37-year-old from Montreal also rode a relatively young horse: The ten-year-old Dutch stallion, Hickstead by Hamlet, was acquired from a Belgian sales stable. A dream has come true for Eric Lamaze: Competing for the first time in Aachen – he took one of the top placings in the most important show jumping competition in the world.

Results (21.05.06)
CSIO de Aachen

Grand Prix – Two rounds with Jump Off
1º Noltes Küchengirl / Marcus Ehning (Ger) / 0 / 0 / 0 / 55.81
2º Obélix / Hervé Godignon (Fra) / 0 / 0 / 0 / 58.41
3º Hickstead / Eric Lamaze )Can) / 0 / 0 / 0 / 58.60
4º Canturo / Bernardo Alves (Bra) / 0 / 0 / 4 / 55.64
5º Shutterfly / Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum (Ger) / 0 / 0 / 4 /57.91
6º Cöster / Christian Ahlmann (Ger) / 0 / 0 / 8 / 55.81
7º Osta Rugs Quintus / Jean Claude Van Geenberghe (Ukr) / 1 / 1 / 95.87
8º Ninja La Silla / Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (Swe) / 4 / 4 / 93.84
9º Okidoki / Albert Zoer (Ned) / 4 / 4 / 94.59
10º Echo Beach / Cian O´Connor (Irl) / 4 / 4 / 94.96