Taizo Sugitani Jumps With Wild Card to GP Victory

Course designer Georg Christoph Bödicker had built a difficult but fair course for the 43 international participants of the Salzburg Grand Prix. 13 pairs stayed clear in the first round. Japanese Taizo Sugitani, who is trained by Peter Wylde and stationed in Cologne (GER), was allowed to start in Salzburg due to a FEI wildcard. Sugitani was already successful this season claiming victory of the Grand Prix in Balve and a second place at the Barcelona Grand Prix.

On Sunday, the talented Japanese rider Taixo Sugitani and his Animo-gelding Avenzio took advantage of his wildcard finishing the jump-off round in the fastest time of 44 seconds. The second place went to Holger Wulschner and his stallion Cefalo (47.47 seconds) followed by Antonio Marinas from Spain with Al Capone. German Max Kühner ranked fourth with his only 8-year-old Clintop and the winner of the Vienna Grand Prix, Beat Mändli from Switzerland, ranked fifth. Beat Mändli rode the fastest round, but unfortunately one bar fell down.