Marcus Ehning won his third Mercedes German Master title after a one-round final of the best 12 riders, followed by a seven-horse jump-off. His win, Nov. 19, came aboard Anka this time–in 1999 and 2002, he won the coveted title aboard For Pleasure.
Only John Whitaker has also won the class in Stuttgart, Germany three times since its inception in 1987. He rode his legendary partner Milton in all three victories (1988, 1989, 1992).
After his victory late Friday night, Ehning, who jumped clear in 31.93 seconds to win the Mercedes Benz car, said, “I was very lucky to be the last starter in the jump-off. I am especially happy that after two victories with For Pleasure I have been now able to win this title aboard Anka.”
Ehning, of Germany, earned the right to be the last starter as a result of having the top score in the two qualifiers.
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In the jump-off, Ehning and his 2003 World Cup Final winner bested the time of young Swiss rider Christina Liebherr and L.B. No Mercy (0/32.56), who had held the lead until then, by more than half a second. The Dutch rider Leopold van Asten/VDL Groep Fleche Rouge (0/33.29) and Germany’s Alois Pollmann-Schweckhorst/Candy (0/37.32) posted two more clear rounds in the jump-off. For the third year, all the Stuttgart courses were built by FEI Vice President Leopoldo Palacios of Venezuela.
On Sunday afternoon, in the $89,252 Grand Prix of Stuttgart, Ulrich Kirchhoff scored his greatest success since winning the 1996 Olympics. The German rider took victory with a clear round in 32.45 seconds.
That Kirchhoff had finally found a successor for his Olympic champion Jus de Pommes, who was put down shortly after the Atlanta Olympics, became clear in July at the CHIO Aachen (Germany). There, he and the 9-year-old Cassini offspring Damhus Carino had a double clear round in the Prize of Europe and also placed in the Grand Prix of Aachen.
The 2003 European Champions Christian Ahlmann and C
