Ludger Beerbaum rode the only clear round in an eight-horse jump-off to win the $91,946 Mercedes German Master title, Nov. 18, aboard the recovered Gladdys S, with whom he earned the 2001 European Championship.

Beerbaum had already scored this title in 1995 with Ratina Z and in 1996 with Priamos. Besides Beerbaum, only two other riders have won this prestigious title three times: John Whitaker (1988, 1989, 1992) and Marcus Ehning (1999, 2002, 2004).

But this year’s victory had special meaning for Beerbaum. After a one-year break due to injury, the 13-year-old, Hanoverian mare just returned to the sport in September and had only competed in five shows before Stuttgart. She took eighth in Verona’s World Cup class (Italy) two weeks before Stuttgart. After that, Beerbaum decided to ride her in the German Master, and for his victory, he received a Mercedes car.

Germany’s Christian Ahlmann finished second aboard the For Pleasure son Firth Of Clyde, who had opened the eight-horse jump-off with a fast four-penalty round, in 37.37 seconds. They bested Brazil’s Bernardo Alves aboard Topic van’t Voorhof and Sweden’s Malin Baryard-Johnsson aboard H&M Royal Son Z, who had one pole down at the last fence as she chased Beerbaum’s mark.

Keri Potter-Pessoa, born in the United States but competing for Brazil, had two poles down in the jump-off aboard the 10-year-old Quick Star son Harry Potter to place seventh. Her husband Rodrigo Pessoa did not make it to the jump-off after two poles down in the third and final leg of the German Master. He placed 12th aboard Richmont Park.

Marcus Ehning and the U.S.-owned Gitania could not decide between seven or eight strides and finally crashed into a vertical in the jump-off. It looked bad, but fortunately the mare was not hurt and continued around the course. In Sunday’s $184,244 grand prix, the horse had fortunately forgotten their mishap, as they won with a furious ride over 14 other horses in the jump-off.

Ehning and Gitania bested Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum and Checkmate, whose time of 37.98 seconds had appeared almost unbeatable. Alois Pollmann-Shweckhorst took third aboard Candy, who lost the win with a wide turn to the last fence.

For the first time, the Grand Prix of Stuttgart was also a qualifier for the World Cup Final. Stuttgart became a second World Cup qualifier in Germany since the Berlin show is no longer on the calendar.

Conrad Homfeld, the U.S. 1984 Olympic team gold and individual silver medalist, designed the courses at Stuttgart for the first time this year. Ehning praised his courses: “They were all very horse and rider friendly. Obviously his courses give me a good time, since I won the World Cup Final at Las Vegas, when Conrad Homfeld was building it in 2003.”

It was the 2000 World Cup Final at Las Vegas that made Stuttgart’s sportive director for show jumping, Hauke Schmidt, ask Homfeld to come build at Stuttgart.

Mylene Diederichsneier scored victory in the German Ladies Master aboard Konni, ahead of Christina Liebherr and Tamina. Michaels-Beerbaum took third aboard Le Mans, normally competed by her husband Markus, and fourth was Nicole Shahinian Simpson aboard the 7-year-old, Westphalian stallion Aktion Pur. All four riders jumped clear in the two rounds of this class of 10.

In the opening class, Simpson and the 9-year-old mare El Campeon’s Tosca placed third. In the first qualifier for the German Master the U.S. rider placed 12th, still in the purse, aboard El Campeon’s So Long. In the second qualifier she did not fare as well, with two poles down–like Peter Wylde and Fein Cera.