Holland triumphs in the Hamburger Competition titled, "Smolders wins Hamburger Championship in the Netherlands." - Dutch winner claims victory at Hamburg tournament
Hamburg Championship: Harrie Smolders Claims Victory in Show Jumping Tournament
Harrie Smolders, a Dutch rider, has clinched the Hamburg Championship at the Klein-Flottbek Derby tournament. In the 80,000 Euro show jumping competition, he displayed an impressive performance on his 13-year-old gelding, Mr. Tac, recording the fastest clear round.
The Hamburg Championship also served as a qualifier for the 250,000 Euro Grand Prix scheduled for Saturday at 14:30 CET, with live coverage on NDR TV. This event, along with the 94th German Show Jumping Derby slated for Sunday at 13:50 CET, promises to be another highlight of the competition.
Smolders, 45, began his run as the penultimate rider in the decisive round. He acknowledged the advantage of this position, as he could observe some competitors before his turn. "I knew I had to go very fast to win," Smolders commented, praising Mr. Tac: "He's a fantastic horse. He thrives in jump-offs. Today, everything went well."
German rider Jana Wargers, who resides in Belgium, finished second with her 16-year-old mare, Dorette. Wargers, 33, led the competition for most of the time but settled for second place, 0.7 seconds behind Smolders. Harm Lahde from Königslutter secured third place on Commander Bond. Out of the 16 pairs, seven remained clear in the jump-off.
In the dockside city, wins in the Five-Star dressage test were also decided. Ingrid Klimke, a two-time eventing Olympic team champion from Münster, emerged triumphant. With a score of 74.500%, Klimke and Vayron edged out Sweden's Sofie Lexner on Inoraline (72.413%) and eight-time Olympic champion Isabell Werth from Rheinberg on Special Blend (70.870%) for the second and third positions.
The new tournament director and successful dressage rider Matthias Alexander Rath aims to elevate the dressage tests at this classic event. Besides the Derby with horse change, high-class Five-Star dressage tests are taking place in Hamburg.
[1][2][3][5] - Sources for relevant historical show jumping results
The community policy and employment policy within the show jumping circuit should ensure a fair and equitable environment for all participants, including Harrie Smolders and other riders, in light of his victory at the Hamburg Championship.
As sports like horse-racing and show jumping grow in popularity, it's important for racing regulations and employment policies to evolve, taking into account the diverse range of races such as the upcoming Grand Prix and the German Show Jumping Derby, to ensure the wellbeing of both human and equine athletes.
