Mila's first big appearance with her "substitute rider" Eoin McMahon turned out to be somewhat mixed only at first glance. Because what the mare showed under the watchful eye of owner and ancestral partner Ludger Beerbaum at the weekend made him cheer. With Beerbaum's Irish teammate, the eleven-year-old gray mare improved from competition to competition, had two faults in the first two courses, and placed seventh in the final Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Madrid after one fault.

15000 euros in prize money was awarded for this.  "I am super happy with the performance of the two," said Ludger Beerbaum. "The two have known each other for two weeks now, this is the first tournament at 5-star level, so it's not surprising if the fine-tuning is not perfect yet." He said he is sure that it won't be long before the successes will also come in heavy international jumping competitions. 

This was the case for the youngster in the team, the U25 rider Philipp Schulze Topphoff, who rode his eleven-year-old gelding Clemens de la Lande to fourth place after only three time faults and was delighted to receive prize money of 50,000 euros. The Grand Prix was won by the Australian Edwina Tops-Alexander, who on Fellow Castlefield was the only starter without a fault and received 165,000 euros for her efforts.

"Absolutely positive," is how the Riesenbeck International team leader also views the rides of his teammates Christian Kukuk on Mumbai and Philipp Schulze Topphoff on Clemens de la Lande in the Global Champions League. "Overall, it's mega exciting now," he concluded. Twice the Riesenbeck riders won a stage (Doha, Mexico City), in Madrid happened one mistake too many and it was fifth place. Nevertheless, 15 stages there are, now four are done. "If we maintain this consistency, then we will end up on a podium," Ludger Beerbaum is sure. He can't predict when he himself will be back in the saddle in the points chase: "The performance principle counts for us in the team, and that also applies to me. The best are used!"

With their victory over the weekend, the Paris Panthers riders have taken the lead in the interim standings (88 points) and pushed the previously leading team Riesenbeck International into second place (87). Creeping up from behind are Madrid in Motion in third place (86). The next stage will take place in St. Tropez. Then the circus travels across Europe until it stops off in Riesenbeck Forest for the 11th stage - the only one in Germany - from July 20 to 23.

Situation briefing in the course: Schulze Topphoff and Kukuk  pic: RI