Podium Back on the GCL

Team Riesenbeck International takes third place in Madrid

The Spanish sun hid behind the clouds from time to time, allowing the 14 teams in the Global Champions League to enjoy a day of competition with two rounds in pleasant conditions at the Club de Campo Villa grass stadium in the middle of the Spanish metropolis of Madrid. At the fifth of 15 stages around the globe, all of which will be held in Europe from now until the season finale, all riders were looking to make up places and collect points for the team ranking.

Team Riesenbeck International, which has not yet been as successful as in previous years when it won the overall standings in 2022 and 2023, sent the two most experienced riders into the competition with their top horses: Christian Kukuk with the ten-year-old mare Just be Gentle and Philipp Weishaupt with the equally ten-year-old gelding Zineday were to ensure that the points tally on the account increased significantly. In exactly nine weeks, the eleventh leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour and Global Champions League (July 18-21) will take place at their home show in Riesenbeck. Both riders want to do some good advertising for their sport until then. 

And they succeeded well. Christian Kukuk delivered a safe and very confident ride without any faults in round one. Philipp Weishaupt demonstrated his experience and class on the freshly forward-going Zineday. They also remained clear. The riders from Valkenswaard United, who took the lead, were a touch faster and also clear, closely followed by the riders from Riesenbeck.

In the second round, which was again technically demanding, the tension grew right to the end. Riesenbeck International was the second last team to go. Both riders changed horses. Kukuk saddled his experienced Checker, Weishaupt relied on his Coby, who has been a safe bet for the team for years.

The tight time was challenging for all participants: if you went too fast, you risked making a mistake. Those who dawdled were overtaken by their faster rivals. Aware of the danger, Christian Kukuk started quickly and made no mistakes - until the last jump, a plank. Four faults. Philipp Weishaupt also rode fast and clear - also up to the last fence. There the element fell and he also collected four faults. Disappointed, the riders left the course and were condemned to watch the last pair.

Valkenswaard United relied on youth and experience. Gilles Thomas left the course with just one time fault. The oldest competitor in the field, John Whitaker, had one fault at the third jump, then two more time faults. But the 69-year-old still saved first place for the team.

Riesenbeck International finished in third place because Madrid in Motion was able to overtake them. A little annoyed about the two faults, happy about the place on the podium!

Christian Kukuk said that the team will be on the hunt for points in the coming stages when the GCL heads to the south of France. He explained, “I'm looking forward to St. Tropez and Cannes ahead of us. I hope that we can move up the table again at these shows and that we are ahead in the overall standings at our home tournament in Riesenbeck. That is what we are really aiming for.”

Team boss Ludger Beerbaum commented: “Finally a place on the podium again. Both rounds were ridden with different horses. Christian and Philipp were very concentrated and focused in both rounds. A good day for us!”

Results at: https://results.hippodata.de/2024/2413/docs/r_gcl_r2.pdf

All results and information at: https://www.gcglobalchampions.com/