‘I’m the happiest man in the world’: World number one wins first leg of €1million Rolex Grand Slam in Aachen

World number one Daniel Deusser lifted the Rolex Aachen grand prix in his home country of Germany with two killer turns on Killer Queen VDM to become the new Rolex Grand Slam of Showjumping live contender.

“Finally! I’ve come close a couple of times before [second on Tobago Z in 2019 to The USA’s Kent Farrington and second in 2015 on Cornet D’Amour] but to win the Rolex grand prix in Aachen is special,” said Daniel, who will now target Geneva for the second leg.

Two consecutive wins earns 500,000 euro and three consecutive wins makes a cool one million – Scott Brash is the only one to achieve this with Hello Sanctos.

Eighteen of the 40 starters contended round two – 12 clears joined by eight of the fastest four-faulters. Seven returned double clears over two full-round 1.60m tracks testing scope and rideability, built by celebrated German course-designer Frank Rothenberger, to make the jump-off.

Daniel set a fast opener with two breath-taking rollbacks and a gallop to the final Rolex oxer on the Eldorado VD Zeshoek x For Pleasure 11-year-old.

“At first I thought going first wasn’t an advantage but afterwards – good, I put pressure on and Killer Queen did a fantastic job, I’m the happiest man in the world,” he said.

He faced a nail-biting wait. You could hear a pin drop as Olympic champions Ben Maher and the big-striding Explosion W – third here in 2019 – galloped down the distances. But the front rail of the oxer out of the double fell and although they beat the time by 1.18 sec, Ben’s hopes were dashed and he finished fourth.

Britain’s other hopeful Scott Brash – second in Friday’s 1.60m three-way decider – also encountered problems at the same fence as Hello Jefferson bounced the back rail out of the cups. They slowed up to finish fifth behind the USA’s Laura Kraut riding Baloutinue.

Aachen grand prix: rising star finishes second

Last-to-go Brian Moggre, 20, almost stole the show. The American talent produced a double clear earlier in the week on Balou Du Reventon to majorly contribute to a USA Nations Cup win and was determined to give his all. He rode the round of his life on the Cornet Obolensky x Continue 15-year-old, kicking on despite rattling the double and galloped to the final Rolex oxer to finish second just 0.31 sec outside the winning time.

“It’s been my dream since a little kid to compete here and I wanted a positive experience; my horse has made it an awesome one, he’s the most amazing horse I’ve had in my short life,” said Brian.

Belgium’s Gregory Wathelet was the only other treble clear for third on Nevados S.

Scott topped Saturday’s Allianz-Prize winning round by 0.39 sec in a 10-horse jump-off with the 12-year-old stallion Hello Vincent.

“Ten clears and the top 10 qualified for the jump-off, the course-builder was exactly on target but the course certainly wasn’t a walk in the park – it never is in Aachen,” said Scott. “I kept it as quick, smooth and rhythmic as I could, he’s quick through the air too, which helps.”

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