Max Kühner wins Rolex Grand Prix
It was the first big tournament of the Rolex Series, after the Corona pandemic and the herpes virus. In 's-Hertogenbosch, to be precise. One of the best tournaments in the world is taking place there: the Dutch Masters.
The tournament is a stop of the world famous Rolex Grad Slam. The Rolex Grand Slam links four of the world's best tournaments.
Of course, the CHIO Aachen, the Spruce Meadows 'Masters', the CHI Geneva and The Dutch Masters convince with the highest prize money.
The four Rolex Grand Prix alone are endowed with a total of 5 million euros (Aachen 1 million euros, Spruce Meadows 2.1 million euros , Geneva 1.1 million euros, 's-Hertogenbosch 1 million euros). So a well-attended tournament.
The organizers did everything in their power to be able to justify the holding of such a large tournament. By certain hygiene concepts and no spectators, one tried to contain a possible Infeketionsgeschehen for rider and horse.
Already on Friday, the tournament in the Brabant halls started with a German victory. As we reported, Daniel Deusser won the first jumping competition of the big tour over 155cm on a gelding Casallvano. A fast and stylistically flawless round put him at the head of the field.
On Saturday, one experiences a big surprise when he looked at the results of Saturday's main jumping. At the top was a young man who probably had not been on the list so far. Yet his relatives and especially his father were multiple Olympic winners in the individual or with the team.
Jack Whitaker.
The young Briton was already doing well in the round. But with competitors like Kent Farrington or even Scott Brash, no one really expected him.
In the jump-off, however, he then showed that he had not received a participant permit for nothing. He took another 0.33 seconds off US speed expert Kent Farrington. Thus it was enough for the victory. A great success for the young man.
But, as they say? All eyes on the price. That was also true here in s'Hertogenbosch. For all riders it was clear that they wanted to attack in the big Rolex Grand Prix on Sunday.
Despite a challenging course, 8 pairs made it into the jump-off. Among them was the German Christian Kukuk, who rode the still inexperienced Checker.
In the jump-off, however, things got fast. Three times there were in the jump-off 4 error points for Luciana Diniz, Gerome Guery and Gudrun Patteet. Nevertheless, all of them also showed great and fast rounds.
But at the end right in front this time was Max Kühner, who starts for Austria. Kühner was actually born in Germany, but changed citizenship a few years ago.
With his partner Elektic Blue P was the fastest in this Rolex Grand Prix endowed with 700,000€. "I'm really happy!" announced Kühner later that evening.
Marlon Modolo Zanotelli with VDL Edgar M found himself in second place. Third place went to Germany's Christian Kukuk.
The next tournament of the Rolex Grand Slam will be Aachen in the summer. We hope that the tournament can take place. There Kühner would then again have the chance to win to be able to secure another cash bonus.
