WHILE the world-famous equestrian festival and CHIO couldn’t take place this year in Aachen, Germany, due to Covid-19, organisers held a three-star show at the venue last week, with the jumping taking place in the Deutsche Bank Stadium, the sand arena which usually hosts the dressage during the CHIO.

Wexford’s Bertram Allen won Saturday’s 1.45m Table A at the venue. Riding the Simon Scott-bred eight-year-old Irish Sport Horse Pacino Amiro (Pacino x NC Amiro), he was the quickest of 21 clear rounds from a startlist of 50, breaking the beam in 60.23 seconds ahead of the German pair of Richard Vogel and Michael Jung in second and third places.

“It is great being back here in Aachen and fantastic to then also win a class. I am very pleased with my horse,” Allen commented. A regular at CHIO Aachen, it was Allen’s first time jumping in the sand arena. “It is all different this time, I have never ridden in the Deutsche Bank Stadium before. It is nevertheless still a very special location and I am very grateful to be able to compete here in spite of the current situation.”

Dutchman Maikel van der Vleuten won Sunday’s 1.60m Grand Prix aboard Beauville Z with the fastest of seven double clears in 44.77 seconds to earn €25,000, ahead of Sweden’s Henrik von Eckermann and Peter Pan (0/0/ 45.38) with Frenchman Julien Epaillard taking the final place on the podium with Safari d’Auge (0/0/ 46.18).

The organisers were delighted to be able to host any kind of show at the venue.

“Three fantastic days. We were delighted to be able to organise a show again. Being able to experience top sport here again, was good for the equestrian sport, but also for the heart and soul. Now we will look optimistically ahead: The CHIO Aachen begins in 292 days, hopefully in the Main Stadium under normal conditions,” commented show director Frank Kemperman.