Several thousand visitors had come to the Johannsen family's facility in Hörup to enjoy the final of the Springflut Festival in the best summer weather. Because that meant: top-class sport in the course, which found its absolute highlight with the Grand Prix of VR Bank Nord eG: 63 athletes had competed in the S*** class jumping event with a jump-off, and no fewer than 14 of them recommended themselves with immaculate rounds for the crowning finale.

And for a long time, it looked as though last year's winner Rolf-Göran Bengtsson (RV Breitenburg e.V.) would repeat his triumph from 2022 – having set a top time in the jump-off with zero faults and 43.36 seconds with his Holsteiner association stallion Zuccero by Zirocco Blue-Caretino (Hanno Köhncke, Badendorf), stem 4539. However, Schleswig-Holstein's state champion Jörg Naeve from Ehlersdorf beat that time with Benur du Romet (42.59 seconds). As the final starter, only Hans-Thorben Rüder, born on Fehmarn, had the chance to take victory – and he seized it! In the saddle of his 14-year-old gelding Singu by Singulord Joter-Parco xx (Dr. Hansjörg Andresen, Simonsberg), stem 13A, he flew at lightning speed over the poles and across the finish line in 42.14 seconds. Cheering, the 50-year-old, who is at home near Münster, raised his fist into the air – what a triumph! The strategy for the winning ride was quickly mapped out: "I had watched two rounds in the jump-off beforehand, including Rolf-Göran's. I oriented myself by that and knew that if I rode a bit more aggressively, I could beat the time," Rüder smiled. "Then I just took a bit of a risk. The last fence rattled, but if you are meant to win, the poles stay up." The 5,000 euro winner's prize can now be taken home to North Rhine-Westphalia by the rider.

Photo: Malina Blunck