Photo: Sportfotos-Lafrentz.de

Leipzig - There was not a single free seat left on Saturday afternoon, when the international equestrian squad met for the Leipzig Sparkasse Grand Prix. After a thrilling jump-off, the Belgian rider Jos Verlooy was narrowly ahead, followed by the two top German riders Gerrit Nieberg and Mario Stevens. 
 
"I would like to expressly say a big thank you to the sponsors and the organisers," Jos Verlooy concluded the press conference after his victory in the Grand Prix of the Sparkasse Leipzig. "We are very happy to be here and to be able to ride in front of the audience!" He certainly had reason to be happy - he had quite narrowly whizzed away from the competition with FTS Killossery Konfusion in the jump-off of the Grand Sparkasse Prize of Leipzig. "He is a very competitive horse. I don't need to think much about the number of canter jumps with him in the jump-off either, because he is very basic fast and I can also take risks with him."

He was followed into second place by Gerrit Nieberg (Sendenhorst) with Blues' D'Aveline CH and was more than satisfied: "He doesn't have that much experience yet and has also jumped super in the last few days. He also did really well today." Third place went to Mario Stevens (Molbergen) with the only nine-year-old Starissa: "The mare was very impressed by the audience on the first days. But today I rode in and she looked at the ranks, then we took a breath and then I really had the feeling that she was enjoying it and was still motivated by the spectators," Stevens also declared himself happy about the full ranks in the Leipzig Exhibition Centre. "Now we are finally back where we wanted to be after the pandemic and I am also happy and grateful that we can show our great sport in front of an audience." In fact, the seats in Hall 1 were completely full: "This is what we wanted," tournament organiser Volker Wulff said happily: "I am satisfied and happy. The sponsors are also thrilled, but Leipzig is also simply inspiring!"
 
The PARTNER PFERD Sunday will start with the FUNDIS Youngster Tour, before the FEI Driving World Cup™ Final presented by Sparkasse will decide on the World Cup Champion in harness driving. PARTNER PFERD 2022, presented by Sparkasse Leipzig and Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe Sachsen, will end with the decision in the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ Final. And then it's only nine months until it's once again: Welcome top equestrian sport at the Leipzig Trade Fair Centre from 19 to 22 January 2023.

Tickets for PARTNER PFERD are on sale at www.partner-pferd.de. Here you will also find a lot of further information about the event. Currently, the Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance no longer imposes any restrictions for events. Nevertheless, the wearing of a mask is recommended. 
You can find the current info here: https://www.partner-pferd.de/de/news/ihre-sicherheit-liegt-uns-am-herzen.