The CHIO Aachen 2023 kicks off with the vaulters in the Prize of Sparkasse. After the first competitions Germany heads the field in all three classifications.

The compulsory and technical tests were on the agenda for the ladies and the men today. The concluding and decisive competition, the freestyle, will take place on Saturday.

In the men’s classification, it looks like Thomas Brüsewitz may be on the way to his fifth overall victory. The 29-year-old from Cologne was unbeaten from 2016 until 2019. Today, lunged by Alexandra Knauf, he vaulted into the lead on Formel 1 D.C. with a score of 8.593. He won the compulsory test, but only came second in the technical test behind the Vice World Champion of 2022, the French vaulter, Quentin Jabet on Ronaldo (Lunger: Andrea Boe). Finishing only ninth in the compulsory test, the latter did however demonstrate how good he is in the technical test. His interim overall score is 8.328. So, the freestyle promises  to be exciting – Jannik Heiland, who is currently lying in third place, also still has high hopes of one of the top placings. Heiland came to Aachen as winner of the World Cup, he came second in the compulsory test as well as fourth in the technical test and is close at Jabet’s heels on a score of 8.309. He brought his long-standing, highly successful horse Dark Beluga FRH and his lunger Barbara Rosiny with him.

The top trio of the Ladies is proving that vaulting is a family affair. The current World Cup leader, Kathrin Meyer, who also came fourth at the World Championships, is presently in the lead. At her side: The Oldenburg-bred San Classico S and her mother, Sonja Meyer. The 22-year-old came second in the compulsory test with a score of 8.353. Lunged by her father Volker Roß, her fellow countrywoman, Alina Roß, is close at Kathrin Meyer’s heels. In the technical test, Roß made a few unfortunate mistakes and thus only finished fourth on an overall interim score of 8.153. So, it also promises to be an exciting freestyle here too! A further mother and daughter team is currently lying in third place: Lunged by her mother Katja, Julia Sophie Wagner vaulted to a score of 8.092 on Giovanni. She came third in both competitions.

In the Group classification, Team Norka VV Köln Dünnwald won the compulsory test on Calidor, lunged by Ines Nawroth. They are the overnight leaders on a score of 7.651, ahead of VV Ingelsberg with Fider Rock, lunged by Alexander Hartl. The Swiss team Lütisburg with Acardi van de Kapel (Lunger: Monika Winkler-Bischofsberger) is presently third on a score of 7.506. The final decision in the Group classification will also fall on Saturday after the freestyle competition.