Release date: 03/06/2011 |    

While many top listed riders set for the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Germany (Saturday 13.h40) elected to rest their horses, some took the opportunity to watch or ride in the qualfication event for the Hamburg Derby (Sunday 14h10)

There was a strong British and German tussle today, Friday 3^rd June, in the Spring Derby qualification class.  The British conquered taking the best two placings. Michael Whitaker took the win on Animations II clear in a time of 98.98,  bettering the time of his British compatriot Guy Williams who had earlier jumped clean in 99.57 seconds.

Brits Michael Whitaker and Guy Williams are well versed in this type of event and provided a great display of diligent riding over the ditches and down the banks.

There are only a small number of very good Derby tracks to compete over and Hamburg is one of the best.   The course was tough enough as a lead in to the big Hamburg Derby on Sunday as 10 combinations were eliminated.

Venezuelan Pablo Barrios led for some time before Guy’s round.  He finally slipped into third position dividing the British and Germans and was one of the only 7 clear rounds of the 45 starters.

German riders Rasmus Luneburg, Jorg Naeve, Carsten-Otto Nagel and Mario Stevens held the next four placings.

Michael Whitaker is certainly in form here in Hamburg.  In the prior days Mercedes-Benz Championate, Michael jumped clean first round and one unlucky fence down in the jump-off with a tidy time to place 7^th with G I G Amai (pictured above).  He also ran 5^th in the Massimo Dutti Trophy today riding Ingliston Twister.

Photo Credit; Stefano Grasso/GCT