2004 CSIO Aachen

Mark van Dijck and Goliath Went for It and Lost

July 19, 2004

Belgian Show Jumping made history by winning the Nations' Cup in Aachen in 2001. This year, it looked like they would equal this grand fact by winning a the Grand Prix in Aachen. Belgian Marc van Dijck and Verelst Goliath was the first combination in the first round to ride a clear course. They repeated this brilliant ride in round two to the amazement of his own team members.

Van Dijck and Goliath, a Holsteiner gelding by Capitol, were very eager to win the title and decided to take much risk. Halfway the jump off course, the pair was already slower than Ahlmann on Coster, but they continued to ride a stunning, spectacular jump off, making a lethal mistake at the final jump.

Van Dijck tried to make his horse jump taking five strides instead of six between the two final jumps. The last oxer was far too heavy for Goliath to scope it with so little strides and the horse knocked down two rails in an attempt to clear it.

In the final ranking, Marc van Dijck and Goliath, who is owned by Stud Farm 't Schranshof, the duo placed in an honarable third position.

German Otto Becker was the fourth jump off rider as he he had no penalty points in the first two rounds. In the overall ranking, he placed fourth because Dobel's Cento, a huge Holsteiner stallion by Capitol, knocked down four rails and finished in 42.40 seconds.

Text and Photos by Astrid Appels of Eurodressage.com