Memorable winners of the CHIO Grand Prix in Aachen
All of the winners of the Grand Prix of Aachen, awarded annually at the CHIO World Equestrian Festival, have achieved greatness. However, some stand out due to their personalities, number of titles or how they won them.
Hans Günter Winkler and Piero d'Inzeo
These two riders won the Grand Prix of Aachen a total of seven times between them. Germany's Hans Günter Winkler (left), took the title three times (1954, 1957, 1969). His Italian counterpart, Piero D'Inzeo (right) did even better, coming out on top of at the world's most prestigious equestrian event four times (1952, 1959, 1961, 1965).
Nick Skelton
The only other rider to win the Grand Prix of Aachen four times is Britain's Nick Skelton. There was a 25-year gap between his third title (1988) and his fourth title (2013). In 2000 he fell off his horse and broke his neck in two places, which forced him to retire from the sport. However, after he had recovered, he took up the sport again in 2002 - against the advice of his doctors.
Fritz Thiedemann
Apart from Hans Günter Winkler, Fritz Thiedemann was Germany's most successful rider of the post-war era. His best horse was Meteor, which was previously an agricultural work horse, with which he won the 1955 Grand Prix. He won the 1951 and 1953 events with other horses.
Alwin Schockemöhle
Alwin Schockemöhle also won the Grand Prix three times on three different horses (1962, 1968 and1969). After retiring from riding, Schockemöhle became a successful coach, guiding Thomas Frühmann, Gert Wiltfang and Franke Sloothaak to Grand Prix titles. He was inducted into the German Sports Hall of Fame in 2016.
Paul Schockemöhle
Alwin Schockemöhle's younger brother Paul followed in his footsteps, winning the Grand Prix of Aachen in 1974, 1979 and 1984. Following his career, Paul Schockemöhle got into breeding. Among his horses is the former wonder-stallion Totilas.
Nelson Pessoa
Apart from his seven wins in the Deutsches Derby in Hamburg, Nelson Pessoa also won the Grand Prix of Aachen twice. In 1964, the Brazilian became the first South American to win the award. In 1972 he added a second Aachen title to trophy case. In 1994, his son Rodrigo followed in his footsteps by also winning the Grand Prix.
Ludger Beerbaum
Germany's most successful rider in recent years was Ludger Beerbaum, who won the Grand Prix three times, including consecutive titles in 2002 and 2003. In 1996, he won with his Ratina Z, his best horse, which was considered one of the most successful of all time.
Jean-Claude Van Geenberghe
Competing for his native Belgium, Jean-Claude Van Geenberghe, won the Grand Prix in 1993 and 1995. He later acquired Ukrainian citizenship and competed for that country. He died during an equestrian event in Donetsk in 2009, but the cause of death remains a mystery. He dismounted with chest pains and was given painkillers and told to take rest. He died shortly afterwards - at the age of 46.
Janne Friederike Meyer
Janne Friederike Meyer became the fifth woman to win the Grand Prix of Aachen in 2011. But few riders of any gender ever finished with quite such a flourish. Just 30 years old at the time, Meyer confidently raised her arms above her head during the last jump. She landed without her hands on the reins. Her gelding Cellagon Lambrasco then carried her in a gallop across the line to claim her prize.
Scott Brash
Scott Brash managed not only to win the 2015 Grand Prix of Aachen, but also a sponsor's jackpot from Rolex, who flock to all manner of sports that rely on clocks and timing. The Scot had already won the previous event in Geneva - making him the first rider ever to win two "Rolex Grand Slams" in a row. His bonus reward, on top of the normal prize money? A cool half a million euros.
Philipp Weishaupt
Nobody had bet on this one. Philipp Weishaupt and Convall barely qualified for the 40-rider field in the 2016 Grand Prix. As a result, they were the first ride. Yet 39 more competitors followed and none could top Weishaupt's score - with just two penalty points incurred because of taking too much time. It was a decent weekend for Weishaupt - he'd successfully proposed to his partner a day earlier.