ride | Mannheim: Maimarkt Championship: European champion Thieme looks forward to the Nations Cup at home

On Sunday, ten teams will compete to win the Nations Cup at Mannheim Maymarket (Live on SWR TV). The German jump team includes European singles champion Andre Thiem.

Blue skies, bright sunshine and temperatures almost summer: conditions in Mannheim are reminiscent of Florida. Andre Thiem returned from there only four weeks ago. His horses and rider stayed in the United States for much longer. “It was very cold in Germany because of the temperatures,” André Thieme says in an interview with SWR Sport. The horses were able to rejuvenate a little in the warmth, go to the ring a lot, and Thieme himself was able to enjoy his time with his family. He has been in the USA for training and tournaments for ten weeks.

He now feels at home in Mannheim, he says. The 47-year-old laughs a lot and looks relaxed and is especially looking forward to the Nations Cup on Sunday. “I struggled a bit to be allowed to ride here,” he says. Because the Nations Cup in front of a home crowd is something very special for him. “I am very happy that Mannheim managed to win the Nations Cup for the second time in Germany.” So far, only one country has been allowed to host one Nations Cup, but the FEI changed that this year.

Thieme’s greatest success: singles European champion at Riesenbeck

Andre Thiem is one of the stars in Mannheim. After the somewhat disappointing Olympics in Tokyo, he excelled at the European Championships in Risenbeek. as an EM . student Singles European Champion And I can’t believe it. “I don’t know either, all of a sudden it just happened and we didn’t really get it,” He then said in disbelief in the interview. He smiles and shakes his head. But that’s not all: he won the silver with the German team – Tim and Chakaria made two clear runs.

Andre Thiem and Marie DSP Chakaria, the most successful duo of the 2021 Nations Cup

The Nations Cup is for the 47-year-old anyway. Last year, Andre Thiem ran a total of seven rounds without a hitch, just like Belgium’s Jerome Guerre – they shared the ‘Mr Nations Cup’ title. This is what the Swiss equine magazine “PferdeWoche” discovered. Each year the Nations Cup ranking is generated with different statistics. Another says: Thiemes mare DSP Chakaria was the most successful horse in the Nations Cup in 2021. Thieme made six of his seven clear runs with her.

In the Nations Cup in Mannheim Thiem rides his 11-year-old Oldenburg Konako. “He just deserved it. He’s constantly jumping around and he’s a loyal soul,” he says enthusiastically and wishes two clear rounds on Sunday, but above all to finish first with the team. Thieme will be the German team’s bottom rider. 2021 German Champion Kendra Brinkop will start. “Rider of the Year” Patrick Stollmayer starts second, and third contestant is Sophie Heiners. “In the end the four will be zero and we end up at the top,” team boss Marcus Doering hopes.

The second spotlight: Badenya as a qualification for the World Cup and the European Championship

The Nations Cup is not the highlight of the jumpers in Mannheim. The second is followed on Tuesday with “Badnia”. The international vaulting competition traditionally marks the end of the Maimarkt Championship. This year it is a qualifying test for the World Championships in Herning 2022 and the European Championships in Milan 2023. An important test – perhaps Andre Thiem plans with Shakaria here.

After his time in the United States, he wants to build the Mustang carefully. “But it’s definitely full of energy,” he says. The big goal for this year is clear: “The World Cup! But we also know that a lot has to be done right until then.”

Source: sportschau.de