18 Feb Hansi Dreher is the new ‘Rider of the Year’
(Neumünster) “I’m super proud, I’m obviously not the youngest anymore, so it’s about time I won this,” said a visibly happy Hans-Dieter Dreher in the press conference afterwards. It was the first title win in Germany’s most prestigious show jumping series for the experienced show jumper and multiple World Cup winner from South Baden. He scored a total of 45 points from three stage starts last year. Second place in today’s eighth and final rating competition of the BEMER Riders Tour at the VR CLASSICS Neumünster earned him a further 17 points. His closest rival, Patrick Stühlmeyer, missed the second round with Drako de Maugre, but was able to maintain second place in the ranking. It was a similar story for the third man in the top trio, Michael Viehweg, who completed the podium in the 2023/24 season finale of the BEMER Riders Tour.
Dreher had originally wanted to ride his proven BEMER Riders Tour partner Vestmalle des Cotis in the Grand Prix on Sunday, as he had already won the Münster and Wiener Neustadt rounds with him this season. But the Selle Francais gelding was not so keen on the Holstenhallen arena, so Dreher quickly switched to his second top horse Cous Cous. The grey Holstein gelding by Cachas did not let his rider down and jumped two clear rounds. Only Philip Rüping (Mühlen) was faster in the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken Grand Prix, an international world-ranking jumping competition over 1.55m with rounds, winning the eighth rating competition with the stallion Baloutaire PS, bred and owned by Paul Schockemöhle. Hilmar Meyer (Morsum) was delighted with third place, his biggest success to date at the VR CLASSICS Neumünster.
Strong season for Stühlmeyer and Viehweg
Patrick Stühlmeyer (Steinfeld) was delighted to finish second on the BEMER Riders Tour podium: “The last bit of luck was missing today, but my horse Drako de Maugre had a great season, we won the Grand Prix in Hagen and came third in Münster. In any case, I’m super happy!” The stage winner at Donaueschingen Immenhöfe, Michael Viehweg, is travelling back to Bavaria with third place in the BEMER Riders Tour: “This is something very special for me, I have never previously participated in the Riders Tour and was very happy that I had already placed in the Grand Prix in Hagen last year. Contario jumped brilliantly there and continued to do so over the other stages, I’m very happy with him.”
Dreher rightly won
Riders Tour Managing Director Paul Schockemöhle was pleased with the 22nd Tour season and did not forget to congratulate the new ‘Rider of the Year’: “That was a great success today. Hansi’s victory in Münster was worth the whole season, he always rode well, did a top job and absolutely deserved to win. Overall, the BEMER Riders Tour has been very well received this year and especially today’s final in front of this audience. A very knowledgeable audience that stayed seated until the prize-giving ceremony. That’s really great!”
Alexander Durban, Equestrian Consultant for BEMER Int. AG, also praised the final in front of a full house, which was also the last leg for the title sponsor from Lichtenstein: “We are grateful that the Riders Tour has offered BEMER a platform to establish itself strongly in equestrian sport. It was only through the Riders Tour that BEMER was able to achieve this high level of awareness in the predominantly German market. It is therefore only normal that now our next step and further marketing strategy is to enter the international market and drive forward internationalisation. After eight great and trusting years, our journey together ends with this finale.”
The two Riders Tour organisers and initiators Ulli Kasselmann and Paul Schockemöhle thanked BEMER Int. AG for eight years of partnership: “It has been a lot of fun to work with such an innovative and strong partner who has been positively involved at every stage. The Riders Tour is currently still in talks with potential new partners. We can’t say anything about that yet, but we are confident about the future. Sport at a high level is always a process, not something that cannot be changed. Our goal of facilitating good sport remains our top priority.”
Photo: ‘Rider of the Year’ podium:Patrick Stühlmeyer, Hans-Dieter Dreher (winner) and Michael Viehweg (c) Stefan Lafrentz
Stages of the BEMER Riders Tour 2023/24
Horses & Dreams meets Sweden, Hagen a.T.W. / GER, 19. – 23. April 2023
Pferd International, München-Riem / GER, 18. – 21. Mai 2023
CSI Ommen, Ommen / NED, 06. – 09. Juli 2023
Fest der Pferde, Donaueschingen-Immenhöfe / GER, 27. – 30. Juli 2023
Turnier der Sieger, Münster / GER, 24. – 27. August 2023
CSI Lier Azelhof Horse Events, Lier / BEL, 31. August – 03. September 2023
CSI Arena Nova, Wiener Neustadt / AUT, 05. – 08. Oktober 2023
VR CLASSICS, Neumünster / GER, 15. – 18. Februar 2024