June 26th 1999

Cruising and Coyle take the Aachen Grand Prix

By Michael Slavin

IN terms of prestige and difficulty, there is no greater Grand Prix in the world than that of the Aachen CSIO in Germany.

Only the greatest horses and riders have won it down the years. Now added to that list of greats is the Irish combination of Trevor Coyle and Mary McCann's stallion Cruising.

On Sunday last, before a packed Aachen stadium, Trevor and Cruising produced the only treble clear of the 37-starter competition to win handily ahead of the world's leading contenders, which included European, World and Olympic champions.

Picking up faults over the first two rounds were the likes of Rodrigo Pessoa, Michael and John Whitaker, Franke Sloothaak, Willi Melliger, Nick Skelton, of Kerrygold Grand Prix winner Hopes Are High, and Ludger Beerbaum, who was retiring the great Ratina Z at this show.

In the first round, Trevor had one of five clears along with Anne Kursinski of the USA on her Olympic team silver medallist Eros; Beerbaum on Ratina; Peter Geerink of Holland on Heartbreaker and Rolf Bengtsson of Sweden on Roots. Beerbaum went out in the second round to be fifth, leaving just four to go against the clock.

In the jump-off, Bengtsson had one down. Second to go, Trevor and Cruising went beautifully, clear once more in a fast 42.35. Anne Kursinski, who was in line for a $600,000 Pulsar Grand Slam bonus if she won, set out to catch the flying Irishman, but her hopes were dashed at the second last. She placed second on four faults in the faster time of 42.21.

When Peter Geerink knocked two it was all over - Trevor was the winner of DM100,000 for first, plus a $25,000 Pulsar bonus. He can now aim at the $600,000 if he wins the next Pulsar leg in Valkenswaard, Holland. If he wins there as well he will then get a shot at the big money of $1.75m in Monterrey next autumn.

Trevor was full of praise for Cruising. "He jumped those two big first rounds with ease and was full of jumping against the clock. While he was going on, lesser horses were tiring and biting the dust."

This is a superb achievement for this Irish rider and this great Irish stallion. It boosts Trevor into the top 10 in the world for the first time and leaves Cruising as the highest ranked stallion in the world. It all augurs well for the Europeans this year and the Olympics in Sydney next year.

In the Nations Cup in Aachen, Cruising jumped two fours over a course that yielded only one double clear. The Irish team of Coyle, Peter Charles, Jessica Kurten and Eddie Macken made the cut into the second round and finished a respectable sixth out of 10 teams.

Ireland's other win at the show came from Capt. John Ledingham on Millstreet Ruby. This mare also finished fourth overall in the speed rankings at the show.