Individual glory for Germany’s Andre Thieme and his lovely mare DSP Chakaria brought the Longines FEI Jumping European Championship 2021 to the perfect close at Riesenbeck (GER) today. On an afternoon of spectacular sport, the 46-year-old rider rose from overnight silver into gold medal position in the first of two final rounds. And, once there, he held on tight, pinning Friday’s team gold medallists, Switzerland’s Martin Fuchs and Leone Jei, into silver while Sweden’s Olympic team gold and individual silver medallist Peder Fredricson and Catch Me Not took bronze.

And the new champion wasn’t holding back. At a press conference filled with joy, relief, reflection and laughter, Thieme said, “I’m just as much in love with that horse as I am with my wife – and she accepts that!” before turning his attention to Fuchs.

The Swiss rider had teased him by calling Thieme “one of the happy ones!” when he met him yesterday in the aftermath of Friday’s team competition in which the hosts had to settle for silver. But the German rider pointed out that the result had been very close. “And he looked at me and said ‘did you really think you guys could beat us? He really said that!” Thieme said with a laugh, very pleased that today that he had managed to turn the tables on the 29-year-old defending champion who had to settle for runner-up spot this time around.

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