Women making CHIO Aachen history E questrian sport is unique. There are numerous reasons for it being so, such as the exceptional bond between human and animal, or the aesthetic and harmonious teamwork between rider and horse. But also because, in equestrian sport, men and women have always battled on a level playing field. They compete under the same, fair conditions to determine the horse and rider combination which masters the competition course best. In the course of history, women have fared better and better – at least with regard to the CHIO Aachen’s Rolex Grand Prix. Rich in tradition, the world’s most renowned competition has been held since 1927. While the prestigious event has been won 80 times by a man, only five women have ever placed first. Yet, three of these five female victories were secured only recently, over the past nine years. Janne Friederike Meyer with her horse “Lambrasco” was the most recent woman to triumph, in 2011. Her reaction as she realized her victory was unforgettable. Still high in the air over the final obstacle, she threw up her arms, letting out a jubilant shout. The first female winner ever in Aachen was Great Britain’s Liz Edgar with Forever in 1980. But women have always made history in Aachen, and already in the mid-1920s, a number of women participated when the show jumping, dressage and driving competitions made their home at the Soers. In the early years though, certain competitions, like the side-saddle group jumping event in 1928, were still gender separated. One of the most remarkable women was Alexis Baade who achieved several victories. A famous photograph shows her on her horse “Clemens” in 1930, when she placed second in the Valkyrie Prize, a women’s hunter competition, division B, sitting astride rather than side-saddle. Already back then, the natural obstacles on Aachen’s show grounds were trademarks of the show – as they still are today. Käthe Franke and Irmgard von Opel were also important protagonists of the early days, but in different ways. Though both were highly successful in equestrian sports, they chose different paths for their lives. The energetic and practical Franke, who was equally successful in all disciplines on horseback as well as in driving competitions, later became a renowned judge. The elegant von Opel and her grey “Nanuk”, who impressed the early 1930s’ horse show spectators, even beyond Aachen, was the first woman to win the German Derby in Hamburg, in 1934. In Aachen, she was highly successful in spread jumping and puissance competitions, jumping the famous “Great Wall”. She set her record at two metres, which in those days was an amazing height for an obstacle. AACHEN looking back 41
Rolex Grand Slam magazine - Number 2
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