NETHERLANDS, August 16, 2018 (News Wires) - A hundredth of a second: 39.89s vs. 39.90s. That was the difference between first and second place in this weekend's thrilling Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Valkenswaard in the Netherlands. But while the margin of victory was tiny, the win was a huge one for 25-year-old Dutch rider Frank Schuttert and the stallion Chianti's Champion against many of the top pairs in the world. "I am... speechless," Schuttert said after pulling off the upset victory, nevertheless finding a few words to describe what had happened at the Tops International Arena. "It is my first 5* Grand Prix win. I was waiting for this moment and in front of a Dutch crowd it is amazing, fantastic and a dream come true. It is amazing, I never expected it. I am not in a Global team (GCL) but maybe after today next year it would be nice!" This highlight video shows just how close Schuttert and German runner-up Marcus Ehning (on Cornado NRW) were in the marquee class, as the two horse-and-rider combinations race to the last fence in their respective jump-off rounds. Indeed, the side-by-side comparison at 3:56 is almost synchronized. "Frank is a lot taller than me and that's what [clinched] it!," joked Ehning. "My horse jumped amazing and so I was very happy with second place." The third spot on the podium went to another German star of the sport, Christian Ahlmann, with Tokyo, who also finished with no faults, but slower (41.01s). The prize money for the top three finishers in the Grand Prix was €99,000, €60,000 and €45,000, and Schuttert, ranked 116th in the world, leapt onto the podium and raised his arms before receiving his medal and being sprayed with champagne by Ahlmann and Ehning. In total, 11 pairs had made it into the tie-breaking jump-off at the Tops International Arena in front of a crowd which included Tour Founder and President Jan Tops. And just missing out on the podium were Belgian Niels Bruynseels and Cas de Liberté in fourth (with a clear round in 43.52s), while Canada's Eric Lamaze on Fine Lady 5 had the fastest time – 38.11s – but brushed down a pole to end with four faults in fifth place. "It's super exciting," Tops exclaimed after his compatriot's win at home. "The horses gave their best, and the conditions were the best. To win against an eleven horse jump-off and by just one hundredths of a second – you can't get closer! It's fantastic to see new, young people [in the LGCT Grand Prix]. To win against these riders is amazing, so I'm very happy and proud for him to have qualified for the Playoffs in Prague. It's nice to see someone further down the ranking who can still win a big bonus – he's an amazing athlete and he deserves it. Ben and Harrie have the advantage in the Championship, Ben has great placings and his horses are in fantastic shape, so he's the person to beat." Ben and Harrie are Great Britain's Ben Maher and the Netherlands' Harrie Smolders, who remain 1-2 in the LGCT rankings with two legs to go – Rome and Doha – followed by the inaugural Super Grand Prix at the playoffs in Prague, Czech Republic in December. That competition will feature a showdown between winners of individual Grand Prix thoughout the year, with Schuttert now among the contenders. Also taking place alongside the individual classes in Valkenswaard was the latest leg of the Global Champions League, where top riders from different countries unite to compete on 19 teams.
