“time has come”
Equestrian legend Ludger Beerbaum retires
07/02/2023 at 6:39 p.m
Ludger Beerbaum is one of the most successful riders in history, now he is ending his great career. The four-time Olympic champion announced his farewell to tens of thousands of people at the CHIO in Aachen.
Ludger Beerbaum announced the end of his equestrian sport career in Aachen. The four-time Olympic champion is the world’s most successful show jumper after Hans Günter Winkler, who died in 2018. The 59-year-old Beerbaum won, among other things, eight gold medals at world and European championships. Even during the CHIO in Aachen, Beerbaum wasn’t sure when to stop.
“Good question,” he told the German Press Agency: “I’ll ask myself that too.” At the age of 60, the show jumper said a few years ago that he no longer wanted to compete in tournaments. “But I didn’t sign it,” added Beerbaum with a smile – and now, according to his own statement, spontaneously decided to end his career.
“Wonderful Experiences”
“I can look back on a great time as a rider, I’ve traveled the whole world and had wonderful experiences,” said Beerbaum when saying goodbye: “Now the time has come to make room for the younger generation. It’s a pleasure for me, the most beautiful tournament in the world to take this step, which is not easy for me.” Beerbaum emphasized: “I would like to thank the Aachen audience from the bottom of my heart for the decades of support that I and my horses have received.” Among other things, he had won the Grand Prix of Aachen three times, most recently in 2003. His record of success also includes nine German championships.
“I will continue to devote my life to equestrian sport,” he announced: “I can’t be completely without horseback riding, because this was and is my purpose in life. That’s why I will continue to train horses and occasionally present them at tournaments on a small scale. ” He also trades horses and organizes tournaments.
At the Grand Prix on Sunday, in front of 40,000 spectators, he finished 25th with the mare Mila after a mistake at the water jump. Otherwise he hobbled across the terrain. At the beginning of March, the rider fell at the tournament in Doha and broke his leg. Beerbaum only made his comeback at the beginning of the month – only to end his career after all.