Today Hippomundo invites you to look back at one of the most prestigious Grand Prix events in international show jumping. Ten years ago, in July 2016, the CHIO Aachen brought together the best riders and horses in the world for the Grand Prix. Just weeks before the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the event was seen as an important benchmark for the world elite.
The home victory of Philipp Weishaupt and L.B. Convall
The Grand Prix of Aachen 2016 ended with a German triumph. Philipp Weishaupt secured victory with the Holsteiner stallion L.B. Convall (by Colman) ahead of Scott Brash and Ursula XII and Sergio Alvarez Moya with Carlo 273.
For Weishaupt and L.B. Convall it was one of the greatest successes of their partnership. The gray stallion confirmed his exceptional quality at the highest level in the following years. In 2017 the pair won the Aachen Nations Cup and the Grand Prix of Spruce Meadows in Calgary. They remained among the world’s best in 2018, finishing ninth in the Aachen Grand Prix over 1.70m. Since 2018 L.B. Convall has not been active in international sport.
A podium full of world-class competitors
The other two podium places were also occupied by absolute top athletes.
Scott Brash and the then 15-year-old Ursula XII continued their successful career after Aachen. In 2016 the pair won the Grand Prix of Spruce Meadows, with further highlights to follow. Notable among these were the Grand Prix of Doha victory in 2017 and the Global Champions Tour Grand Prix win in Mexico City in 2018. Shortly afterward the mare retired from top-level sport.
Third-placed Carlo 273 with Sergio Alvarez Moya also continued to succeed at the highest level. In the same year the pair won a qualifier at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. In 2017 they achieved further international wins on the Global Champions Tour in Berlin and Estoril. Carlo 273 has also not been active internationally since 2018.
| place 2016 | Rider | Horse | biggest victory after Aachen 2016 | last active |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philipp Weishaupt | L.B. Convall | GP Calgary 2017, Nationenpreis Aachen 2017 | 2018 |
| 2 | Scott Brash | Ursula XII | GP Doha 2017, GCT GP Mexiko-Stadt 2018 | 2018 |
| 3 | Sergio Alvarez Moya | Carlo 273 | Olympische Spiele Rio 2016, GCT-Siege 2017 | 2018 |
| 4 | Marcus Ehning | Pret A Tout | GP Aachen 2018, WEG-Bronze 2018, WC Madrid 2019 | 2021 |
| 5 | Tiffany Foster | Tripple X III | Nationenpreis-Finale Barcelona 2017 | 2018 |
Future Aachen winners
Just off the podium, Marcus Ehning rode Pret A Tout to fourth place. The French stallion remained successful at top level for several more years and even won the Aachen Grand Prix in 2018. He was also part of the German team at the World Equestrian Games in Tryon, where Germany won bronze. His last international start at 1.60m level dates from 2021.
In fifth place was Tiffany Foster with the AES stallion Tripple X III. The pair enjoyed further significant successes after Aachen, including a victory in the first qualifier of the Nations Cup Final in Barcelona in 2017. Tripple X III had already celebrated major Nations Cup successes with Tiffany Foster and established himself as one of Canada’s most successful horses. The stallion has not competed internationally since 2018.
Five riders return ten years later
While the horses of that time have long since secured their places in the sport’s history, several of their riders returned to Aachen ten years later.
At the Rolex Grand Prix 2026, Philipp Weishaupt, Scott Brash, Marcus Ehning, Daniel Deusser and McLain Ward — five riders from the top 10 of 2016 — were again in the starting field. This underscores not only the remarkable longevity of their careers but also the special significance of CHIO Aachen for the international show-jumping elite.
The 2026 victory went to Richard Vogel with United Touch S ahead of José Maria Larocca Jr. and Sophie Hinners. Once again, Aachen bridges the generations of the sport.
As we look back on ten years of great stories, our gaze now turns forward: in high summer Aachen will once more become the centre of the equestrian world when the World Championships bring the best riders and horses to the Soers.
