Interview with Daniel Deußer, who wants to win the second Rolex Grand Prix in a row in Geneva at the weekend –
From December 9th to 12th, the show jumping world will be looking at the CHI Geneva, the final stage of the Rolex Grand Slam for this year. Also there: Aachen winner Daniel Deußer, who has the chance to win an impressive Christmas bonus of 500,000 euros in addition to the actual prize money at the weekend if he should win the second Rolex Grand Prix in a row. He talked about this and more in an interview.
What have you been doing since winning the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHIO Aachen in September?
I was very busy in the first few weeks after winning the Rolex CHIO Aachen Grand Prix. It is something very special to win and very different from any other Grand Prix. Lots of people wanted to do interviews and photo shoots with me, I really enjoyed the whole experience. But unfortunately the horses don’t know that I’ve won one of the best grands prix in the world, so we were quickly brought back down to earth.
To win as a German at the CHIO Aachen, war tariff. Aachen is something very special to me, and the audience fully supports you. When you come to the Soers, it’s very loud, but the moment the bell rings, it’s quiet in the stadium – that’s a very special feeling.
You are the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping Live Contender – what is your strategy in the run-up to the CHI Geneva?
I will definitely compete in the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHI Geneva with Killer Queen VDM. She is my best horse right now, but I wouldn’t say she is a traditional indoor horse. But she jumped in the Grand Prix of the CHI Geneva two years ago, she also knows the place. At the beginning of the week of the CHI Geneva I will jump her in a test and see how she feels, and then decide whether she needs to jump in a bigger test before the Rolex Grand Prix. I make my decisions based on how they feel while preparing for the exam.
Which other horses will you take with you to the CHI Geneva and which of your young horses are you particularly looking forward to?
I haven’t quite made up my mind yet. Tobago Z had a little break in the summer since he was injured, but he came back for a couple of tournaments. He didn’t jump in the biggest tests in the summer, so I’m going to take him to a tournament this weekend and see how he feels in a bigger test and then decide whether to take him to Geneva. He will go as either my second or third horse, I’ll see that after this week.
I have two really good young horses – both are very promising for the future. One is a nine year old named Mr. Jones, whom we bought two years ago when we were seven. We have very high hopes for him for the next few years. However, due to COVID-19, he lost a year of experience. Since he has not played very many tournaments, he is a very green nine year old.
The second horse is called In Time, and I have never ridden this horse in a tournament myself. One of our Stephex riders presented him in the youngster tests. He’s only eight years old, but I think maybe I’ll take him to Geneva. I would like to gain experience with him and let us get to know each other. I think he has a lot of potential.
The course at the CHI Geneva is very different from the CHIO Aachen, how do you prepare for it?
I haven’t changed anything specifically, but of course we train different distances and lines in the indoor season than in the outdoor season. In the indoor season, for example, you see a lot of distances with three and four gallop jumps, the man outside in a large stadium like Aachen rarely sees. This is something that needs to be trained, but in general most of our horses are well trained and old enough with enough experience that you can do this once or twice before the indoor season and that is enough. It’s more of a fitness program and they only see the big obstacles during tournaments.
You have a great team behind you, how important is that to achieve great success?
You cannot be successful without a good team. You need a good team, one with a resistance, one that takes care of the horses at home and in the office. To be successful when I’m out and about almost every weekend, you have to have a large team of people and horses around you who all fit together and work together. The sport today is so complex and tight, and I travel so much that my team at home is just as important as the athlete in the saddle.
Sean Lynch is my main carer and has been with me for about seven years. I trust him one hundred percent, which is very important when he is out and about with our top horses. He takes care of everything that has to do with horses and he is a very important person in my career. Without him my success would be impossible. He loves the horses, it can be a 24 hour job and if something happens to one of them he is there for them and is so devoted to them.
What are your plans, dreams and ambitions for 2022?
As a live contender, I hope to win the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHI Geneva and then I can try to win the Rolex Grand Slam of Show Jumping. Even if I don’t win in Geneva, I’ll try to win a Rolex Grand Prix next year. next to by Scott [Brash] hasn’t won two or three in a row so this is definitely a goal for the next few years.
Was was the proudest moment of your career so far?
Victory in the Rolex Grand Prix at the CHIO Aachen was of course a goal that I have been pursuing for many years, actually since my childhood. The victory in the World Cup final with my former horse Cornet d’Amour is very close to this success. He was the horse that brought me to the international stage. With him I had my first championship experiences and successes. It’s a moment that I put on a par with winning the Rolex Grand Prix.
Just like tennis and golf, show jumping also has its own Grand Slam. Which of the other big sports do you enjoy watching, and which is your favorite and why?
I’m a very sporty person, that’s why I like to watch every sport. Besides show jumping, my three favorite sports are tennis, football and Formula 1. It is very difficult for me to choose just one sport that I enjoy watching most. I don’t really have a favorite football team, but a few years ago my friend got me excited about Borussia Dortmund. I’ve seen them a couple of times when they played in the Champions League. The atmosphere there is amazing and it’s a great sport.
Who has inspired you the most in your career? Is there a rider you adore?
When I went to the big tournaments as a kid to see the best show jumpers in the world, there were only two combinations that I really enjoyed seeing. One war John Whitaker and Milton, the other war Franke Sloothaak and Waltz King. A few years later I was lucky enough to be able to work for Franke Sloothaak for four and a half years, with whom I am still in contact. Even though he lives far away from me, he is still a support to me and gives me advice on the phone. He watches all of my laps and I have to admit that he has played a huge part in my success.
What is keeping you motivated and hungry for success?
There is just something in me that likes to go a step further and likes to win. As show jumpers, we take part in many tournaments. As a rule, there are many starters in the tests, but only one winner at a time. You don’t always win either, a second or third place is not a drama. But if you don’t win, you always think back to the round and wonder what could have been done better. Even if you don’t always win, the motivation is always there on a Monday morning. I learn from it what could have gone better and see each tournament as a new experience, so I do better at the next.
What’s the best advice YOU have ever received?
First of all, you need experience. When you’re young, you can’t be at your best; you have to grow up and learn from your experiences. I think the most important thing is patience. That was something I got from Franke [Sloothaak] have learned. He was very calm and relaxed on the horse, even if the horse was very difficult during the week. He was very patient with him and they always jumped well at the tournaments. If you are too young and too motivated it can get very difficult. I think it is very important to be patient and learn from past mistakes. You have to get the basics right, both for yourself as a rider and for your horse, to be successful.
If you were stranded on a single island, what three things would you take with you?
If I left my house without my phone, my watch, and my wallet, I would be very incomplete – so I say these three things.