Last year, leading German showjumper Christian Ahlmann suffered a fall from his horse Solid Gold Z that he thought could bring his illustrious career to a devastating end.
“I remember lying there, thinking, ‘This could be it’,” he says. “All I could hope was that we would survive.”
The pair were competing in a 1.55m class during the Longines Global Champions Tour (LGCT) of Mexico City in May 2023 when the accident happened at an oxer, with the pair landing steeply and crashing to the ground.
“My horse Solid jumped clear until this fence,” reveals Christian in episode two of LGCT series Rising Above, this segment entitled Bouncing Back, “which reveals his harrowing fall in Mexico City and his triumphant return to the pinnacle of the sport, showcasing the raw power of determination and the unbreakable spirit of a champion.”
“I remember the accident only in vivid flashes,” he says.
Christian Ahlmann: “My hand was not in the right place – I was in shock”
The Olympic medallist says it felt as though time stood still but then he felt the severe pain in his neck, head and arm.
“When I saw my hand it was not in the right place anymore. I was totally in shock,” he recalls.
“Miraculously” the then 12-year-old Stakkato Gold stallion was led away unharmed but Christian was found to have broken his arm and was operated on in Mexico.
“People who have been on top for a while may think they are invincible but life is unpredictable, anything can happen,” he says.
A triumphant return to five-star showjumping
After six weeks of recovery, Christian returned to the saddle, competing in some lower level competitions initally. He made his return to five-star competition at the Paris leg of the LGCT just two months after the fall.
In an extraordinary weekend for the German rider, he ended up winning Saturday’s grand prix after a thrilling seven-way jump-off, having teamed up with his consistent performer, the scopey Mandato Van De Neerheide, who he’s had since a six-year-old.
“It is difficult to explain, the last time I left the Global Tour it was a little different, with one arm in the wrong direction,” said Christian after his victory. “I am really, really happy to be back in the sport. This is the first time I am back in the ‘real sport’, let’s say, and to finish it with a win here, it’s unbelievable.”
As commentator Frederik De Backer sums up, Christian’s remarkable recovery came “from the abyss to the highest peak”.
“If you’re going through the worst period of your life, don’t lose faith,” he says. “Keep fighting, believe in yourself.”
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