Final triumph for Taboulet Z in Leipzig

In a fairytale finish to his extraordinary career, the 18-year-old super-stallion Taloubet Z with his rider Christian Ahlmann took the honours in front of their home crowd at the tenth leg of the Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping 2017/2018 Western European League in Leipzig, Germany.
Last to go in a 15-horse jump-off, it seemed it would be almost too good to be true if they could beat the rest of the world-class field at a show where they enjoyed so many successes over the years. But they did it and, in his usual style, Taloubet made it look like a walk in the park one last time. 
The German duo defeated runners-up Colombia’s Carlos Lopez with Admara and Dutchman Harrie Smolders with Zinius.
There was hardly a dry eye in the house during the prize-giving ceremony: even Ahlmann, who is not normally one for big emotion, had his voice broken when he tried to talk about the horse that was such a prolific winner.
Taloubet Z will join his owner Judy-Ann Melchior in his birthplace Lanaken where he will continue his career of five star breeding stallion.
photo: Longines FEI World Cup™ Jumping Leipzig Winners Christian Ahlmann GER and Taloubet Z
Photo FEI/Daniel Kaiser
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