In the jumping saddle to the top of the world: Max Kühner on the road to success
Created: 01/01/2022, 12:01 PM
From: Laura Forster
“Sport horses must have enjoyed presenting themselves”: Show jumper Max Kühner, here on the 14-year-old stallion Chardonnay, is at tournaments in Europe and around the world around 40 weekends a year.
© Max Kühner
2021 was his year: Despite a few setbacks, show jumper Max Kühner from Hadorf managed to be among the top ten of the world's best for the first time for a longer period of time.
Its soaring should not end in 2022 either.
Hadorf - London, Geneva, Madrid and Prague.
What sounds like a tourist city trip across Europe is the tournament route of show jumper Max Kühner last month.
Born in Munich, he spends around 40 weekends on the world's riding arenas - always with him: his top horses.
"2021 was very successful in terms of sport," said Kühner in an interview with Starnberger Merkur.
"Right from the start we were able to win the Rolex Grand Prix in 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands." The tournament, endowed with 700,000 euros, is the opening competition of four of the most prestigious equestrian events in the world.
“It's similar to the Grand Slam in tennis.
A dream came true with the win, ”says Kühner.
Starnberg show jumper wins Rolex Grand Prix - Max Kühner more successful than ever
The series of successes for the 47-year-old Hadorfer continued in mid-September. On the sacred lawn in Aachen, Kühner secured first place at the European Prize (we reported). Jump height: 1.60 meters. "That was of course something very special and the highlight of the year," says the rider. "At a German event, the feedback is even greater." Another breakthrough: Thanks to the many successes, the 47-year-old made it into the top ten of the world jumping rankings for the first time. For a while he even took eighth place.
In addition to the many glossy moments this year, there were also a few downsides. While the attention was drawn to equestrian sport this summer with the Olympic gold medals of dressage rider Jessica von Bredow-Werndl and eventing rider Julia Krajewski, Kühner could only watch the most important competition on television. "Unfortunately, I broke my shoulder during the qualifying phase for the Olympics," says Kühner, who has been racing for Austria since 2015. “That is difficult to process. I would have loved to have been there, but I'm used to the fact that not everything always works out as I had hoped. ”Only recently had Kühner been strong again. At the last stop of the Grand Slam in Geneva at the beginning of December, he was missing the last bit of luck. The 47-year-old delivered two clear rounds,in the jump-off he was only 68 hundredths short of victory. “That was a gallop that I did too much. I could have made history if I had won two big prizes. ”In the end, Kühner came in third.“ Also a great result that I'm very happy about. ”
A dream comes true: at the end of April Max Kühner won the Rolex Grand Prix in 's-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.
© Max Kühner
Those who have been at Kühner's side all the time during the ups and downs of the past year and have contributed a large part to his success are his horses.
Above all his current top horse, Elektric Blue P, a ten-year-old DSP gelding.
Kühner discovered “Blue” as a two-year-old stallion at an auction.
“He laughed at me straight away.
I saw a jump and I knew: I'll be up there with it. ”Kühner has been successfully presenting the bay horse at international tournaments for around four years.
“When we drive off with the truck, I put the rope over his neck and he goes up the ramp voluntarily.
Sport horses must have enjoyed presenting themselves - that is what 'Blue' has. "
Show jumper Max Kühner wants to expand the facility in Starnberg - building committee against it
In addition to Elektric Blue P, there are 19 other competition horses on Kühner's facility in Hadorf.
Eleven years ago, the show jumper moved from the north-west of Munich to the Starnberg district.
“I feel good here,” says Kühner.
He would like to expand the farm as there are few training opportunities for ambitious show jumpers in the area.
The Starnberg building committee rejected the project a year and a half ago (we reported).
The planned expansion of the riding facility would lead to a massive change in the landscape.
Kühner is currently enjoying the rare days off at home with his family - who share a love for horses with him.
“My wife Liv is a dressage rider.” And his daughters Jolie (12) and Grace (9) are already successful in show jumping.
“That makes me proud,” he says.
It will be a few more years before Maxie (1) grows into riding boots.
While the show jumper is at competitions, his wife Liv holds the position at home in Hadorf with their daughters Jolie (12), Grace (9) and Maxie (1).
The Dane is a successful dressage rider herself.
© Max Kühner
Max Kühner can still remember his beginnings as a show jumper.
It was more by chance that he discovered his passion for this sport as a young boy.
During a winter holiday in Kitzbühel, he took riding lessons for the first time in school due to the poor snow conditions.
From then on, the horses never let go of him, but he nevertheless completed a degree in business administration and founded the companies MK Sporthorses and Trailers and LeaseForce AG.
The tournament season starts again at the beginning of January.
“I have my first start in Basel,” says Kühner.
His goal for the coming year: a medal at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark.
The odds are more than good.
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