A double victory for Casino Royal Z in Opglabbeek

As well as the international competition at the Jumping Bonheiden equestrian centre, there was also another show jumping event on Belgian soil last weekend, hosted by the Meynaerts family at Sentower Park in Opglabbeek. There, too, it was another successful weekend for our blue and yellow colours, with the highlight being a fine double victory for the horse Casino Royal Z.

At Sentower Park too, the outdoor season drew to a close last weekend with a well-attended two-star show. The highlight of the weekend was the CSI2* Grand Prix, for which no fewer than 77 rider-horse pairs took to the arena. Seven of them managed to complete the course designed by Bart Hendrix and his team without any faults, thereby qualifying for the jump-off. The spotlight was on Irish rider Daniel Fitzgerald and the 16-year-old chestnut gelding Casino Royal Z, a son of Clintissimo Z and Goldstern who was born in Germany to breeder Johanna Aarnink. Fitzgerald and Casino Royal Z, who had already come out on top in the 1.40m class on Friday, raced to the finish line in this jump-off in 37.14 seconds, outclassing the competition and securing a fine one-two finish.

^Second place in this Grand Prix was also taken by a Z-horse, thanks to the Belgian rider Brecht Goossens and his 11-year-old stallion Alaska Z, a son of Asca Z and Utrillo Z from the stud farm of Nicky Dillien and Jean Jordens. Goossens and Alaska Z, who had already secured^fourth place in the Longines Ranking class on Friday, clocked a time of 37.41 seconds in the jump-off, though they did knock a bar off the course.

During that Longines Ranking Class on Friday, Goossens’ compatriot Michaël Vreys once again achieved a fine result with his 11-year-old home-bred mare Chica Bomb by Plockroy Z, a daughter of Comment van het Lindehof and Ogano Sitte. The pair, who had won this Longines Ranking class the week before, rode a neat clear round in both the first round and the jump-off, which earned them^third place this time round.

There were also a few blue-and-yellow victories to note in Opglabbeek, one of which was secured by Pieter Clemens with the 10-year-old gelding Garfield van de Berghoeve Z, a son of Golden Boy du Val du Geer and Crown Z, bred as a joint venture between Paul van den Bosch and Karel Cox. Clemens and Garfield van de Berghoeve Z were the winners of the second 1.40m class on Thursday, where, with a clear-round^second phase in 28.39 seconds, they were more than half a second ahead of the competition.

A second Z-class victory went to Alexander Housen and the 9-year-old gelding Famous Hh Z, a son of For Pleasure and Albesse who was born and reared at the Housen family’s home. Alexander Housen and Famous Hh Z also triumphed on Thursday, when they were crowned winners of the 1.35m class. On Saturday, they further cemented this performance by securing a^fourth place in another 1.35m class.

Furthermore, the 1.45m main class on Thursday proved particularly successful, with no fewer than two Z-class horses securing a place on the podium. The best result came from the Belgian rider Arnaud Doem and the 11-year-old stallion Flying Heureka Z, a breeding product of J.J. Remijnse and Luc Henry, who combined the bloodlines of For Pleasure with those of Verdi TN. A clear round in 62.34 seconds earned the pair a fine^2nd place.

^Third place in this class was taken by the Swedish rider Petronella Andersson and the 9-year-old mare All Minka van het Gerendal Z, a daughter of Agana van het Gerendal Z and Echo van ’t Spieveld, bred by the Verhey family. After a clear round, they stopped the clock at 62.58 seconds.

Just missing out on the podium was the Canadian rider Kimberly Martens Winsingh with the equally 9-year-old stallion Czarastro Vd Holsteinerheove Z (Canturano I x Cassaro Z), bred by Beauty BVBA. They crossed the finish line in this speed class in 63.22 seconds. Martens Winsingh also enjoyed success in Opglabbeek with the 11-year-old gelding Coridor JT Z (Cornet Obolensky x Zandor Z), where the letters JT refer to Johan Thijs’s stud farm. Martens Winsingh and Coridor JT Z made their mark for the first time on Friday with a^6th place in the 1.40m class, whilst on Saturday they secured^3rd place.

With two placings, it was also a successful weekend for the American rider Madison Wu and the 11-year-old mare Corona Z, a daughter of Comilfo Plus Z and Calvaro Z who was bred in the Netherlands by Huub Janssen. In both the 1.40m class on Thursday and the one on Sunday, Wu and Corona Z jumped their way to a fine^4th place.

Last but not least, Brecht Goossens made his mark with the 8-year-old grey mare Caliente Panama Vdk Z ( Cornet Obolensky x Darco), a breeding product of Herman Goedhuys. Among other events, they competed in the 1.40m class on Thursday, where they secured^second place after two clear rounds.