Captain Morgan Weering Z helps Italy win the Longines EEF Series in Budapest

With the atmospheric Budapest CSIO in Hungary last weekend, we were ready for the second semi-final of the Longines EEF Series, the Nations Cup circuit set at three-star level. On the historic track of the National Riding Hall, it was another exciting denouement, with 12 teams competing for a ticket to the grand final in Avenches later this year. In the end, it was Italy that emerged victorious after two solid rounds, with a Zangersheide horse in the lead.

One of the combinations included in the winning team was rider Giulia Martinengo Marquet and her 10-year-old gelding Captain Morgan Weering Z, a son of Carrera VDL and Arezzo VDL, bred in the Netherlands by R. Lanting of Stal de Weering. In May, the pair already jumped into the limelight with a win in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Lido di Camaiore and that strong form was confirmed once again in Budapest. In both the first round and the decisive second round, Martinengo Marquet and Captain Morgan Weering Z delivered a flawless performance, playing an important part in the Italian victory.

However, Martinengo Marquet and Captain Morgan Weering Z were not the only ones to shine at this CSIO3* Nations Cup. Brazilian rider Thiago Ribas Da Costa also produced two clear rounds with his 11-year-old mare Honesty Ctv Z, a daughter of Hoegie Van 't Bergske and Mozart des Hayettes bred by Casais, Thonon and Vanhoutte. However, the Brazilian team stranded in ^6th place.

Furthermore, Thiago Ribas Da Costa also made his mark in Budapest with the 12-year-old mare Catharina W&W Z, the breeding product of Wilfried Rutten who combined the blood of Centurio with that of Grieseldi. Ribas Da Costa and Catharina Z crowned themselves winners of the 1.40m speed class on Sunday morning, in which, with a clear round in 59.74 seconds, they were the only combination to manage to keep the chrono under 60 seconds.

But^2nd place in this morning class was also coloured blue and yellow thanks to Hungarian home rider Tamás Mráz with the 10-year-old stallion Clueso Z, a son of Chester Z and Nintender from the breeding farm of none other than Paul Schockemöhle. Mráz and Clueso Z did not make a mistake either, but took almost a full second longer to complete their round in 60.68 seconds.

Just off the podium we saw Romanian rider Gyula Zárug with the 12-year-old stallion Norton Z, a son of Numero Uno and Darco bred by Luc Didden. Zárug and Norton Z, already good for ^3rd place in both the 1.40m class on Thursday and on Saturday, crossed the finish line in 63.78 seconds, making it their third top ranking of the weekend.

Victory during that 1.40m class on Saturday was in turn for Turkish rider Hasan Senturk and the 13-year-old stallion Diams Brimbelles Z, a son of Darco and Dimenos bred in France by Christel Schumacher. Senturk and Diams Brimbelles Z managed to stop the clock in 56.21 seconds in this speed class, giving them a lead of about a quarter of a second over the competition.

Another notable combination in Budapest was German rider Sönke Fallenberg with the 9-year-old stallion Zanzibar Z, a son of VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. and Utrillo Z who was born to his Dutch breeder Bert Smeets as Zanzibar Vd Horst Z. Fallenberg and Zanzibar Z started their competition with a ^4th place during the 1.40m class on Thursday, while they did even better during 1.40m class on Friday, securing ^3rd place.

Finally, Fallenberg's compatriot Janne Friederike Meyer-Zimmermann also had another fruitful weekend with her likewise 9-year-old chestnut mare Tapicoa M&O Z, a daughter of Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve and Catoki from the breeding of Aurelien Lejeune. Meyer-Zimmermann and Tapioca M&O Z made a first appearance on Friday with a clear round at the CSIO3* Nations Cup, while they took ^7th place at the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday.