06 September '26
Casual DV Z takes Grand Prix silver in Valkenswaard
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Studbook
© Longines Global Champions Tour
After a few weeks without the Longines Global Champions Tour, last weekend saw the return of five-star action in this prestigious show jumping tour. This time, the international field travelled to the Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands, the home of Jan Tops and his partner Edwina Tops-Alexander. As always, the LGCT Grand Prix was the absolute highlight of the weekend, and the mare Casual DV Z played a starring role.
The Longines Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard provided the setting for the eleventh leg of the season last weekend, which once again delivered top-class sport of the very highest standard. During the LGCT Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, the forty best rider-horse combinations from the qualifiers took to the arena, as is traditional, and eight of them managed to complete the basic course set by Uliano Vezzani and his team without any faults. One of those eight contenders for victory was the Belgian rider Pieter Devos and his 11-year-old home-bred mare Casual DV Z, a daughter of Cornet Obolensky out of Cicero Z van Paemel. Devos and Casual DV Z, who just two weeks ago were part of the Belgian show jumping team that won silver at the World Championships in Aachen, also kept a clear round in the jump-off and, with a blistering finishing time of 37.97 seconds, secured a finesecond place.
Pieter Devos: “Every time we ride a jump-off together, I feel we’re getting better and better. The fact that I didn’t finish far behind Yuri (Mansur) does make it a shame that we didn’t secure a place in the LGCT Super Grand Prix. But I’m really very happy with my horse and with this result.”
Christian Ahlmann also put in another strong performance in this LGCT Grand Prix with our 10-year-old stallion Untouched LB Z, the son of European Champion United Touch S and Cornet Obolensky. Ahlmann and Untouched LB Z, who finishedsixth in the LGCT Grand Prix in London just last month, clocked the third-fastest time in the jump-off, completing the course in 38.74 seconds. A jumping fault along the course ultimately kept them off the podium and meant they had to settle forsixth place once again.
On Saturday, Christian Ahlmann once again made his mark with the 11-year-old gelding Vivario JL Z, a son of Vigo d’Arsouilles and Heartbreaker, bred by Luc and Jules Leemans. Ahlmann and Vivario JL Z, who had secured third place in a 1.50m class at the Brussels Stephex Masters last week, lined up at the start of the 1.45mclass, where, after a clear-round second phase in 26.05 seconds, they also secured second place.
But the bronze in this class was also coloured blue and yellow, thanks to the Luxembourgish rider Victor Bettendorf riding the 9-year-old mare Extasia Bella By Classic Z, a horse bred by Cassandra Toni who crossed the bloodline of Emerald van ’t Ruytershof with that of Ultra Boy. Bettendorf and Extasia Bella By Classic Z also rode a clear round, but took 26.08 seconds to complete theirsecond phase.
In addition to the LGCT Grand Prix, the riders in the five-star competition also took to the arena on Sunday for a 1.45m class, and there too we saw a Z-class horse break into the top three of the rankings. This was achieved by the Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen with her 9-year-old mare Farah Z, a daughter of For Pleasure and Caretano Z, bred by Freek Hoogenboom. Thijssen and Farah Z finished this against-the-clock class in 58.61 seconds, securingthird place.
Finally, Belgian rider Thibeau Spits also enjoyed another successful weekend with the 9-year-old stallion Gin Flip de Muze Z ( Gino H x Elvis Ter Putte), bred by Lies De Backer and Jef Desmedt. Spits and Gin Flip de Muze Z first made their mark on Saturday with afifth place in the 1.45m class, whilst on Sunday they rounded off their competition with aninth place in another 1.45m class.