18 May '26
Chuck Marienshof Z continues winning streak in Madrid
© Longines Global Champions Tour
Former Belgian Champion Gilles Thomas and his grey gelding Chuck Marienshof Z ensured another resounding victory last weekend! Two weeks after their double victory at the Longines Global Champions Tour in Shanghai, the duo appeared at the start in Madrid in the past few days, where they managed to add another class to their record after a fantastic performance.
The Spanish capital Madrid was the setting for the fourth stage of the Longines Global Champions Tour last weekend. During the opening day, it is traditional to look out for the team competition of the Global Champions League and in it our blue/yellow colours again came out particularly strong. With a win in the individual classification of the first round, the leading role was again reserved for Gilles Thomas and the 11-year-old gelding Chuck Marienshof Z, the son of Colestus and Emerald van 't Ruytershof bred by Sandra Ecker of Stal Marienshof. Thomas and Chuck Marienshof Z provided a tight clear round and after stopping the clock in 74.60 seconds, they outclassed the competition by almost a full second.
Furthermore, that other Belgian rider Thibeau Spits also had another strong competition in Madrid with his black pearl Impress-K van 't Kattenheye Z, the 11-year-old son of Indoktro-K van 't Kattenheye and Vagabond de la Pomme from the breeding farm of Tony Raman and Mieke Strobbe. Spits and Impress-K van 't Kattenheye Z, who have been stringing together good performances in recent months, managed to finish 4th in both the first round of the Global Champions League on Friday and the LGCT Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon.
A day earlier, their compatriot Nathan Budd then managed to jump into the spotlight again with the 9-year-old gelding Ely des Rosiers Z, a son of Emerald van 't Ruytershof and Thunder van de Zuuthoeve born to breeder Herik Duran. In the 1.45m class, Budd and Ely des Rosiers Z kept nicely clear in both the1st and2nd phases and with a finishing time of 27.20 seconds they secured 3rd place.
For the Liechtenstein rider Jennifer Hochstaedter and the now 16-year-old gelding Winnetou de la Hamente Z (Winningmood van de Arenberg x Socrate de Chivre - breeder: Emmanuel Wera), 5th place was in this 1.45m class. They too managed to stay cool twice, but needed 28.97 seconds to complete their2nd phase.