02 December '25
Chuck Marienshof Z rules in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Stockholm
© Roland Thunholm/SIHS
After last week's exciting denouement of the Longines Global Champions Tour at the Prague Playoffs, last weekend was a chance to enjoy a free weekend at the very highest level. Nevertheless, there was also a lot of international action to enjoy in the past few days, including the Sweden International Horse Show in Stockholm. It was another successful edition for our blue and yellow studbook colours, because just like last year, it was a Z-horse that took victory in the CSI4* Grand Prix.
The CSI4* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon was the absolute highlight of the weekend in the Swedish capital and brought a total of twenty top combinations to the start. Swedish track builder Peter Lundström and his team had laid out a tough basic course for this, consisting of 14 obstacles and 17 jumps. Of the twenty combinations that took their chances, seven managed to complete the 1.55m high basic circuit successfully, securing a place for the decisive jump-off. One of those seven was Belgian rider Gilles Thomas and 10-year-old grey gelding Chuck Marienshof Z, a son of Colestus and Emerald van 't Ruytershof, bred by Johny De Coninck of Stal Marienshof. Thomas and Chuck Marienshof Z, who also secured 3rd place in the 1.50m class on Friday, also managed to keep their cool in the jump-off and with a whirlwind round in 34.22 seconds they were more than half a second ahead of the rest of the field of competitors!
Gilles Thomas: "This was only one of our first Grand Prix together. Chuck has been jumping well all week, so I had a good feeling about it. The course was difficult and long and in the jump-off it was nice that I rode as the fourth starter. I knew exactly what to do."
So in the 1.50m class on Friday, Gilles Thomas and Chuck Marienshof Z finished a handsome 3rd, but victory in this main class of the day was also taken by a Zangersheide horse. For this, Swedish rider Peder Fredricson took care of the 11-year-old chestnut stallion SV Vroom de la Pomme Z, a son of Vigo d'Arsouilles and Untouchable, bred by Geert Bartsoen of Haras de la Pomme. Fredricson and SV Vroom de la Pomme Z, who were still winners of the CSI4* Grand Prix in 2024, kept it neatly clear in both the basic round and the jump-off and with a fantastic a finishing time of 40.32 seconds, they were just under a second and a half ahead of the competition.
Also on Friday, the riders of the four-star competition also had a 1.45m class on the programme, and in it too we saw a Z-horse at the top of the leaderboard. Silver went to home rider Marcus Westergren and the 11-year-old grey stallion Airco de l'Esprit Z, a breeding product of Nico Esprit who combined the blood of Air Jordan Alpha Z with that of Quantum. In a class against the clock, Westergren and Airco de l'Esprit Z kept all the bars neatly in the reels in a time of 59.80 seconds.
Also in this class, Brazilian rider Marlon Modolo Zanotelli was among the winners with the 9-year-old chestnut stallion Eddie G Z, a son of Echo van 't Spieveld who was bred in the Netherlands by Studfarm Gaasbeek V.O.F. Zanotelli and Eddie G Z also did not make a mistake in this class and with a finishing time of 62.29 seconds they finished in 4th place. A day later, they confirmed this performance with 10th place in another 1.45m class.
Finally, Swedish rider Erika Lickhammer - Van Helmond also had another successful weekend with the 9-year-old mare For Ever Z, a daughter of For Pleasure and Chellano Z, bred by R.V. Kemenade and M. Hekerman. Lickhammer - Van Helmond and For Ever Z started their competition with a 9th place in the 1.45m class on Thursday and the following days saw another 10th place in the 1.45m class on Friday and an 8th place in the 1.45m class on Saturday.