D'Aganix 2000 Z confirms again!

After the prestigious five-star competition at Spruce Meadows in Calgary last week, the Longines Global Champions Tour jumped again at the highest level last week. For this 11th leg of the season, the caravan headed to Riesenbeck International, the impressive home of Ludger Beerbaum and his team. Christian Ahlmann also made his appearance in the ring and together with our stallion D'Aganix 2000 Z he once again managed to ensure a top ranking.

Christian Ahlmann and our 11-year-old stallion D'Aganix 2000 Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Aganix du Seigneur Z), bred by Tony Foriers, have already proved their form on several occasions in recent weeks. A month ago, for example, they already achieved a great^2nd place during the Longines Ranking Test at the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg and they were also on the rendezvous during the Brussels Stephex Masters in Wolvertem with a 4th place in a 1.50m class. In Riesenbeck, Ahlmann and D'Aganix 2000 Z were one of forty combinations at the start of the LGCT Grand Prix and after a clear round they were among just six combinations who managed to advance to the jump-off. In it, they unfortunately had to take four penalties, but with a nice ^6th place as a final result, all that good from the past few weeks was once again confirmed.

But victory in this eleventh LGCT Grand Prix of the season also got a Zangersheide touch. Indeed, German rider Gerrit Nieberg jumped to victory with his 10-year-old bay gelding Ping Pong van de Lentamel (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Toulon), who was sold in 2018 during one of our Z Online Auctions. Nieberg and Ping Pong van de Lentamel recorded a finishing time of 46.99 seconds in the jump-off, more than a full second ahead of their closest pursuer.

The opening day on Friday also saw a blue/yellow victory thanks to Swedish rider Peder Fredricson and his 11-year-old chestnut hold SV Vroom de la Pomme Z, a son of Vigo d'Arsouilles and Untouchable born to breeder Geert Baertsoen of Haras de la Pomme. Fredricson and SV Vroom de la Pomme Z were the winners of the 1.45m opening class, where they were almost two full seconds faster than the competition with a clear round in 62.66 seconds.

Besides the five-star competition, there were also some other competitions on the programme in Riesenbeck over the past few days, in which some Z-horses also managed to jump into the limelight. Within the three-star competition, German rider Sophie Hinners and the 9-year-old mare Iron Dames Kaleni Jo, a daughter of Kannan and Indoctro, who was born Kaleni Jo SV Z at her Dutch breeder Stal Verhoeven, achieved a top ranking. Hinner and Iron Dames Kaleni Jo started their competition on Friday with a^2nd place in the 1.45m Grand Prix qualifier, with no faults in the basic round and the jump-off.

Also in the top five of the standings in this class, we saw Hinner's compatriot Harm Lahde with the 12-year-old grey gelding Echo van Spalbeek Z (Elvis Ter Putte x Cornet's Stern - Breeder: Frans Liefsoens). They too kept it clear twice, which was finally good for ^4th place.

Then again, German rider Angelique Böckman and the 9-year-old stallion Freaky Dancer Z (For Pleasure x Carthago Z - Breeder: Stoeterij Zangersheide) managed to take the prizes twice. They started their competition on Friday with a ^7th place in the 1.40m class and on Sunday they finished with a ^5th place in the 1.45m class.

In Riesenbeck the past few days also saw show jumping at two-star level and during the CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday morning we saw a Z-horse shine on the Grand Prix podium. That honour fell to German rider Sören Suppert and the 9-year-old stallion Diabolo by Bets Z, a son of our black pearl Dominator 2000 Z and Cassini II bred by Jan Mues. In a jump-off for which nine combinations managed to qualify, they again ensured a clear round with^2nd place as the final result.