Double Grand Prix success in Lier

In addition to all the action outside our borders, last weekend there was also international show jumping on Belgian soil. For that they went to the Hazebroek family in the Azelhof in Lier, where a two-star competition took place from Thursday to Sunday. Several Z-horses came on strong here too, with two of them winning a podium place in the CSI2* Grand Prix.

The CSI2* Grand Prix formed the finale of a busy international week in Lier on Sunday afternoon, bringing a total of forty-four combinations to the start. Of these forty-four contenders, eleven managed to clear the 1.45m course designer Eddy Geysemans and his team and thus qualify for the jump-off. In that, it was eventually Dutch rider Harrie Smolders who came out on top with the 9-year-old gelding Estrello Eh Z, a son of Emerald van 't Ruytershof and Graf Top born to breeder Axel Verlooy. Smolders and Estrello Eh Z again kept zero on the scoreboard in the jump-off and with a convincing finishing time of 40.08 seconds they were just over three full seconds ahead of their closest pursuer.

However, Estrello Eh Z was not the only Z-horse to shine at this CSI2* Grand Prix, as the bronze was also blue and yellow. That was done by home rider Mathias Hazebroek and the 12-year-old chestnut gelding Cointreau Vd Wouwerse Velden Z, a son of Cupido Vd Hoefslag Z and Der Senaat 111, bred by Theo Hazebroek. Hazebroek and Cointreau Vd Wouwerse Velden Z also managed to ensure a clear barrage round, finishing in 44.25 seconds. His compatriot Kim Thiry and the 9-year-old stallion Charlie de Jolie Z (Comme Il Faut x For Pleasure - breeder: Lies De Backer & Jef Desmedt) followed in ^5th place.

On Friday, the sporting highlight was the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test and, as in the CSI2* Grand Prix, here too we saw a Z horse at the top of the rankings. This was done by Belgian rider Leonie Peeters and her now 16-year-old mare Tinkoucha Hero Z, a daughter of Tinka's Boy and Diamant de Semilly from the breeding farm of Luc Henry. In a jump-off for which 14 combinations qualified, Peeters and Tinkoucha Hero Z sped to the finish in 34.85 seconds, also giving them a comfortable lead over the competition.

First in line for the competition was her compatriot Christophe Vanderhasselt, who saddled the 9-year-old mare Axxess Pur Z (Aktion Pur Z x Sam R - breeder: Elke Luyten) for this class. Vanderhasselt and Axxess Pur Z also made no mistake, but took just a little longer than Peeters and Tinkoucha Hero Z in 36.04 seconds.

Also on Friday, Dutch rider Marriet Smit-Hoekstra took another win with her 12-year-old gelding Duco Z, a son of Dakar VDL and Riverman bred in the Netherlands by P.C. van den Berg. Smit-Hoekstra and Duco Z, who already started their competition on Thursday with a ^4th place in the 1.40m class, became the winners of the 1.40m class, in which they outclassed the competition by more than a full second with a clear^2nd phase in 28.66 seconds.

^4th place in this section was for Malaysian Shoorendran Nageswaran with the 9-year-old mare Verena Mb Z (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Numero Uno - breeder: M. Bokdam). They crossed the finish line in 30.36 seconds in the ^2nd phase, ultimately narrowly missing out on a podium place.

Belgian rider Thomas de Wit also had a successful weekend, jumping twice in the prizes with two of his breeding products. Riding the 11-year-old gelding Ecuador DW Z (El Torreo de Muze x Quasimodo vd Molendreef), he finished in ^3rd place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and ^8th place in the Longines Ranking Test on Friday, while riding the 11-year-old mare Ice Twin Girl Dw Z (I'M Special de Muze x Wandor van de Mispelaere), he claimed ^9th place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and ^6th place on Saturday.

Finally, Michaël Vreys also managed to secure two top placings. On Friday he finished ^5th in the 1.40m class with the 10-year-old mare Estrella Van Plockroy Z (Excellent van de Zuuthoeve x Darco - Breeder: Vreys Horses BVBA) and on Sunday he and the 9-year-old mare Heideroosje van Plockroy Z (Heidelberg van het Lindehof x Ogano Sitte - Breeder: Vreys Horses BVBA) closed his competition with a^2nd place in the 1.35m morning class.