Grand Prix successes in Opglabbeek

Last weekend Sentower Park in Opglabbeek was the setting for the international Youth Tour, the first Nations Cup of the season for the various youth teams. Spread over the weekend, there were several Grand Prix on the programme, in which the Z-horses managed to jump emphatically into the limelight.

The most outstanding name throughout the weekend was that of the 10-year-old stallion Lotti Blue Z, a son of Le Blue Diamond van 't Ruytershof and Wandor van de Mispelaere bred by Alfons Van Bruyssel. Ridden by Belgian rider Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele, Lotti Blue Z already made the podium at the CSI2* Grand Prix in Oliva last month and they effortlessly continued that good form in Opglabbeek. After the duo started their show on Wednesday with a great^2nd place in the 1.45m opening class, they crowned themselves winners of the 1.45m Young Riders Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon. In a jump-off for which only five of the fifty-three combinations qualified, Vandecasteele and Lotti Blue Z again kept it neatly clear and with a finishing time of 36.70 seconds they were almost a full second ahead of the number 2 in the standings.

The bronze in this Young Riders' Grand Prix was also taken by a Z-horse thanks to Vandecasteele's compatriot Jules Denutte and the 10-year-old gelding Vanquish Z (Vagabond de la Pomme x Calypso III - breeder: Michel Blaton). Denutte and Vanquish Z, also good for a ^4th place in the 1.45m class on Thursday, finished in that jump-off in 40.92 seconds, thus also securing a podium ranking.

On Sunday during the final day, the 1.40m Grand Prix for the Juniors was the main event to watch out for, and in it too there was success for our blue and yellow colours. Swedish rider Carl-Hugo Westergren and the also already 10-year-old stallion D-Day De Tiji Z (Sea Coast Don't Touch Tiji Hero x Air Jordan Z), who was bred by Tim van Tricht and Jill Smits, took care of that. Westergren and D-Day De Tiji Z, who also took ^5th place on Friday, were one of 20 combinations to clear the basic round, qualifying for the decisive jump-off. In it, they managed to keep zero on the scoreboard again and with a finishing time of 35.70 seconds they secured^2nd place.

On Saturday, a second Grand Prix was scheduled with the one for the Juniors and Young Riders who were not on the Nations Cup teams. In it, Belgian rider Pieter Jan Anthonissen made it into the top three with the 10-year-old stallion Liberté la Cita Z (Le Blue Diamond van 't Ruytershof x Chippendale Z - breeder: Bart Hermans & Luc Augustyns). They were one of seven combinations to secure a place in the jump-off, securing the bronze.

Besides the Grand Prix victory for Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele and Lotti Blue Z, there were two other Z victories throughout the weekend. One of those wins was by Romanian rider Anda Elena Bojita and the 12-year-old mare Eireann Lvs Z (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Clinton - breeder: Lissava Stud Farm). They became the final laureates in a 1.40m class for Juniors on Friday, in which they were just under half a second ahead of the competition with a finishing time of 29.26 seconds. Belgian rider Mauro Stas and the 9-year-old gelding Ti Amo Di Magigo de Res Nova Z (Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve x Jilbert van 't Ruytershof - breeder: Dries Jacobs & Daniel Smet) followed in ^3rd place in this class.

Another victory came in the name of Danish rider Laura Sargant and the 10-year-old stallion Castino-Drum vh Juxschot Z (Cigaret JVH Z x Dantos HBC - breeder: J.&C.&E. Vermeiren). They became the winners of the 1.45m class for Young Riders on Thursday, where they outclassed the competition with a whirlwind round in 65.45 seconds. For Polish rider Milena Soltysiak and the 9-year-old mare Nasha Vd Donkhoeve Z (Nippon Vd Donkhoeve x Contadoro van de Helle - breeder: Gustaaf Quintelier) there was then another ^3rd place in this class. They crossed the finish line in 68.28 seconds after a clear round.

Finally, Belgian rider Seppe Wouters also had a successful weekend with the 8-year-old grey mare Dolce Vita VDH 2000 Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Latano I - breeder: Heid Suls). They were immediately on target on Wednesday with a^2nd place during the 1.40m class and confirmed this performance on Saturday by claiming ^5th place during the Grand Prix for Juniors and Young Riders.