05 November '25
Grand Prix victory for Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio in Vejer de la Frontera!
© Andalucia Sunshine Tour - Clark Mackenzie
Particularly busy days on Spanish soil last weekend, where no fewer than three international competitions were scheduled across the country. In the south of the country, in Vejer de la Frontera, the Andalucía Sunshine Tour was jumping at four-star level and in it it was a Z-horse that managed to claim the leading role!
After three busy days with a lot of international sport, on Sunday in Vejer de la Frontera it was looking forward to the highlight of the weekend with the CSI4* Grand Prix. In it, fifty combinations made their appearance at the head, fourteen of which made it through the 1.55m basic round by Spanish course designer Javier Trenor and his team. One of those fourteen were Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss and his 14-year-old chestnut gelding Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio, a son of Nabab de Rêve and Tinka's Boy who was born to breeder Eric Polfliet as Nimrod de Muze Z. Veniss and Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio reappeared in that jump-off as the ninth combination in the ring and, after their clear base run, also managed to complete their jump-off flawlessly. In doing so, they crossed the finish line in 38.34 seconds, putting this CSI4* Grand Prix on their record of achievement, just like in February 2022!
However, Veniss and Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio were the only ones to take a blue/yellow victory in southern Spain. Irish rider Alice Wachman also recorded a victory with the 14-year-old gelding Thijssen SR Z, a son of Tyson and Capitol I from the breeding farm of E. & M.J. Sleutels of Keystud in the Netherlands. Wachman and Thijssen SR Z won the 1.35m on Thursday, where they were 13 hundredths of a second ahead of the rest of the field of competitors with a clear round in 58.34 seconds. On Sunday, they confirmed this performance when they finished 4th in another 1.35m class.
Alice's older brother Tom Wachman was then successful on Thursday with the 10-year-old stallion Kannem J.A. Z, a breeding product of Jean-André Souvereyns who combined the blood of Kannan with that of Lux Z. In the 1.50m main class against the clock, they raced to the finish in 58.39 seconds, which gave them a nice 4th place in the final ranking.
On Saturday, one of the classes of the day was a 1.40m class in 2 phase special and in it two Z-horses managed to advance to the podium. So was2nd place for Colombian rider Santiago Diaz Ortega and the 10-year-old grey gelding Chasspleen Flamingo Z (Cardento VDL x Dollar du Murier) from the breeding farm of Alexandra Rantet in France. Diaz Ortega and Chassleen Flamingo Z finished in 21.09 seconds in the2nd phase, about half a second short of victory.
But 3rd place also coloured blue and yellow here thanks to British rider Gemma Stevens. She safely piloted the 12-year-old stallion Envoy Merelsnest Z (Elvis Ter Putte x Voltaire - Breeder: BVB Horses), a half-brother of Harrie Smolders' former Grand Prix horse Don VHP Z (Diamant de Semilly), to the finishing line in 21.18 seconds.
Finally, two Z-horses also jumped into the limelight in the 1.40m class on Thursday. These included a 6th place for Mexican rider Enrique Gonzalez with the 8-year-old gelding Air Play EC Z (Aganix du Seigneur Z x Calato Z - Breeder: EC Horses) and an 8th place for British rider Rebecca Marsh with the also 8-year-old mare Elegance Z (Escape Z x Nonstop - Breeder: Adrian Marsh). Both did not show any faults during this class against the clock.