Grand Prix win for Fantasio Floreval Z

A lot of spectacular action last weekend on American soil, but there was also a lot going on internationally in Europe over the past few days. In Belgium, we were once again guests of the Meynaerts family at Opglabbeek's Sentower Park, where a two-star competition was on the programme from Thursday to Sunday. The apotheosis of the weekend was the CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, where it was a Z-horse that took the top prize.

As early as 12.30h on Sunday afternoon at the DXB Arena at Sentower Park, the starting gun was fired for this CSI2* Grand Prix. A total of sixty-three combinations ventured their chance in it, of which nine eventually completed the 1.45m round by course designer Bart Hendrix and his team. In that nine-strong jump-off, the battle was at the cutting edge with French rider Cedric Hurel and his now 16-year-old gelding Fantasio Floreval Z, the son of Florian de La Vie and Clinton who was bred in France by Evelyne Pater, as the final laureates. Hurel and Fantasio Floreval Z, who were also good for a ^4th place in the qualification for this Grand Prix on Thursday during the opening day, rushed to the finish line in the jump-off in a convincing 35.33 seconds and thus they too ensured a blue/yellow Grand Prix victory.

The ^3rd place in this CSI2* Grand Prix then got another blue/yellow touch thanks to Swiss rider Jason Smith and the 10-year-old stallion Picobello van 't Roosakker, a son of our chestnut stallion Kassander van 't Roosakker Z, who was born to breeder Marc Kluskens. Smith and Picobelle van 't Roosakker also held the clear in the jump-off, but needed 36.64 seconds to complete their round.

However, the final day on Sunday started in the morning with a 1.40m class, in which we also saw a Z-horse at the top of the leaderboard. Making sure of that was Dutch rider Yves Willems and the 12-year-old mare Dirina O.H. Z, a daughter of Dicasi O.H. and Clarimo ASK bred by Guido Op 't Eynde. In both the^1st and^2nd, Marcel Willems' son and Dirina O.H. Z provided a flawless performance and with a finishing time of 29.67 seconds they managed to leave the other fifty-seven competitors behind.

On Saturday, Belgian rider Michaël Vreys had also taken victory with his breeding product Estrella Van Plockroy Z, an 11-year-old daughter of Excellent van de Zuuthoeve out of a Darco dam. In the 1.45m main class, Vreys and Estrella Van Plockroy Z kept all the rails neatly in the reels twice and with a finishing time of 25.77 seconds in the^2nd phase they managed to outclass the competition. They thus confirmed their performance of Thursday's opening day, when they claimed ^5th place in the 1.45m main class.

With their victory on Saturday, Vreys and Estrella Van Plockroy Z beat the likes of Dutch rider Lars Kersten and the 9-year-old gelding Grimaldi van het Keizershof Z (Grand Slam VDL x For Pleasure - breeder: Leon Otte), who took^2nd place in this class. They managed to finish in 26.17 seconds after a clear^second phase and thus had to settle for first place of honour.

There was also a win in Opglabbeek for Cypriot rider Alexa Staïs and the 10-year-old mare Auria Fanco Z, a daughter of our new stallion Akarad Hero Z and Carthino bred in the Netherlands by J.B.A. Meuleman. Staïs and Auria Fanco Z became the winners of the 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday, where they were more than half a second ahead of their closest pursuer with a whirlwind round in 60.69 seconds.

With two top 10 placings, it was also a successful show in Opglabbeek for Lithuanian rider Monika Paulauskaite and the 10-year-old stallion Deperados Z, a son of Dominator 2000 Z and Clinton from the breeding farm of Els Marinus. Paulauskaite and Desperados Z jumped to a ^4th place in the 1.30m class on Thursday during the opening day and finished ^7th in the 1.40m morning class on Sunday.

Finally, we also saw two Z-horses make the podium during the 1.35m class on Saturday. So^2nd place went to Belgian rider Elke Appeltans with the 9-year-old Nota Bene De La Croix Renard Z (No - Comment de Septon x Ogano Sitte - breeder: Vanvinckenroye S.A.), while Yves Willems and the also 9-year-old mare Toulusha Key Sr. Z (Toulon x Elvis Ter Putte - breeder: Keystud / E. & M.J. Sleutels) signed for ^3rd place.