19 September '26
Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z tops the Z-Ranking
© Sportfot
At Studbook Zangersheide, recognition of breeders is always a key priority. To highlight the efforts and successes of breeders on an international stage, the Z-Ranking was established a few years ago. It provides a clear overview of the performances of Z-horses at international competitions, thereby clearly showcasing their sporting achievements. This afternoon, the breeders of the three best Z-horses from the past year were once again honoured in style. A festive occasion that once again underlined the important role of breeders within the Z-family.
Golden Impress-K from ’t Kattenheye Z
The honour of being named the best Zangersheide horse of the past year went, without a doubt, to the 11-year-old black stallion Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z, the son of Indoktro-K van ’t Kattenheye and Vagabond de la Pomme, bred by Tony Raman and Mieke Strobbe. Having finished third in the Z-Ranking last year, Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z now leads the ranking with great conviction. Under the saddle of Belgian rider Thibeau Spits, the pair enjoyed a particularly successful year, in which they earned well over 1 million euros in prize money.
This impressive haul was achieved thanks to a series of strong performances at the very highest level. For instance, Spits and Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z finished third in the Rolex Grand Prix in Geneva and second in the Rolex Grand Prix in ’s-Hertogenbosch. They also secured fifth place in the CSI5* Grand Prix of Paris, fourth place in the LGCT Grand Prix of Madrid and second place in the LGCT Grand Prix of St Tropez.
The absolute highlights of their successful year came last month at the World Championships in Aachen. Both in the team final and in the individual final, Thibeau Spits and Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z secured a silver medal. For breeders Tony Raman and Mieke Strobbe, this afternoon brought a wonderful recognition of their breeding programme, as they were presented with a cheque for 8,000 euros.
Silver Kayenne Z
The silver medal in the Z-Ranking went to the 11-year-old mare Kayenne Z, a daughter of Kannan and Canezaro, bred by Kristof Engelen from Alken. Kayenne Z is the absolute top mare of the Canadian rider Kyle King, and over the past year they have once again achieved a string of impressive results.
The pair made a particularly strong impression on American soil. In January this year, for example, King and Kayenne Z were crowned overall winners of the Longines World Cup in Thermal. This was followed in March by another victory in Thermal, this time in the CSI4* Grand Prix. Two months later, they travelled to Canada, where they finished fifth in the CSI4* Grand Prix in Vancouver in May. In July, they competed once again in Calgary, where they had already secured second place in the CSI5* Grand Prix a year earlier. This year, too, they were once again among the best combinations and took fourth place.
Bronze Casual DV Z
Third place in last year’s Z-Ranking went to the 11-year-old mare Casual DV Z, a daughter of Cornet Obolensky and Cicero Z van Paemel, who was born and reared at Pieter Devos’s stables. It is Devos himself who has been riding his home-bred mare for several years now, and together they managed to put in another series of strong performances last year.
The calendar year got off to an excellent start for the pair, with a third place in the Longines Grand Prix of Basel in Switzerland. A month later, they achieved no fewer than two top placings at the five-star Grand Prix of Doha in Qatar. During the opening week, they came third, before finishing one place higher a week later with a second-place finish. In March, they secured another third place, this time in the Rolex Grand Prix of ’s Hertogenbosch, followed in April by a fifth place in the CSI5* Grand Prix of Fontainebleau, which was added to their list of achievements.
Devos and Casual DV Z also competed at the World Championships in Aachen, where they were part of the Belgian team that won the silver medal. Earlier this month, they delivered another strong performance in Valkenswaard, where the successful pair jumped to second place in the LGCT Grand Prix.
