L’Arc En Ciel Z beams on the Grand Prix podium in Oliva

With no fewer than three international competitions on the programme, last weekend was once again a particularly busy one on Spanish soil. One of those competitions was the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, where preparations are in full swing for the second leg of the Autumn Tour 2026. The highlight of the weekend was the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, in which our blue and yellow colours were once again strongly represented. A Z-level horse managed to secure a place on the Grand Prix podium.

The CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon marked the conclusion of week 2 and saw a total of fifty-five rider-horse pairs take to the arena. The 1.50m-high basic round, designed by German course designer Christian Wiegand and his team, proved to be a tough challenge, with only eight combinations managing to complete the round successfully. One of those eight riders in the jump-off was the Irish rider Marc McAuley and his 13-year-old stallion L’Arc En Ciel Z, a son of L’Arc de Triomphe and San Remo, bred in France by Sarah Gospodnetic and Anne Delerie. McAuley and L’Arc En Ciel Z also managed to keep their cool in the jump-off and, with a finishing time of 38.42 seconds, secured a fine^third place.

Also among the top finishers were Belgian rider Bertrand Genin and the 10-year-old mare Baya de Riverland Z, a daughter of Bresil de Riverland and Kashmir Van Schuttershof, bred by SCEA Riverland in France. They too produced a clear-round jump-off, and their finishing time of 40.32 seconds was enough to secure^5th place.

On Saturday, the Gold 1.45m class served as a qualifier for this Grand Prix, and in it no fewer than two Z-class horses managed to jump their way to a place on the podium. The best performance came from local rider Mariano Martinez Bastida and the 8-year-old mare Escalante Van T Beaukeshof Z, a daughter of Emerald van ’t Ruytershof and Querlybet Hero, bred by Jolien Wuytack. In a jump-off for which nine of the sixty-nine combinations qualified, they secured^second place following a clear round in 36.90 seconds.

The young Belgian rider Seppe Wouters also made it onto the podium in this qualifier with the 8-year-old mare Libelle Asborne Z, a daughter of Lector vd Bisschop and Calvaro Z, bred by Asborne BVBA. Wouters and Libelle Asborne Z also produced a clear-round jump-off, but it took them 38.78 seconds to reach the finish line.

Earlier on Friday, American rider Madison Wu also secured a podium finish with the 11-year-old mare Corona Z, a horse bred by Huub Janssen, combining the bloodlines of our stallion Comilfo Plus Z with those of Calvaro Z. They competed in the 1.40m class, where they took^third place.

During Friday’s Grand Prix Qualifier, it was Wouters’ compatriot Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele who secured a top placing with the 11-year-old gelding Kadée Van de Renthoeve Z, a son of Kannan and Baloubet du Rouet who was bred by Bart Sips. In a time trial, the pair raced to the finish in 65.48 seconds, a performance that also earned them^second place in the rankings. During Sunday’s CSI3* Grand Prix, they were once again among the top ten in the standings, finishing in^9th place. On that occasion, a small mistake in the first round ultimately kept them out of the jump-off.

Furthermore, Belgian rider Evelyne Putters was also among the prize-winners at this Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday with her 10-year-old mare Pivoine de la Pomme Z, a daughter of Montebello La Silla and Vagabond de la Pomme who, as her name suggests, was bred by Geert Baertsoen. After a clear round, they crossed the line in 66.43 seconds, securing^4th place. A day later, they confirmed their form by also securing^7th place in the Grand Prix Qualifier.

Another standout combination was the Belgian rider Louis Le Grelle and the 11-year-old mare Eytuka Of Two Notes Z, a daughter of Emerald van ’t Ruytershof and Chin Chin, bred by Toby Huys. They first made a name for themselves on Thursday with a^second place in the 1.45m class, and on Friday they secured^fifth place in the Grand Prix Qualifier.

On Friday, we were also treated to a Belgian victory thanks to Belgian rider Sacha Beghuin and the 8-year-old gelding Aganix de Corlato Z, a son of Aganix du Seigneur Z and Corofino I, bred by VOF Raskin-Heynen/Pieraets-Pacque. They were the overall winners of the Gold 1.40m class, in which they finished in 57.56 seconds with a dazzling round, giving them a lead of well over three full seconds over the competition. Austrian rider Lisa Maria Rudigier and the 13-year-old mare Cumtaga van de Marsweg Z (Cumthago Z x Skippy II – breeder: Eddy Van Looveren) took^fourth place in this class. After a clear round, they crossed the line in 62.95 seconds.

Last but not least, Dutch rider Logan Fiechter also secured a top-five finish with the 9-year-old gelding Apphire H Z (Aganix du Seigneur Z x Mr. Blue – breeder: Stal ’t Hofstee). During Friday’s Gold 1.40m class, they made their mark with a^fifth-place finish.