L'Arc En Ciel Z jumps into the top five in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Mâcon Chaintré

It was a busy international show jumping weekend on French soil last weekend, with not one but two international competitions scheduled throughout the country. One of these was the four-star competition of Mâcon Chaintré, where, during the CSI4* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, a Z-horse once again managed to distinguish itself with a place in the top five of the standings.

At the stroke of 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon in Mâcon Chaintré, the CSI4* Grand Prix kicked off, the closing event and also the absolute highlight of a busy international weekend. A total of 50 combinations ventured their chance in this 1.55m-high basic round, of which nine eventually managed to secure a place in the decisive jump-off. One of those jump-off contenders was Irish rider Mark McAuley and the 13-year-old stallion L'Arc En Ciel Z, a son of L'Arc de Triomphe and San Remo from the breeding farm of Sarah Gospodnetic and Anne Delerie in France. McAuley and L'Arc En Ciel Z, who already started their show on Thursday with a ^6th place in the 1.50m class, looked to be on their way to a podium finish, as they set the second fastest time in 39.42 seconds. Unfortunately, they also saw a bar go against them in the process, making it not^2nd but ^4th place for the duo in the final.

In addition to these great results with L'Arc En Ciel Z, McAuley also made himself noticed twice in Mâcon Chaintré with the 9-year-old stallion Clooney van Spalbeek Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Diamant de Semilly from the breeding farm of Frans Liefsoens. McAuley and Clooney van Spalbeek Z made a first appearance on Friday with a ^10th place during the 1.50m main class, but had their highlight of the weekend during the 1.50m main class on Saturday. In a jump-off for which nine combinations qualified, they took ^3rd place after another flawless performance.

There were also some blue/yellow victories throughout the weekend and one of those was won by Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen and the 9-year-old mare Farah Z, a daughter of For Pleasure and Caretano bred in the Netherlands by Freek Hoogenboom. Thijssen and Farah Z were the final laureates of the 1.45m Medium Tour on Sunday morning, where their clear jump-off in 41.67 seconds put them over half a second ahead of the rest of the field of competitors.

The second fastest time in this morning class came in the name of home rider Grégory Cottard and the 10-year-old mare Lavanoche T&L Z (Lavallino ter Klomp x Bentley van de Heffinck - breeder: Guy Vandeven), who received her training under the saddle of Belgian rider Gilles Thomas. Cottard and Lavanoche T&L Z crossed the finish line in 42.27 seconds, but a mistake on the way eventually relegated them to ^6th place.

A second blue/yellow victory in Mâcon Chaintré came in the name of French rider Richard Breul and the 8-year-old stallion El Parre Lejo Dirka Z (E Mail De La Chapelle x Lauterbach), who was born to Regis Vidal in France. They got off to an immediate flying start on Thursday with a resounding victory in the 1.40m opening class. A day later, they were also among the prize winners again, when they were good for ^7th place in the ranking during the 1.45m class.

With two top 10 placings, it was also a successful competition weekend for Swiss rider Edouard Schmitz and the 10-year-old gelding Dillen 111 Z (De Flor 111 Z Santa Rosa x Clovis - breeder: Stud 111). Schmitz and Dillen 111 Z opened with a fine ^8th place in the 1.50m class on Thursday, while they took the podium during the 1.45m class on Saturday, seizing^2nd place in the standings.

Then, in the 1.50m main class on Friday, Schmitz' compatriot Niklaus Rutschi managed to secure another podium finish with the 13-year-old gelding Amar des Brimbelles Z (Amadeus Z x Russel - breeder: Haras des Brimbelles). In both the basic round and the jump-off, they neatly kept all the balls in the reels, which finally earned them a nice ^3rd place.

Finally, there were also top 5 placings for French rider Hugo Breul with the 10-year-old stallion Kiekeboe Picobello Z (Kannan x Indoctro - breeder: Picobello Horses) and for his compatriot Olivier Perreau with the 9-year-old stallion Leopard des Joanins Z (L'Arc de Triomphe x Quick Star - breeder: Stephane Monier). For Breul and Kiekeboe Picobello Z, it was with a ^4th place in the 1.50m main class on Thursday, while Perreau and Leopard des Joanins Z took ^5th place in the 1.50m class on Saturday.