Landon de Nyze Z secures Grand Prix victory in the Hudson Valley

Whilst the Italian capital, Rome, provided the backdrop for the thirteenth leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour last weekend, another leg of the Major League Show Jumping was also on the programme. This time, the international show jumping circuit travelled to the beautiful Hudson Valley in New York, where the Highlands Cup took place. Just as two weeks ago in Greenwich, it proved to be another resounding success for our blue and yellow colours, as it was once again a Z-class horse that took the top prize in the CSI5* Grand Prix in the Hudson Valley.

The CSI5* Grand Prix at Hudson Valley was the fourth Grand Prix of the season in the Major League Show Jumping and saw 36 rider-horse combinations take to the course on Sunday afternoon, including six riders from the top ten of the world rankings. The 1.60m course, designed by French course designer Grégory Bodo, presented a number of technical challenges, yet twelve pairs managed to complete the first round clear of faults, thereby qualifying for the jump-off. The jump-off was a fiercely contested affair, with the Israeli rider Mark Bluman and the 13-year-old chestnut gelding Landon de Nyze Z – the son of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Quadrillo, bred by Danny Nijs – emerging as the winners. Bluman and Landon de Nyze Z, who had also won the Grand Prix Qualifier in Greenwich just two weeks ago, managed to keep a clear sheet in the jump-off as well; with a finishing time of 36.32 seconds, they were just under a full second ahead of their closest rivals.

Those closest rivals were the British rider Jessica Mendoza and the 10-year-old mare Ascadina PP Z, a daughter of Asca Z and Ginus, bred in the Netherlands by Stal Poppelaars BV. Mendoza and Ascadina Z raced to the finish line in 37.31 seconds in that twelve-horse jump-off, meaning^second place was also coloured blue and yellow.

Furthermore, the Israeli rider Daniel Bluman enjoyed another successful competition with his 11-year-old grey mare Corbie V.V. Z, the daughter of Cornet Obolensky and Chacco Blue, bred by Evelyne and Colin Van Vreckom. Bluman and Corbie V.V. Z made their debut on Friday with a^fourth-place finish in the Grand Prix Qualifier, whilst they secured^tenth place in the Grand Prix. A jumping fault in the jump-off ultimately kept them off the Grand Prix podium.

Victory in Friday’s Grand Prix Qualifier went to home rider Spencer Smith and the 13-year-old grey gelding Keeneland, a son of Carmena Z and Quattro B who was given the birth name Cadeau Z by his Dutch breeder, Anja Aerts. In a jump-off for which only six pairs managed to qualify, Smith and Keeneland were the only ones to remain clear once again, thereby adding this class to their list of achievements with great flair.

Also on Friday, the Grand Prix was on the programme for the riders in the two-star competition. In that event, the Brazilian rider Marlon Modolo Zanotelli achieved a fine result with the 10-year-old chestnut stallion Eddie G Z, the son of Echo van ’t Spieveld, who was bred by Stoeterij Gaesbeek in the Netherlands. They rode a flawless round in both the 1.45m basic round and the jump-off, which ultimately secured them^4th place in the rankings.