Lotti Blue Z helps colour the Grand Prix podium at Oliva

After a week's break, there was again international action in Spain last weekend at the Mediterreanean Equestrian Tour of Oliva, which has now reached the third and final part of the Spring MET 2026. This opening week traditionally saw jumping at two-star level, with a podium finish for a Z-horse at the CSI2* Grand Prix.

A little after 1pm on Sunday afternoon in Oliva, the CSI2* Grand Prix kicked off and brought a total of fifty-four combinations to the start. The 1.45m basic round was technical but fair, which meant that twelve combinations managed to qualify for the jump-off. One of those twelve contenders for victory was young Belgian rider Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele with his 10-year-old stallion Lotti Blue Z, a son of Le Blue Diamond Van 't Ruytershof and Wandor van de Mispelaere born to breeder Alfons Van Bruyssel. Vandecasteele and Lotti Blue Z were already^2nd in the Gold 1.40m class on Friday and also managed to secure a podium place in this CSI2* Grand Prix. In the jump-off they again kept all the rails in the reels and with a finishing time of 36.44 seconds they secured ^3rd place this time.

Vandecasteele and Lotti Blue Z did just one place better than Colombian rider Marco Antonio Peixoto Ferreira Filho and the 14-year-old chestnut gelding Everest V'T Hof V Eversem Z, a son of our stallion Epleaser van 't Heike Z and Concreto from the breeding farm of Ronny Maes. In the jump-off they did not have any faults either, but with a time of 37.35 seconds they had to be satisfied with a place just off the podium.

However, with a finishing time of 34.94 seconds, the jump-off round in this CSI2* Grand Prix came in the name of home rider Mariano Martinez Bastida and the 11-year-old stallion Coltaire de Bremoy Z, a son of Coltaire Z and Adelfos bred in France by Hubert Jehanne. In their haste, however, Martinez Bastida and Coltaire de Bremoy Z ran into four penalties, eventually making it only ^8th place for the lightning-fast duo.

The final day on Sunday, however, started with the Gold 1.40m class and in it the victory did colour blue and yellow. It was British rider Sammie Jo Coffin who claimed the top prize with the 13-year-old gelding Elsalvador Van 't Schaaphof Z, a breeding product of Maurice Van de Walle who combined the blood of his stallion Emilion Van 't Schaaphof Z with that of Forever. Coffin and Elsalvador Van 't Schaaphof Z, who started their competition week on Thursday with a ^3rd place in the Gold 1.30m class, held it clear in both the^1st and^2nd phases and with a finishing time of 25.88 seconds, they were five hundredths of a second ahead of the competition.

On Saturday, the main class in Oliva was the Gold 1.45m class and in it, too, it was a Z-horse that took the top prize. That honour this time went to Coffin's compatriot James Smith and the 9-year-old mare Astrade Z, a daughter of Air Jordan Alpha Z and Indoctro who was bred in the Netherlands by Borst Stables. In a jump-off for which 13 combinations managed to qualify, Smith and Astrade Z finished in 37.87 seconds, beating the competition by more than half a second.

Furthermore,^2nd place in this Longines Ranking class was also taken by a Z-horse thanks to Belgian rider Jan Vinckier and the also 9-year-old mare Quick My Lady vh Z (Quick Star x Mylord Carthago - breeder: J. Van Hamond). Vinckier and Quick My Lady vh Z also jumped a clear barrage round, managing to stop the clock in 38.43 seconds.

Another notable combination last weekend were Belgian rider Maxim Godecharle and the 12-year-old gelding Aribas Z (Aktion Pur Z x Cracky Z), bred by Wim Malisart. They immediately made themselves heard on Thursday during the opening day with a ^3rd place in the Gold 1.40m class, while they took ^4th place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Friday.

Finally, there was also a podium place for German rider Kai Terhoeven - Urselmans and the 8-year-old gelding Cash vd Berghoeve Z (Comme Il Faut x Casquetto - breeder: NV Vadebo). During the 1.35m speed class on Friday, they ensured a flawless performance, which finally earned them a nice^2nd place.