26 February '26
Netherlands on top during day two's main competition
© Sportfot
The second day of 'The Zangersheide International' saw a particularly exciting mix of breeding and top sport. While many breeders and spectators were eagerly looking forward to tonight's Zangersheide Stallion Presentation, there was a lot of action in Sentower Park throughout the day. From 10 a.m. this morning, the candidate stallions made their first appearance in the ring for their presentation in hand, while several international jumping classes were also on the programme.
The highlight within the sporting section of day two took place tonight with the Lamicell Prize, a 1.45m class against the clock that counted as qualification for tomorrow night's Sires Of The World. As on the second day last year, it was the Dutch combinations who took the lead, taking both gold and silver. The top prize this time went to rider Marriet Smit - Hoekstra, who was the final winner of the Sires Of The World with her For Chacco TN at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship For Young Horses in Lanaken in September. This time, Smit - Hoekstra had the 9-year-old mare Wadro's Maggie May (VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. x Amaretto I) under the saddle and together they managed to clear the course ridden by Rafaël Suarez and his team. In doing so, they crossed the finish line in 62.60 seconds, narrowly edging out the competition.
First in line of competition was her compatriot Johnny Pals. He had brought in the 15-year-old mare Chacco's Girl (Chacco Blue x Cento) for this sporting final round of the day and also managed to produce a flawless performance. He also had a shot at victory, but his time of 62.64 seconds proved just not sharp enough in the end.
Polish rider Przemyslaw Konopacki joined the Dutch duo on the podium by seizing 3rd place. Konopacki counted on the 9-year-old gelding Modesto (VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. x Bubalu VDL), which he piloted to the finish in 63.43 seconds.
Second time, good time
Before the start of this main class of the day, a 1.40m class also took place for the riders of the CSI3* competition, in which at the head a hundred combinations took their chances. As a result, the overall classification had to be split into two sub-classifications. In the first section, it was Belgian rider Steven Vermeir who was the fastest with the 8-year-old mare Crazy Music Royal Z (Clarimo ASK x Vigo d'Arsouilles - breeder: Kristof Wellekens). Vermeir and Crazy Music Royal Z sped to the finish in 63.00 seconds in this speed class, thus securing a victory this time after their2nd place yesterday.
2nd place in this first section also remained in Belgian hands thanks to rider Elke Appeltans and the also 9-year-old mare Nota bene de La Croix Renard Z (No Comment de Septon x Ogano Sitte - breeder: P. Vanvinkenroye). Appeltans, who has now been part of Pieter Devos' team for several years, also kept it neatly clear, but needed more than half a second more in 63.66 seconds to complete her round. German rider Sophie Hinners completed the podium in 3rd place. She piloted the 12-year-old gelding Erevan de Flusel (Mylord Carthago x Quidam de Rêvel) safe and sound to the finish in 65.08 seconds.
Shared Belgian victory
The second classification of this 1.40m class of the CSI3* competition also had a Belgian winner. That was provided by Tim Prouvé and his 10-year-old grey gelding Quasca Artist Vd Guldennagel - V (Asca Z x Connor). They managed to put a time of 63.62 seconds on the scoreboard after a clear round, adding another victory to their record.
Prouvé's compatriot Emilia Housen followed in2nd place in this second section with the 13-year-old mare Karenina Z (Kannan x Quick Star - breeder: Hanna Remans). After a clear round, she managed to stop the clock in 64.56 seconds. German rider Michael Jung, a regular at 'The Zangersheide International', followed in 3rd place in the standings. He sent the 12-year-old gelding Chalam LS (Chacon Ls La Silla x Casetto) to a finishing time of 66.44 seconds.
Integral female stage
The morning programme of this second day was dominated by the CSI1* competition classes, with the 1.30m qualifier for the CSI1* GP attracting the most attention. In this, it was again the riders who came out strongest with Estonian Maribel Kumpan and the 12-year-old gelding Jack Sparrow (Carrera VDL x Iroko) in the lead. In this class against the clock, they raced to a fantastic finishing time of 56.04 seconds, putting them just over three and a half seconds ahead of the competition.
British rider Tallulah Mackenzie Smith was the one who managed to come closest to Kumpan, finishing finaly in2nd place. Saddled with the 15-year-old mare Nistria V/D Winning Z (Non Stop x Cassini I - breeder: Jos Stevens), they also produced a strong round, but with a finishing time of 59.56 seconds, they clearly had to take second place to Kumpan and her Jack Sparrow.
The bronze was for Belgian rider Charlotte Degeest and the 7-year-old stallion Noxx van de Molen Z (Nixon Van 't Meulenhof x Papillon Rouge - breeder: Kristof Engelen), who also signed for 6th place during the opening day yesterday. Degeest and Noxx van de Molen Z finished in 60.62 seconds, also securing a podium finish.
Déjà vu
However, the second day of 'The Zangersheide International' started this morning with a true déjà vu. Indeed, in the 1.15m high morning class, the integral podium was identical to that of yesterday's 1.15m high opening class. This meant that victory once again fell to British rider Louie Cunningham and the 7-year-old gelding Orkney (Jumanji x Spartacus TN). Cunningham and Orkney kept nicely clear in both the1st and2nd stages and with a finishing time of 24.48 seconds in the2nd stage, they again outclassed the competition.
Dutch rider Dylara Peters and the also 7-year-old mare Off The Road (Comme Il Faut x Kannan) thus followed in2nd place in the standings, just like yesterday. They too did not make a mistake twice, but with a finishing time of 26.22 seconds they had to settle for first place of honour this time too. Finally, Charlotte Degeest finished in 3rd place, just like in the 1.30m class. Accompanied by the 6-year-old mare Oralie van de Molen Z (Orak d'Hamwyck x Quabri de l'Isle - breeder: Kristof Engelen), Degeest managed to stop the clock in 26.37 seconds.