29 April '24
New win for Catharina W&W Z
© Sportfot
Besides the various competitions abroad, there was also international action in Belgium last weekend, more specifically at the Sentower Park in Opglabbeek. There, the second week of the Easter Tour 2024 was under way and here, too, many Zangersheide horses managed to jump into the limelight.
On Friday, for example, there was another victory for Brazilian rider Thiago Ribas Da Costa with the 10-year-old chestnut mare Catharina W&W Z, a daughter of Centurio 22 and Griseldi bred by Wilfried Rutten, with whom Ribas Da Costa also managed to win a class at Jumping Bonheiden earlier this month. In the 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Friday, Ribas Da Costa and Catharina W&W Z were one of 18 combinations who stayed clear in the basic round, securing a place in the jump-off. In it, they managed to repeat that flawless performance from the basic round and with finishing times of 33.53 seconds, they added another victory to their record.
Besides Thiago Ribas Da Costa and Catharina W&W Z's victory, we also saw a second Zangersheide horse at the top of the leaderboard thanks to compatriot Bernardo Alves and the 12-year-old chestnut mare Vigo's Flip de Muze Z, a daughter of Vigo d'Arsouilles and Robin I Z from the breeding farm of Joris De Brabander. Alves and Vigo's Flip de Muze Z also stayed clear in that jump-off and their finishing time of 34.30 seconds was good for 6th place in the standings.
On Saturday, it was Belgian rider Dieter Vermeiren who managed to secure a blue/yellow victory with the 14-year-old mare Piepke 111 Z, a daughter of Plot Blue and Lord Z bred by Schepens and Harrie Theeuwes. In the 1.35m class, Vermeiren and Piepke 111 Z finished in 23.42 seconds in the2nd phase, putting them more than a full second ahead of the competition. Vermeiren also managed to jump twice in the prizes with his 16-year-old grey gelding Kingston Town 111 Z (Kashmir Van Schuttershof x Chellano Z), also bred by Harrie Theeuwes. Vermeiren and Kingston Town 111 Z started their competition with a 3rd place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and a day later they were good for a 6th place in another 1.40m class.
Yesterday during the final day it was of course mainly the CSI2* GP that was on the look-out for, and in it there was a top ranking for young Belgian rider Paris Vandousselaere with her 11-year-old chestnut gelding Saido Vd Koutermolen Z, a son of Skill Z and Gottwald bred by Dorine Goegebeur. In a jump-off for which 12 combinations managed to qualify, Vandousselaere and Saido Vd Koutermolen Z ran up against 2 penalties for exceeding the time allowed and this earned them 4th place in the standings.
Who also managed to place twice in Opglabbeek last weekend was Belgian rider Michael Vreys with his 9-year-old home-bred mare Chica Bomb van Plockroy Z, a daughter of Comment van het Lindehof combined with Ogano Sitte. Vreys and Chica Bomb van Plockroy Z were good for a superb2nd place in the 1.40m class on Thursday, while they took 6th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday. In the 1.35m class on Friday morning Vreys also jumped into2nd place with the 11-year-old chestnut mare Extra Z (L.B. Eagle Eye x Ogano Sitte), who was also bred by Vreys.
Furthermore, it was also a successful competition for Vreys' compatriot Gilles Detry with the 11-year-old mare Catwalk Vas Y Picobello Z (Vagabond de la Pomme x Contact van de Heffinck - B: Picobello Horses). Detry and Catwalk Vas Y Picobello Z competed three times, finishing 6th once and 8th twice.