Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio on Grand Prix podium in Oliva

On Spanish soil, international show jumping continues these days at the Oliva Mediterranean Equestrian Tour. Last weekend they were down to the penultimate week of Tour IV and with a Z-horse on the Grand Prix podium, it was another successful weekend for our blue and yellow colours.

The CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon was traditionally the highlight of the weekend and brought a total of fifty-four combinations to the start. Of these, thirteen managed to clear the 1.50m basic round to secure a place for the decisive jump-off. Among them were Brazilian rider Pedro Veniss and his loyal partner Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio, the 15-year-old chestnut gelding by Nabab de Rêve and Tinka's Boy born to breeder Eric Polfliet. Veniss and Nimrod de Muze Imperio Egipcio, who jumped to ^9th place in the 1.45m qualifier for this Grand Prix on Thursday, again kept it neatly clear in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 36.18 seconds they secured ^3rd place in the rankings.

Victory during that Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday was with great conviction for British rider Anna Power and the 8-year-old chestnut gelding Calgary PH Z, a son of Comme Il Faut and Caretano Z bred in the Netherlands by Ellen Poels Stables. In a class against the clock, Power and Calgary PH Z sped to the finishing line in 63.70 seconds, just over four (!) full seconds ahead of the competition. The following days Power and Calgary PH Z confirmed this good form with a ^6th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday and a ^7th place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Sunday morning.

A 1.45m Longines Ranking class also took place in Oliva on Saturday afternoon and our blue/yellow colours were also well represented in it. Among them was a podium place for home rider Armando Trapote and the 10-year-old mare Gin Tonic van het Gerendal Z, a daughter of George Z and Zandor Z from the Verhey family of Gerendal Stables. Trapote and Gin Tonic van het Gerendal Z stayed clear in the basic round to be among the nine combinations that qualified for the jump-off. In it, they managed to repeat that flawless performance from the first round and with a finishing time of 36.51 seconds they secured^2nd place.

Just off the podium stranded British rider Guy Williams and the also 10-year-old gelding Kermit Van Overis Z (Kentucky Van Overis Z x Pablo Van Berkenbroek), who was bred by Gerald Lenaerts and Sigrid Gielen of Studfarm Overis. Williams and Kermit Van Overis Z, who also took ^7th place in the 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday, also made no mistake and with a finishing time of 38.71 seconds they took ^4th place this time.

Finally, Belgian rider Jean-Christophe De Grande also signed for two podium finishes over the weekend. In the 1.40m class on Thursday he came in ^3rd with the 11-year-old stallion Anubis van de Vossestaart Z (Aimar van het Polderhof x Toulon - breeder: A. Cnockaert), while in the 1.40m class on Friday he did just a little bit better and came in^2nd with the 9-year-old stallion Massimo Z (Menko Vd Wellington x Caesar Ter Linden - breeder: Laura Vanhoutte).