24 June '25
Scoop de Septon Z wins the CSI3* Grand Prix of Ocala
©Andrew Ryback Photography
In addition to the various competitions in Europe, there was also international show jumping to be experienced on US soil last weekend with a three-star competition at Ocala's fantastic World Equestrian Center. Here too, it was a fruitful weekend for our studbook colours, as victory coloured blue and yellow during the CSI3* Grand Prix on Saturday evening.
Taking the top prize in this CSI3* Grand Prix over a height of 1.50m was Portuguese rider Luis Sabino Gonçalves and the 11-year-old chestnut gelding Scoop de Septon Z, a son of Hunters Scendro and Echo van 't Spieveld bred by Elevage de Septon. Sabino Gonçalves and Scoop de Septon Z already started their competition on Wednesday with a handsome 4th place in the 1.45m main class and were one of the 12 combinations to clear the basic round by Brazilian course designer Guilherme Jorge during the CSI3* Grand Prix. As the fifth combination to reappear in the ring, the duo again showed no fault and with a finishing time of 42.31 seconds, they were twenty hundredths of a second ahead of the rest of the field of competitors.
Luis Sabino Goncalves: "Scoop had a well-deserved break in the run-up to this, so I jumped him a round on the first day and then left him fresh for two days before this Grand Prix. This week was originally meant to be preparation for next week's four-star competition, but he felt fresh and very good. I am therefore very happy with this win!"
However, Sabino Gonçalves and Scoop de Septon Z were not the only ones to ensure success at this CSI3* Grand Prix. So 5th place went to American rider Elisa Broz and the 10-year-old grey stallion Consult Picobello Z, a breeding product of the Ruant family and Jos Lansink who combined the blood of Cicero Z with that of Nabab de Rêve. Broz and Consult Picobello Z, who were also good for a 10th place in the 1.40m opening class on Wednesday, also stayed clear in that jump-off, but took just a bit longer than Sabino Gonçalves and Scoop de Septon Z in 44.98 seconds.
On Thursday in Ocala, Australian rider Lauren Balcomb managed a top five placing with the 14-year-old gelding Verdini d'Houtveld Z, a son of Verdi TN and Caretino bred by Xavier Van Melckenbeke. During the 1.50m main class, Balcomb and Verdini d'Houtveld healed all the rails in both the basic round and the jump-off and this result earned them 4th place in the standings.
A day earlier, 4th place was also reserved for Austrian rider Peter Petschenig and the 9-year-old stallion Hocus Pocus 111 Z, a son of Hermantico and Heartbreaker bred by C.A.M. van de Oetelaar and Stud 111. Petschenig and Hocus Pocus 111 Z earned their 4th place in the 1.40m opening class, where they provided a flawless performance twice.