Silver for Dourkhan Hero Z in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Maastricht

Just a stone's throw from our stud farm in Lanaken, it was once again looking forward to Jumping Indoor Maastricht on Dutch soil last weekend, one of the most beautiful and atmospheric competitions of the year. Many world-class competitors travelled to 'The city of good taste', including Christian Ahlmann. In Maastricht he counted on our stallion Dourkhan Hero Z, among others, and together they managed to achieve another great performance!

For four days, the MECC was all about top-class sport, atmosphere and ambiance, and spectators were treated to sport at the highest level. The CSI4* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon was the apotheosis of the weekend, with a technically refined round by Louis Konickx. The 1.55m high basic course had many challenges, in which ultimately only a handful of combinations managed to stay clear. That select few included Christian Ahlmann and the 10-year-old stallion Dourkhan Hero Z (Sea Coast Cont't Touch Tiji Hero x Zandor Z) from the breeding farm of Luc Henry. Our successful duo also managed to keep their cool in the jump-off and with a whirlwind round in 36.51 seconds they secured a brilliant^2nd place.

However, breeder Luc Henry also saw a second breeding product in the top 10 in this CSI4* Grand Prix thanks to the 14-year-old mare Zarkava Hero Z, a daughter of Zandor Z and Calvaro Z. Under the saddle of Dutch rider Johnny Pals, Zarkava Hero Z also left all the rails untouched, but 1 penalty point for exceeding the time allowed unfortunately kept them out of the jump-off and made them settle for ^6th place.

With two top 10 placings, Maastricht also saw another successful debut for Dutch rider Jody van Gerwen and the 12-year-old grey stallion Neverland Z, a son of Numero Uno and Carthago Z bred by Jos Van Steenwinkel. Van Gerwen and Neverland Z started their competition on Thursday with a ^6th place in the 1.40m class, before finishing with a ^9th place in the 1.45m class on Sunday morning.

On Saturday evening, the sporting programme in Maastricht concluded with the 1.50m-high Big Tour, in which Dutch rider Harrie Smolders stood out with the 8-year-old gelding Estrello Eh Z (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Graf Top - Breeder: EuroHorse BVBA). Smolders and Estrello Eh Z neatly kept all the rails in the fierce first round, but they also had a time penalty point, which meant they finished in ^5th place.

Earlier on Saturday there was also a 1.45m class on the programme for the riders of the four-star competition, in which we saw a Z-horse shine in the top 3 of the rankings. That honour fell to Belgian rider Niels Bruynseels and the 9-year-old mare Devidanga SW Z, a daughter of our black pearl Dominator 2000 Z and Numero Uno bred in the Netherlands by the Zijstra family. With a flawless round in 58.23 seconds, Bruynseels and Devidanga SW Z secured a nice ^3rd place in this speed class. The ^6th place in this class was then taken by Dutch rider Mans Thijssen and the 10-year-old gelding Nero Z (Numero Uno x Lupicor - Breeder: Meulendijks Stables). They too kept it neatly clear, but needed 59.86 seconds to complete their round.

On Friday, there was also a blue/yellow podium to be noted thanks to Dutch rider Michael Greeve and the 8-year-old gelding A Billion Boy vh Distelhof Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Aganix du Seigneur Z and Indoctro born to breeder Ine Theuwissen. In the 1.45m class with 'Winning Round', Greeve and A Billion Boy vh Distelhof Z did not make a mistake during both the basic round and the second and decisive round and this also resulted in a nice ^3rd place.