19 May '26
Tools DW Z shines on Grand Prix podium in Bedizzole
©Scuderia Borgo la Caccia
A week after the competition at Lier's Azelhof, another stage of the Longines EEF Series 2026 was also on the programme last weekend. The destination this time was Bedizzolle, Italy, and more specifically the equestrian centre of Scuderia Borgo la Caccia. The CSIO3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon there was one of the highlights of the weekend and in it a Z-horse managed to shine with a place on the Grand Prix podium.
Four days of international show jumping sport could be enjoyed in Lombardy, with an exciting CSIO3* Grand Prix rounding off the weekend. The 1.55m high basic course proved to be quite a challenge, as only five of the sixty combinations who took their chances managed to advance to a place in the decisive jump-off. One of those contenders for victory was Belgian rider Thomas de Wit and his 15-year-old gelding Tools DW Z, a son of Toulon and Cicero Z van Paemel who was born and raised at Thomas de Wit's home. As the first combination at the start, de Wit and Tools DW Z immediately managed to put the winning finishing time on the scoreboard, but as a bar rolled out of the scoops in their haste they had to settle for 3rd place.
Also in this CSIO3* Grand Prix, Swiss rider Gaetan Joliat managed to qualify for the jump-off with the 12-year-old mare Scarlina de Tiji Z, a daughter of Hunters Scendro and Kannan bred by Tim van Tricht and Jill Smits of T&J BVBA. They eventually secured 5th place in it.
With two wins, it was also a glorious competition in northern Italy for Brazilian rider Thiago Ribas Da Costa and the 13-year-old chestnut mare Catharina W&W Z, a daughter of Centurio 22 and Griseldi from the breeding farm of Wilfried Rutten. Ribas Da Costa and Catharina W&W Z, who had a strong showing in Deurne two weeks earlier, triumphed during the 1.45m main class on Thursday and they were also stronger than the competition during 1.45m class on Sunday morning.
Another notable name within the three-star competition was that of the 14-year-old grey gelding Calandro Z (Calato Z x Sandro Boy), bred by Tim Holford in France. Under the saddle of French rider Elisa Chimirri, Calandro Z scored top five placings twice with a 5th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday and a bronze podium place in the 1.45m class on Sunday morning.
In addition to the CSIO3* competition, however, the past few days in Bedizzole have also seen two-star showjumping, and in this class too some Z-horses showed their class. Thomas de Wit, for example, brought his 11-year-old grey mare Ice Twin Girl Dw Z (I'm Special de Muze x Wandor van de Mispelaere) and that resulted in two nice top 10 placings. On Thursday, they started their competition with a 5th place in the 1.40m opening class, while during the CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday morning they took 7th place.
Finally, French rider Jean Luc Mourier also managed to jump into the prizes twice with the 10-year-old gelding Vagabond of Picobello Z (Vagabond de la Pomme x PKZ Contact van de Heffinck - breeder: Picobello Horses). They opened during the 1.40m opening class on Thursday with a 3rd place and achieved another 4th place a day later during another 1.40m class.