09 June '26
Top five classification for Akito Von Rocherath Z in the CSI4* Grand Prix of St. Tropez
© Chloe Aston
In the film city of Cannes last weekend, people could enjoy the sixth leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour, but in addition, two other international competitions were on the programme on French soil. One of those competitions took place at St Tropez's Gassin Polo Club, where there was competition at four-star level. In this, the CSI4* Grand Prix was the highlight of the weekend, featuring a Z-horse in the top five of the standings.
At the stroke of 2.30pm on Sunday afternoon, the CSI4* Grand Prix kicked off, with fifty combinations competing at the head. Olympic course designer Grégory Bodo and his team had once again mapped out a beautiful round, with 11 combinations eventually managing to advance to the jump-off. One of those 11 contenders were British rider Chloé Aston and the 11-year-old stallion Akito Von Rocherath Z, a son of Arko III and Numero Uno from the breeding farm of Edgar Stoffels. Aston and Akito Von Rocherath Z also managed to keep zero on the scoreboard in the jump-off and this performance just secured them a place in the top five of the leaderboard.
Moreover, during the opening day on Thursday, Aston had also jumped into the prizes with the 9-year-old gelding Diatendro Von Rocherath Z, a son of Diamant de Semilly and Contendro I and also a breeding product of Edgar Stoffels. Aston and Diatendro Von Rocherath Z appeared at the start in the 1.40m section high opening class, in which they took 4th place.
On Sunday, most attention naturally went to the CSI4* Grand Prix, but the final day started in the morning with a 1.45m class. In that, too, there was blue/yellow success thanks to Italian rider Elia Simonetti and the 10-year-old stallion Coca Vd Gulden Z, a son of Cornado II and Heartbreaker bred by Etienne Heymans. Simonetti and Coca Vd Gulden Z provided a flawless round in both the1st and2nd phases, with2nd place as the final result.
Also taking2nd place in St Tropez was Swiss rider Nadia Peter Steiner and the 10-year-old stallion Clearround IL Mondo Z (Comme Il Faut x Clearway), who was born to breeder Tim Naessens. Peter Steiner and Clearround IL Mondo Z, who had also put in a strong performance the week before, achieved this silver podium place in the 1.50m main class on Friday, and this after they kept all the bars in the reels in both the basic round and the jump-off.
Another notable combination was Belgian rider Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele and the 10-year-old stallion Lotti Blue Z, a son of Le Blue Diamond Van 't Ruytershof and Wandor van de Mispelaere bred by Alfons Van Bruyssel. Vandecasteele and Lotti Blue Z, who already have two Grand Prix to their credit in the past few months, competed twice and managed to secure 3rd place in both the 1.50m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday and the 1.50m class on Saturday.
During these two 1.50m classes, 6th place was also taken twice by a Z-horse. On Thursday, that honour belonged to Swedish rider Angelica Augustsson Zanotelli and the 12-year-old stallion Iron Dames Calvino II De Nyze Z (Calvaro Z x Heartbreaker - breeder: Danny Nijs), while on Saturday it was American Jessica Springsteen and the 11-year-old stallion Cayman de Poteau Z (Cayado x Casall ASK - breeder PGMBH Hammes) who took 6th place.
Two-star competition
However, in addition to the four-star competition, the past few days in St. Tropez also saw competition at two-star level, and in this too some Z-horses managed to provide some nice results. For example, on Friday there was a victory for Bart Jay Junior Vandecasteele and the 11-year-old gelding Kadee van de Renthoeve Z, a son of Kannan and Baloubet du Rouet from the breeding farm of Bart Sips. Vandecasteele and Kadee van de Renthoeve Z were the overall winners of the 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier, in which their clear round in 64.20 seconds put them over a quarter of a second ahead of their closest pursuer.
Equally victorious was Brazilian rider Mariana Frauches Chaves and the 8-year-old chestnut stallion Pepper Z (Perigueux x Kashmir van Schuttershof), from the breeding farm of Sport Horses BVBA As. Frauches Chaves and Pepper Z triumphed in the 1.35m morning class on Saturday, where they outclassed the competition with a clear2nd phase in 39.78 seconds.
Finally, German rider Kendra Claricia Brinkop also had a strong weekend with the 8-year-old gelding Abercrombie Pommex Z (Asca Z x Emerald van 't Ruytershof - breeder: Haras de la Pomme & Stephex Stables). They started their competition on Thursday with a 4th place in the 1.40m class and closed on Sunday with a 5th place in another 1.40m class.