Two in a row for Urville Z in Ocala

Besides the five-star competition at Wellington International, there was also a lot of international action on American soil at the World Equestrian Centre of Ocala last weekend. There, the CSI2* Grand Prix was another bull's eye for our blue and yellow colours. Just like the week before, it was the mare Urville Z who crowned herself final winner and thus signed for a resounding Grand Prix victory for the second week in a row!

After the CSI4* Grand Prix on Saturday evening, on Sunday morning in Ocala it was looking forward to the CSI2* Grand Prix, which brought a total of thirty-eight combinations to the start. Canadian course designer Peter Grant and his team had once again set out a technical course for this 1.45m class, with the time allowed causing particular difficulties. In the end, however, nine combinations managed to keep their cool in the first round to secure a place in the decisive jump-off. These once again included Irish rider Daniel Coyle and the 13-year-old mare Urville Z, a daughter of Ukato and Crown Z born in the Netherlands to breeder J.G.M. Meijer. Coyle and Urville Z reappeared in the jump-off as the third combination and again did not make a mistake. They finished in 35.52 seconds, convincingly securing their second Grand Prix victory in a row.

Daniel Coyle: "I can't say enough good things about her. She has jumped two Grand Prix now and won them both. When I can ride her well she gives her all on the jump. And that gives a very nice feeling! Besides, she rarely misses a hurdle and if she does, it's my fault. (laughs) At home, she hasn't even hit a bar yet. She is really special."

However, Coyle and Urville Z were not the only ones to provide podium success in this CSI2* Grand Prix, as bronze also coloured blue and yellow there. For that, American rider Nicholas Dello Joio and the 9-year-old chestnut stallion Elvis De L'Othain Z, a son of Elvis Ter Putte and Quidam de Rêvel bred in France by Christian Morel. Dello Joio and Elvis De L'Othain Z also jumped for a clear barrage round, but needed 36.58 seconds before reaching the finishing line.

In turn, ^5th place was for German Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk and the 10-year-old gelding Akarad Tivoli Z, a son of our new addition Akarad Hero Z and Landwind II B from the Zwartjens family breeding farm in the Netherlands. Kukuk and Akarad Tivoli Z finished in 37.53 seconds, thus also securing a top ranking.

Also in this CSI2* Grand Prix, American rider Cloe Reid was among the prize winners with the 9-year-old stallion Souper Ladykiller, a son of former Olympic Champion London and Presley Boy who was born Ladykiller Sdw Z at breeder Bomo NV. Reid and Souper Ladykiller, who earlier in the week were good for a win in the 1.35m class on Wednesday and a ^4th place in the 1.45l class on Thursday, finished in ^6th place and this after putting a finishing time of 39.22 seconds on the scoreboard.

There was also a blue/yellow victory on Saturday thanks to Mexican rider Fernando Parroquin Delfin and the 10-year-old mare Escudero SDN, a daughter of Mr. Blue and Baloubet du Rouet born at VDL Stud as M. Ladoklahoma VDL Z. Parroquin Delfin and Escudero SDN, who also took ^7th place in the 1.40m class on Wednesday, became the winners of the 1.40m class, where with a clear round in 70.29 seconds they were more than half a second ahead of their closest pursuer.

^3rd place in this section was then taken by her compatriot Maya Ines Denis Chambon and the also 10-year-old gelding Callypso de la Hamente Z (Chellsini Z x Kashmir Van Schuttershof), a breeding product of Emanuel Wera. They too provided a clear round, crossing the finish line in 71.15 seconds.

Another victory in Ocala then came in the name of American rider Molly Ashe Cawley and the 15-year-old mare Berdien Z, a breeding product of H.J. Lamers-van Ingen from the Netherlands who combined the blood of Bustique with that of Querlybet Hero. Indeed, Cawley and Berdien Z were the winners of the 1.45m main class on Friday. In a jump-off for which sixteen combinations managed to qualify, they were six hundredths of a second ahead of the competition with a flawless round in 38.21 seconds.

In addition to all those successes within the two-star competition, there was of course also jumping at four-star level in Ocala, in which some Z-horses also managed to jump into the limelight. One of those horses was the 10-year-old stallion Hocus Pocus 111 Z, a son of Hermantico and Heartbrekaer bred by C.A.M. van de Oetelaar and Stud 111. Saddled by Austrian rider Peter Petschenig, Hocus Pocus 111 Z won the 1.40m opening class on Wednesday, where the pair were exactly three-quarters of a second ahead of the rest of the field of competitors with a clear^2nd phase in 40.51 seconds.

Another notable combination within the four-star competition were US rider Anna Dryden and the 8-year-old chestnut stallion Allegro Z (Amadeo Van 't Vossenhof Z x Twister de la Pomme - breeder: Herman Boerdijk). Dryden and Allegro Z started their show on Wednesday with a ^4th place in the 1.40m class and on Saturday they confirmed this performance when they claimed ^8th place in the 1.45m main class.

Last but not least, her compatriot Lacey Gilbertson also had another successful weekend with the 10-year-old mare Belle Amie vd Dassenheide Z (Bamako de Muze x Emerald van 't Ruytershof - breeder: Jill Goossens). After finishing ^6th in the 1.40m class on Wednesday, they secured ^9th place in the CSI4* Grand Prix on Saturday. In doing so, they did keep all the rails in the basic round neatly, but 2 penalty points for time unfortunately kept them out of the jump-off.