04 November '25
Victory and top placings for Candy Luck Z in Lyon
© PSV Photo's
After the first leg in the Norwegian capital Oslo a fortnight ago, last weekend there was another battle for World Cup points in the Western European League. This time, the World Cup caravan headed to the south of France for the prestigious Equita Lyon competition, where five-star and two-star competitions alternated in an atmospheric setting. The Z-horses were again strongly represented there and proved their class throughout the weekend with some fine results and striking performances.
The most striking name in the list was that of the 10-year-old mare Candy Luck Z, a daughter of Comme Il Faut and Canturo from the breeding farm of Dirk Geerinckx. Candy Luck Z has been a combination with Dutch rider Willem Greve again since last summer and together they made their debut at the very highest level in Lyon last weekend. That debut could hardly have gone better, as the duo managed to rank no less than three times throughout the weekend. On Thursday during the opening day, they put their nose to the window for the first time with a 5th place in the 1.45m opening class, while a day later they were immediately victorious in the 1.50m Prix Groupama. In a class against the clock, they finished in 61.69 seconds, giving them a lead of just under half a second over the competition. On Saturday evening at the Equita Masters, Greve and Candy Luck Z also managed to win prizes, this time securing 10th place.
During those Equita Masters on Saturday night, however, two other Z-horses also impressed with a podium finish for 9-year-old stallion Special Cera du Maillet Z, a son of Stakkato and Come On out of Delphine Mambour's breeding by Elevage du Maillet. Saddled by Belgian rider Grégory Wathelet, Special Cera du Maillet Z finished in 53.94 seconds in the second and decisive round, giving them final 3rd place in the rankings.
In doing so, Wathelet and Special Cera du Maillet Z did just one place better than Wathelet's compatriot Annelies Vorsselmans and the 10-year-old mare C. Kulottie W Z, the breeding product of P.H.B.M Van Wegen who then combined the blood of Comme Il Faut with that of Guidam. Vorsselmans and C. Kulottie W Z finished the second round in 54.53 seconds, narrowly missing out on a podium place.
Earlier on Saturday, however, there was also a 1.50m class on the programme for the five-star competition and there was success for our blue/yellow studbook colours in that class too. There was a top 5 ranking for British rider Matthew Sampson and the 10-year-old gelding Un Secreto Z (Ultra Boy x Arko III), owned by breeder Finca Horses BV. With a clear round in 61.93 seconds, they secured 4th place. But French rider Michel Robert was also among the prize winners in this class with the 11-year-old chestnut stallion Calasto Z (Calvaro Z x Argelith Stakkato - Breeder: Hans Schipper). They reached the finish after a clear round in 63.46 seconds, which in turn was good for 6th place.
Two-star competition
The five-star competition undoubtedly received the most attention in Lyon, but in addition to that, the French metropolis also saw jumping at two-star level over the past few days. In it, French rider Cedric Hurel had a strong weekend with 15-year-old gelding Fantasio Floreval Z, a son of Bazooka de Hus and Clinton bred in France by Evelyne Pater. Hurel and Fantasio Floreval Z immediately started their competition on Thursday with an excellent 3rd place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test and also claimed a leading role in the CSI2* Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon! In a jump-off for which eight out of 50 combinations managed to qualify, they managed to stop the clock in 45.44 seconds, securing silver.
Furthermore, it was also a successful competition for his compatriot Lucas Fournier and the 11-year-old mare Cyranan Z, a daughter of Cyrano du Ruisseau Z and Heartbreaker bred by Francesca Gobessi and Najem Joy. Fournier and Cyranan Z immediately took a whirlwind start on Wednesday during the opening day of the two-star competition with a win in the 1.35m class and on Friday they confirmed this performance when they jumped to 3rd place during the 1.40m class.
Finally, the Frenchman Jean Xhemal and the 9-year-old mare Georgia Z (George Z x Corland VDL - Breeder: LVP Stables) also coloured blue and yellow in2nd place during the 1.35m class on Wednesday. As the penultimate combination to start, they finished in 53.07 seconds, a close second short of knocking Fournier and Cyranan Z off the throne.