03 March '26
Z-horses assert themselves in CSIO4* Grand Prix Wellington
© Sportfot
Once again, there was plenty of action in the United States last weekend at Wellington International, where a four-star Nations Cup was on the programme during the eighth week of the Winter Equestrian Festival. The CSIO4* Grand Prix was the sporting finale of the weekend, in which the Z-horses clearly asserted themselves with silver and bronze podium places.
Unlike in previous weeks, this time the Wellington Grand Prix was scheduled on Sunday afternoon, in which a total of twenty-nine combinations competed against each other. The 1.55m high basic course by the American duo Steve Stephens and Nick Granat had a lot of technical challenges, with five combinations eventually qualifying for the jump-off. Among them were Irish rider Darragh Kenny and the 11-year-old mare Colibelle Hero Z, a daughter of Comme Il Faut and Rubens du Ri d'Asse bred from a partnership between Marc Kluskens and Luc Henry. Kenny and Colibelle Hero Z also jumped into the limelight during week seven with a2nd place in the 1.50m class on Sunday and convincingly continued that good form last weekend. After the successful duo started their show on Thursday in the 1.55m WEF Challenge Cup with another2nd place, they also secured a podium place in the concluding Grand Prix. In that five-strong jump-off they once again managed to deliver a flawless round and with a finishing time of 37.72 seconds they once again signed for the first place of honour.
But the bronze in this CSIO4* Grand Prix was also coloured blue and yellow thanks to Darragh Kenny's compatriot Shane Sweetnam and the 10-year-old chestnut stallion Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, a breeding product of the Van Rossem family of Mivaro BV who then combined the blood of Comme Il Faut with that of Lord Z. Sweetnam and Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, already good for 4th place at the WEF Challenge Cup on Thursday, also kept it neatly clear in the decisive jump-off, but needed just a little more time in 37.75 seconds to finish their round successfully.
On Saturday evening in Wellington, then, everything revolved around the CSIO4* Nations Cup, in which some Z-horses also came out particularly strong. One of them was the 10-year-old chestnut stallion Ulysses, a son of For Pleasure and Verdi TN who was born as Freeman Heureka Z to breeders Luc Henry and J.J. Remijnse. Saddled by Irish rider Cian O'Connor, Ulysses jumped two clear rounds, making an important contribution to the Irish show jumping team's2nd place.
Another notable combination in this Nations Cup was Australian rider Lauren Balcomb and her top 15-year-old Verdini d'Houtveld Z (Verdi TN x Caretino - breeder: Xavier Van Melckenbeke), with whom she has already amassed a fine record in recent months. After their 7th place in the 1.45m class on Wednesday, they also jumped two clear rounds, confirming their excellent form.
Last but not least, there was also a blue/yellow victory in beautiful Wellington last weekend. In the 1.45m Grand Prix of the CSIU25-competition, it was Mexican rider Maya Ines Denis Chambon who snatched the top prize with the 10-year-old gelding Calypso de la Hamente Z, a son of Chellsini Z and Kashmir van Schuttershof from the Emmanuel Wera breeding farm. In a jump-off for which eight combinations qualified, she was almost a full second ahead of the competition with a finishing time of 35.87 seconds.