Z-horses continue to shine on the Spanish coast

Under a radiant Spanish autumn sun, the finale of the first part of the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour was held in Oliva last weekend. During this third and final week, the Z-horses once again showed their class and managed to produce numerous strong results throughout the weekend.

The most eye-catching name during this final week in Oliva was undoubtedly that of the 10-year-old gelding Time-Breaker S Z, the son of Toulon and Calvados bred in the Netherlands by P. Sleutels. Time-Breaker S Z is the absolute top horse of Belgian Young Riders champion Mathieu Guery and that strong partnership was once again highlighted last weekend. On Friday afternoon, for example, Guery and Time-Breaker S Z won a 1.45m Longines Ranking class for the second week in a row. In a class against the clock, they raced to a finishing time of 62.53 seconds, again leaving the competition behind.

But also during the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday, the successful duo were among the absolute standouts. Guery and Time-Breaker S Z stayed clear in the first round and were among the eight combinations who managed to advance to the jump-off. In the jump-off, they again kept all the rails neatly in the reels and with a finishing time of 37.33 seconds they secured a great^2nd place this time.

In the 1.50m Longines Ranking class on Saturday afternoon, victory also coloured blue and yellow thanks to German rider Kendra Claricia Brinkop and the 13-year-old gelding Claptonn Mouche, a son of our stallion HH Conrad Z and Elan de la Cour bred by GAEC Mouche. In a jump-off for which 12 out of fifty-six combinations qualified, Brinkop and Claptonn Mouche crossed the finish line in 43.52 seconds, taking the top prize.

In ^3rd place in this class was Swedish rider Sofia Westborg with the 11-year-old mare Thunatellie Z (Thunder Vd Zuuthoeve x Heartbreaker) from the breeding farm of Ushuaia Horses. Westborg and Thunatellie Z also provided a double clear round, but crossed the finish line in 48.13 seconds in the jump-off.

Following their good performances during the second week, it was another successful weekend for Belgian rider Constant van Paesschen and the 11-year-old mare Kannavara Z (Kannan x Contender - Breeder Davy Blyau). The duo jumped into the spotlight for the first time on Friday with a ^5th place in the Longines Ranking Test, while on Sunday they then secured an ^8th place in the CSI3* Grand Prix. Furthermore, Colombian rider Ruben Arroyave Munoz and the 13-year-old mare Valeska Z (Van Gogh x Balou du Rouet - Breeder: Nadine Resche) were once again among the prize winners during the Longines Ranking Test on Friday. A clear round this time earned them ^7th place in the rankings.

Last but not least, British rider James Smith also made himself heard with the 10-year-old gelding Dominican 2000 Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Casir ASK) from the breeding of Carl Brems and Mieke Bosma. Smith and Dominican 2000 Z made it to the podium in the 1.40m class on Friday, where they took^2nd place.