Z-horses dominate the CSI2* Grand Prix at Bonheiden

Whilst there was plenty of international action taking place beyond our borders last weekend, there was also another international show jumping event on Belgian soil. A two-star show was on the programme at the Jumping Bonheiden equestrian centre, and the Z-class horses put in a particularly strong performance. With both gold and silver going to Z-class horses, the CSI2* Grand Prix was completely dominated by our blue and yellow colours.

Unlike many other competitions, the programme in Bonheiden concluded as early as Saturday, culminating in a challenging CSI2* Grand Prix. A total of fifty-six combinations took to the start, ten of which managed to complete the basic round set by course designer Henk Linders and his team without any faults. After a thrilling finale, it was the Ukrainian rider Oleksandr Prodan who took centre stage with the 10-year-old grey gelding Diamond Quality Z, a son of Diamant de Semilly and Cornet Obolensky, bred by Koen Terryn of Quality Stud. Prodan and Diamond Quality Z raced to the finish line in the jump-off in 41.24 seconds, thereby outclassing the competition.

But the silver in this final event of the weekend also bore the colours of blue and yellow, thanks to the Swiss rider Faye Schoch and the 11-year-old grey gelding Cornetto DB Z, a son of Cornet Obolensky and Inshallah de Muze, bred by Audrey De Bock. Schoch and Cornetto DB Z also put in a strong jump-off performance, but their finishing time of 41.41 seconds was ultimately not quite fast enough to knock Prodan and Diamond Quality Z off the top spot.

On Thursday in Bonheiden, all eyes were on the 1.45m Longines Ranking class, and there too a Z-class horse managed to secure a place on the podium. This was achieved by the Irish rider Ivan Dalton on the 9-year-old stallion Floris R Z, a son of For Pleasure and Hors La Loi II who was bred by Thijs Roumen. Dalton and Floris R Z were one of fourteen pairs who, after a clear round in the first round, qualified for the jump-off. In the jump-off, they once again managed to keep their cool and, with a finishing time of 31.77 seconds, secured^second place.

^Fourth place in this ranking class went to the Belgian rider Jérôme Guery on the 11-year-old gelding Time-Breaker S Z, a son of Toulon and Calvados who was bred in the Netherlands by P. Sleutels. Guery and Time-Breaker S Z also produced a clear-round jump-off, but with a time of 32.31 seconds, they ultimately just missed out on a place on the podium.

On Friday evening, the competition programme in Bonheiden concluded with the 1.40m Final, in which Malaysian rider Shoorendran Nageswaran caught the eye with the 9-year-old mare Verena Mb Z, a daughter of Vigo d’Arsouilles and Numero Uno, bred by M. Bokman in the Netherlands. In a jump-off for which nine pairs had qualified, they kept all the bars neatly in place and, with a finishing time of 34.25 seconds, they too secured^second place.

In^fifth place in this class was the Belgian rider Lander De Bruyn on the 8-year-old gelding Couleur By Belle Fleur NC Z (Couleur Latour), bred by Nele Claeys. They too rode another flawless round in the jump-off, but took 38.25 seconds to complete their round.

During Thursday’s 1.40m class, the young Dutch rider Siebe Leemans achieved another fine result with the 9-year-old grey mare Pippa Blue Z (Plot Blue x Calvados Z – breeder: Ann Van Heyst). In both the^first and^second phases, they remained faultless, which also earned them a fine^5th place.

Finally, Belgian rider Zara Poels also made a name for herself with the 8-year-old grey mare Clair Z (Cornet Obolensky x Casall), bred by M. van der Bruggen. Poels and Clair Z competed on Wednesday in the 1.40m opening class, where they secured^second place after a strong round.