Z-horses have another strong weekend in Opglabbeek

For the second week in a row, Sentower Park in Opglabbeek was the setting for an international show on Belgian soil last weekend. Just like last week, quite a few Z-horses competed and they did not go unnoticed. They were numerous in the ring and managed to convince again with several victories and a whole series of places of honour.

On Sunday during the final day, the CSI4* Grand Prix was undoubtedly the absolute highlight of the day, but in addition a 1.45m Longines Ranking Test was also on the programme for the CSI4* competition. In it, victory went to Italian rider Piergiorgio Bucci and the 13-year-old gelding Cortez Van 't Klein Asdonk Z, a son of Cornet Obolensky and Andiamo Z bred by Eddy Thomas. Bucci and Cortez Van 't Klein Asdonk Z were one of thirteen combinations to clear the basic round ridden by Spanish trackman Marcos Nunez and his team so managed to advance to the jump-off. In it, they again managed to leave all obstacles touched and with a finishing time of 39.24 seconds, they were the only combination that managed to keep the chrono under 40 seconds.

But the other podium places in this Longines Ranking Test were also taken by Z-horses with Belgian rider Gudrun Patteet and the 8-year-old gelding Baron - Rr Z, a son of Bamako de Muze and Diamant de Semilly from the breeding farm of Robin Denijs and Raf Van De Perre, in^2nd place. Patteet and Baron - Rr Z did not make a mistake in the jump-off either, but took more than a full second longer to complete their round in 40.49 seconds.

^Third place went to Brazilian rider Yuri Mansur and the 10-year-old gelding Elano de Laubry Z, a breeding product of the Haelterman family who combined the blood of Echo van 't Spieveld with that of Prince Royal. Mansur and Elano de Laubry Z crossed the finish line in the jump-off in 41.42 seconds, which thus also earned them a place on the podium.

On Saturday there was also a blue/yellow victory at the Meynaerts' home thanks to Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen and the 10-year-old mare Lolandria Z, a daughter of Lux Z and Quidam de Rêvel born at Oldenaller Stud. Thijssen and Lolandria Z became the winners of the 1.40m class, where a clear^2nd phase in 29.00 seconds gave them a close half-second lead over the rest of the field of competitors.

And again,^2nd place was coloured blue and yellow thanks to Colombian Santiago Diaz Ortega and the also 10-year-old gelding Chasspleen Flamingo Z, a son of Cardento and Dollar du Murier from the breeding farm of Alexandra Rantet. They crossed the finish line in 29.46 seconds, thus also earning them a place at the top of the leaderboard.

The main class on Saturday was the 1.45m Longines Ranking class that was already on the programme in the afternoon. In it, there was a podium place for Belgian rider Leonie Peeters and her 15-year-old mare Tinkoucha Hero Z, Luc Henry's product combining the blood of Tinka's Boy with that of French sire Diamant de Semilly. Peeters and Tinkoucha Hero Z stopped the clock in 28.22 seconds in the^2nd phase, giving them a nice ^3rd place in the standings.

During the 1.50m Longines Ranking Test on Friday, Peeters' compatriot Wilm Vermeir also managed to finish ^3rd with his 10-year-old breeding product Top Invest 313 Z, a son of Thunder van de Zuuthoeve and Concorde. In a jump-off for which nine combinations managed to qualify, they again managed to keep all the bars in the scoops and in the process conjured up a time of 37.44 seconds on the scoreboard.

Dirk Demeersman followed in ^4th place in this class with his homebred 9-year-old stallion Cote D'Or Z, a son of Carambole combined with Diamant de Semilly. They too left all obstacles untouched in the jump-off, but crossed the finish line in 38.03 seconds.

The 1.35m class on Friday morning came to the name of Limburg rider Michaël Vreys and the 9-year-old mare Heideroosje Van Plockroy Z, a daughter of Heidelberg van het Lindehof and Ogano Sitte who was born and raised at the Vreys family home. In a class against the clock, Vreys and Heideroosje Van Plockroy Z crossed the finish line in 64.39 seconds, giving them a small lead of 3 hundredths of a second over the rest of the field of competitors.

Also on Friday, Belgian rider Thomas De Wit then managed another podium place with the 10-year-old homebred mare Ice Twin Girl Dw Z, a daughter of I'm Special de Muze and Wandor van de Mispelaere. De Wit and Ice Twin Girl Dw Z, also good for ^5th place on Thursday, secured ^3rd place in the 1.40m class, securing a clear round in both the^1st and^2nd stages.

On Thursday during the opening day, we also enjoyed a victory thanks to Belgian rider Niels Fockaert and his 9-year-old mare Calisto R Z, a daughter of Corico Z and Rex Z bred by Yacelo NV. Fockaert and Calisto R Z were the winners of the 1.35m opening class, where they were almost two full seconds ahead of the competition with a clear round in 69.91 seconds.

Then again,^2nd place in this class went to Frenchwoman Marie Vandervliet with the 15-year-old grey gelding Wouest de Cantrie Z (Winningmood van de Arenberg x Calvin - B: Philiippe Poppe). They did not make any mistakes either, but with a finishing time of 71.68 seconds they were clearly outclassed by Fockaert and Calisto R Z. The following days Vandervliet and Wouest de Cantraie Z confirmed this performance with a ^5th place in the 1.35m class on Friday and a ^10th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday.

Last but not least, Belgian rider Brecht Goossens also managed to secure a top ranking with the 10-year-old stallion Alaska Z, a son of Asca Z and Utrillo Z from the breeding farm of Jean Jordens and Nicky Dillien. In the 1.50m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday afternoon, Goossens and Alaska Z took ^3rd place after a flawless performance.