Z-horses make their mark in the Bridgehampton Grand Prix events

As well as the Brussels Stephex Masters in Wolvertem, top-class equestrian sport also took place on the other side of the Atlantic last weekend. In Bridgehampton, New York, The Hampton Classic Horse Show was on the programme, where the Z-class horses once again showed themselves at their very best. Success was recorded for our blue and yellow studbook colours in both the CSI5* Grand Prix and the CSI2* Grand Prix.

Nine days of national and international show jumping came to a close last Sunday in Bridgehampton with the Longines Hampton CSI5* Grand Prix, in which thirty-one pairs took to the arena. The 1.60m-high basic course proved to be quite a challenge once again this year, with only two pairs managing to complete a clear round. One of the thirty-one combinations on the start list was reigning Olympic Champion Christian Kukuk and the 10-year-old gelding Akarad Tivoli Z, a son of Akarad Hero Z and Landwind II B who was bred in the Netherlands by the Zwartjens family. Kukuk and Akarad Tivoli Z produced a very strong round, but unfortunately saw a bar fall from the jump throughout their course. However, they clocked the fastest finishing time in this basic round at 76.28 seconds, and their performance ultimately secured them a brilliant^third place.

On Saturday, the main event of the day was a 1.50m class over two rounds, and it was a delight to witness a blue-and-yellow victory. It was the Irish rider Shane Sweetnam who jumped to victory with the equally 10-year-old chestnut stallion Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, a son of Comme Il Faut and Lord Z, bred by the Van Rossem family of Mivaro BV. Sweetnam and Coriaan Van Klapscheut Z, who had already built up an impressive track record together over the past year, rode both the first and second rounds flawlessly, and with a finishing time of 42.88 seconds, they were around a full second ahead of their closest rivals.

But the silver in this class was also claimed by a Z-horse, thanks to the Egyptian rider Nayel Nassar and the 9-year-old mare Crislin van den Bosrand Z, a daughter of Carambole and Nabab de Rêve bred by Luc Huyghe. Nassar and Crislin van den Bosrand Z, who had also secured^second place in Thursday’s 1.45m class, were equally flawless, but took 43.89 seconds to complete their decisive round.

Furthermore, the Israeli rider Daniel Bluman also put in a strong performance in this class with his 12-year-old gelding Hummer Z (Harley VDL x Hemmingway), bred by P.H.A.E. Bocken from the Netherlands. Bluman and Hummer Z clocked the second-fastest time of 43.43 seconds, but a fault along the way ultimately relegated them to^fifth place.

American rider Charlotte Jacobs also secured^5th place with the 11-year-old gelding Playboy JT Z (Presley Boy x Plot Blue), where the letters ‘JT’ refer to Johan Thijs’s stud farm. Jacobs and Playboy JT Z secured this^fifth place in the 1.55m Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday, having qualified for the jump-off.