Fellaini de Liebri Z grabs the lead in the CSI3* Herning Grand Prix

Apart from the various five-star competitions that took place last weekend, there were also many other venues competing at international level. In Herning, Denmark, riders and amazons were in action at three-star level, where during the CSI3* Grand Prix a Z-horse grabbed the lead role and once again provided blue-yellow brilliance.

Unlike many other competitions, in Herning the CSI3* Grand Prix was already on the programme on Saturday, in which exactly forty combinations made their appearance in the ring. The level was particularly high, as of these forty contenders, no fewer than fifteen managed to get through the 1.50m basic round unscathed and thus qualify for the jump-off. One of them was Swedish rider Marcus Westergren with the 11-year-old grey mare Fellaini de Liebri Z, a daughter of Bull Run's Faustino de Tiji and Corrado I born to breeder Lieven Bruyneel. Westergren and Fellani de Liebri Z also managed to keep their cool in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 36.76 seconds, they were just under half a second ahead of the competition!

After the CSI3* Grand Prix on Saturday, they got to get ready for the CSIU25 Grand Prix in Herning on Sunday, and in it, too, it was a Z-horse that set the tone. Indeed, the victory went to Danish rider Frederik Fensholt and the 16-year-old stallion Take A Chanche On Me Z, the son of Taloubet Z and Aldatus Z who was born here at Zangersheide Stud. In a jump-off for which only three of the thirty-one combinations managed to qualify, Fensholt and Take A Chance On Me Z raced to a convincing finishing time of 33.71 seconds, taking victory by a wide margin.

With three top-5 finishes, it was also a particularly successful weekend in Herning for Belgian rider Laurens Houben and the 9-year-old grey mare Hot Stuff EP, a daughter of Hickstead and l'Arc de Triomphe who was born Harcana De Chandor Z to her breeder Christophe Grosjean in France. Houben and Hot Stuff EP were already good for a ^4th place in the 1.40m class on Wednesday and a ^5th place in the 1.40m class on Thursday in the first days of the show, but held their own during the 1.45m Medium Tour on Saturday. In both the first and second rounds, the duo provided a flawless performance and with a finishing time of 33.83 seconds, they secured^2nd place.

In doing so, they did just one place better than Houben's compatriot Thibeau Spits and the 8-year-old mare Cloverly DH Z (Comme Il Faut x Codex - Breeder: Patrik Spits). Spits and Cloverly DH Z, who also finished ^3rd in the 1.40m class on Wednesday, also produced two clear rounds, but needed 34.43 seconds to complete their decisive round. Just off the podium in ^4th place stranded German rider Sönke Fallenberg and the 9-year-old chestnut stallion Zanzibar Z (VDL Zirocco Blue N.O.P. x Utrillo Z - Breeder: Bart Smeets). They crossed the finish line in 35.28 seconds in the second round, which meant they too had a top ranking.

Furthermore, it was also a successful competition for Swedish rider Annika Axelsson and the 8-year-old chestnut mare Comme Picobello Z (Comme Il Faut x Indoctro), bred by the Ruant family of Picobello Horses. Axelsson and Comme Picobello Z already jumped into the limelight for the first time on Thursday with 8th place in the 1.40m class and confirmed their strong form on Saturday with a handsome 2nd place, again in a 1.40m class.

Finally, there were also two combinations who finished ^6th in Herning. For Irish rider James Connors Smyth and the 9-year-old stallion Elzandor Z (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Zandor Z - Breeder: Klaas Kuiper), it was during the 1.50m class on Friday, while Swede Carl-Hugo Westgren and the 9-year-old stallion D-Day de Tiji Z (Sea Coast Don't Touch Tiji Hero x Air Jordan Z - Breeder: T&J BVBA) secured their ^6th place during the 1.40m class on Saturday.