Podium place for Amar des Brimbelles Z in ultimate Valencia Grand Prix

Last weekend, Valencia hosted the fourth and immediately final week of the Moura Tours, the final chord of a particularly busy Autumn Tour 2025. Numerous Z-horses again managed to attract attention with strong results in several classes. The icing on the cake followed on Sunday afternoon, when one of these Z-horses won a podium place in the CSI4* Grand Prix.

That podium place was reserved for the 12-year-old chestnut gelding Amar des Brimbelles Z, a son of Amadeus and Russel bred in France by Haras des Brimbelles. Amar des Brimbelles Z has now been a strong combination with Swiss rider Niklaus Rutschi for several years and together on Sunday they were one of the 10 combinations that managed to stay clear in the 1.55m high basic round. In that ultimate jump-off they managed to repeat that flawless performance and with a sharp finishing time of 44.40 seconds they secured 2^nd place.

Also in this CSI4* Grand Prix, British rider James Winter was again among the prize winners with the 9-year-old stallion Casanova One BVL Z, a son of Codex One Z and Air Jordan Z who was born in the Netherlands to breeder H.L.M. van Lier. Winter and Casanova One BVL Z, who achieved 9^th place in the CSI3* Grand Prix the week before, also held it clear again in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 49.09 seconds they secured 6^th place.

Another notable combination during this final week in Valencia was Colombian rider Ruben Arroyave and his 13-year-old mare Valeska Z, the daughter of Van Gogh and Balou du Rouet from the breeding farm of Nadine Resche in Germany. Arroyave and Valeska Z got off to an excellent start to their competition week straight away on Thursday with a 3^rd place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test, but held their own during the final day on Sunday. There they became the winners of the 1.45m-high Big Tour, where, with a whirlwind round in 57.75 seconds, they were the only combination to manage to keep the chrono under 60 seconds. Just off the podium in this 1.45m-high Big Tour we saw Dutch rider Gert Jan Brugging and the 8-year-old gelding Fellow de Will Z (For Pleasure x Catoki - Breeder: EURL C. Eole). They finished 4^th after posting a time of 64.74 seconds on the scoreboard after a clear round.

Besides Ruben Arroyave and Valeska Z, Frenchwoman Megane Moissonnier also managed to secure a blue/yellow victory with her 11-year-old mare Jheevana Hero Z, a daughter of our stallion Jenson van 't Meulenhof Z and Lys de Darmen bred by Luc Henry and Gerry Marron. Moissonnier and Jheevana Hero Z, who had to settle for 2^nd place in the 1.40m class on Friday, were the final winners of the 1.45m Big Tour on Saturday. In both the basic round and the 8-strong jump-off, they neatly kept all obstacles in the scoops and with a finishing time of 38.68 seconds they were just under a full second ahead of the rest of the field.

But second place during this 1.45m Big Tour on Saturday was also blue and yellow thanks to Moissonnier's compatriot Jean Alexandre Legras and the 12-year-old mare Narena Z (Numero Uno x Carthago Z - Breeder: VOF Van Boxtel Reek). They too did not have any faults twice, but needed 39.52 seconds to finish their jump-off successfully.

Before the start of this 1.45m-high Big Tour, people in Valencia could already enjoy the 1.45m-high Longines Ranking Test, in which a Z-horse also shone in the top three of the rankings. Indeed, 2^nd place went to Luxembourg speedster Victor Bettendorf and the 14-year-old mare Cancun Torel Z, a daughter of Cosinhus and Grannus bred by François-Xavier Guyard. Bettendorf and Canun Torel Z sped to the finishing line in 64.51 seconds in this class against the clock, some half a second short of victory. Then again, Megane Moissonnier was 7^th in this class with 9-year-old gelding Kandoo Z (Kannan x Level Z - Breeder: Hilary Parren).

Besides the CSI4* Grand Prix and the 1.45m class, the riders of the four-star competition also had a 1.50m class on the programme on Sunday. In it, Victor Bettendorf jumped to a top ranking with the 8-year-old stallion Champion de la Roque Z, a son of Comilfo Plus Z and Coltaire Z from the Spits - Ceulemans family. In a class against the clock, Bettendorf and Champion de la Roque Z crossed the finish line in 69.60 seconds, which also earned them 2^nd place in the standings. In doing so, Bettendorf and Champion de la Roque Z did just a little better than Frenchwoman Ines Joly and the 8-year-old gelding Come One Z (Comme Il Faut x Zirocco Blue VDL - Breeder: Jorgen Eriksen). They came 4^th in this class after a clear round in 71.25 seconds.

Furthermore, it was also a successful weekend for Belgian rider Constant van Paesschen and the 8-year-old stallion Rolex by Hidalgo Z, a son of Rotchild du Bosquetiau and Cartier van de Heffinck bred at Hidalgo Stud. In both the 1.40m class on Thursday and the 1.35m class on Saturday, van Paesschen and Rolex by Hidalgo Z put in a flawless performance, earning them a 3^rd place on two occasions.

Two placings also went to German rider Jens Baackmann and the 8-year-old stallion Ay Caramba Z, a son of Aganix du Seigneur Z and Crowntano Z who was born at our stud farm Zangersheide. Baackmann and Ay Caramba Z started their competition on Thursday with a 7^th place in the 1.40m class and finished 9^th in the 1.50m Big Tour on Sunday.

Finally, Italian rider Elia Simonetti also managed a top 5 ranking with the 13-year-old grey mare Call Me de Muze Z, the daughter of Clarissimo Z and Ramiro Z bred by Joris De Brabander and Léon Melchior. In the 1.40m class on Thursday, Simonetti and Call Me de Muze Z finished a handsome 4^th after running flawlessly in both the1^st and 2^nd phases.