03 November '26
World Cup points for Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z in Lyon
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Studbook
© Wil Smeets
As well as the final leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Rabat, Morocco, World Cup points were also up for grabs once again last weekend in the Western European League. For the second stop of the season, the international show jumping circuit headed to the south of France, where the prestigious Equita Lyon show was on the programme. Among those competing were the Belgian rider Thibeau Spits and his black gem, Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z. Building on their excellent form of recent months, they delivered another top-class performance in Lyon and secured valuable World Cup points.
The large Eurexpo Lyon exhibition centre was packed to the rafters last Sunday for this second round of the season, and the audience were treated to an afternoon full of excitement and top-class sport. A total of forty rider-horse pairs took their chance, and no fewer than fourteen of them successfully completed the 1.60m-high basic course. One of those fourteen was World Championship runner-up Thibeau Spits and his 11-year-old stallion Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z, the son of Indoktro K van ’t Kattenheye and Vagabond de la Pomme, bred by Tony Raman and Mieke Strobbe. Spits and Impress-K van ’t Kattenheye Z were the second pair to return to the arena and once again produced a masterful round. Once again, they managed to keep a clear round on the scoreboard, and a finishing time of 41.50 seconds ultimately secured them6th place in the rankings.
Another standout combination in the south of France was the Irish rider Mark McAuley and the 9-year-old stallion Clooney van Spalbeek Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Diamant de Semilly, who was bred by Frans Liefsoens. They first caught the eye on Friday by securing a top-five finish in the Longines Grand Prix. In a jump-off for which twelve pairs had qualified, they clocked the second-fastest time of 44.82 seconds, but a fault en route ultimately relegated them tofourth place. During Saturday’s 1.60m main class, they were once again on top form with a rock-solid performance. On that occasion, they secured an impressivethird place.
A unique double blow
Most of the attention was, of course, focused on the five-star competition, but there were also two-star events taking place in Lyon last weekend. With two resounding victories, it was a fantastic weekend for home rider Cedric Hurel and his 16-year-old gelding Fantastio Floreval Z, the son of Bazooka de Hus and Clinton, bred by Evelyne Pater in France. Having already proved themselves the best in the 1.45m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday, the opening day, they also added the CSI2* Grand Prix to their list of achievements on Saturday afternoon. In a jump-off featuring twenty riders, they raced to the finish in 33.23 seconds, giving them a lead of well over half a second over their closest rivals.
On Sunday morning, there was also a blue-and-yellow victory to celebrate in Lyon, courtesy of the French rider Stéphanie Hennequin and the 8-year-old gelding Candice van de Celiebrug Z, a son of Candy de Nantuel GFE and Lupicor, bred by Frederick Engels. In the 1.40m speed class, they crossed the finish line in 58.74 seconds, giving them too a comfortable lead over the competition.