Double victory for Loewie Joppen and Add Picobello Z!

Last weekend were busy days on Belgian soil, including an international show in Sentower Park, Opglabbeek. The Dutch rider Loewie Joppen had a strong weekend with his 9-year-old chestnut stallion Add Picobello Z, a son of Action-Breaker and Orlando who was bred by the Ruant family and who is also approved for Studbook Zangersheide. This Add Picobello Z comes out of the mare Only Picobello Z and is therefore a half-brother of the GP horses Check Picobello Z (Cardento VDL), Romeo 88 (ex Champion of Picobello Z – Contact van de Heffinck) and Clown Of Picobello Z (Cardento VDL).

Joppen and Add Picobello Z appeared 3 days in a row at the start during a 1.40m class and also managed to achieve a top ranking three times. They managed to win on both Thursday and Saturday and on Friday they were good for a 2nd place in the rankings.

During the opening day on Thursday, the Irish rider Bertram Allen also managed to secure a victory with the 9-year-old mare Quidera W Z, a daughter of Quick Star and Emilion who was bred in Germany by Marc Wirths. Allen and Quidera W Z became the winners of the second 1.40m class in which they had a lead of more than 3 seconds over the competition with a clear round in 58.90 seconds. The Belgian rider Rik Hemeryck jumped to a 6th place in this class with the also 9-year-old gelding Caristello JP Z (Clintissimo Z x Popcorn – B: Johnny Poelmans).

On Friday, the highlight of the day was undoubtedly the 1.45m high Longines Ranking class, where the victory also colored blue and yellow. It was the Dutch rider Leopold van Asten who became the winner with the 12-year-old stallion VDL Groep Elegant Hero Z, a son of Echo van 't Spieveld and Diamant de Semilly who was bred by Luc Henry. In a jump-off for which 17 combinations were able to qualify, they beated the competition with a clear round in 41.39 seconds. His compatriot Lars Kersten Kersten and the 10-year-old gelding Boebka vh Marienshof Z (Balou du Rouet x Clinton – B: Stal Marienshof) also remained clear in the jump-off and finished 8th in the rankings.

Next to the 2nd place for Loewie Joppen and Add Picobello Z, we also saw a second Zangersheide horse on the podium during the 1.40m class on Friday. The 3rd place went to the Belgian lady rider Emilia Housen with the 10-year-old mare Karenina Z, a daughter of Kannan and Quick Star, who was bred by Hanna Remans. Housen and Karenina Z also managed to keep it clear in both the 1st and the 2nd phase.

Finally, it was also a successful weekend for the French rider Guillaume Foutrier with the 8-year-old mare Iris-K Van 't Kattenheye Z, a daughter of Indoktro K van 't Kattenheye and Vagabond de la Pomme, who was bred by Tony Raman and Mieke Strobbe. Foutrier and Iris-K Van 't Kattenheye started their show on Thursday with a 3rd place during the 1.35m class and on Saturday they secured a 4th place during the 1.40m class.