Sea Coast Enjoy Z and Chelsea Z shine in the CSIO5* Nations Cup of Sopot

With the CSIO of Sopot, Poland, another CSIO5* Nations Cup was on the program last weekend. The victory during the Nations Cup went to the Belgian team and there was a leading role for lady rider Gudrun Patteet with her 9-year-old stallion Sea Coast Enjoy Z, a son of Emerald van 't Ruytershof and Parco who was born at the home of breeder Ann Van Putte as Enjoy van de Kromsteeg Z. Patteet and Sea Coast Enjoy Z took care of two strong clear rounds and with that they had an important share in the Belgian victory!

Furthermore, there was also a strong performance during this CSIO5* Nations Cup for the Swiss rider Bryan Balsiger and the 10-year-old chestnut gelding Chelsea Z, a son of Chellano Alpha Z and Cicero Z who was bred in the Netherlands by Willy Sijbers. They also managed to keep all the poles in the cups in both rounds. The CSIO5* GP already took place in Sopot on Friday evening and Balsiger and Chelsea Z also managed to jump to a top ranking in this as well. During the second and decisive round they had to deal with a fault, but this result was still good for a 5th place in the ranking.

However, the Argentinian rider Mariano Ossa managed to achieve an even better result during this CSIO5* GP with the 11-year-old gelding Elton van het Exelhof Z, a son of Elvis Ter Putte and Cassicor who was bred by Werner Essers. They ran into 3 time penalties in that second round and with this performance they secured the 3rd place on the GP podium.

Another combination that jumped into the picture in Sopot was the Belgian rider Wilm Vermeir with the 9-year-old mare Dirina O.H. Z, a daughter of Dicasi O.H. and Clarimo ASK who was bred by Guido Op 't Eynde. After Vermeir and Dirina O.H. Z already placed 6th on Friday during a 1.40m class, they became the winners of the 1.45m class on Saturday morning. In a class against the clock, they finished in 64.77 seconds, which put them more than a quarter of a second ahead of the competition.

But also the 2nd place in this class was colored blue and yellow and that was ensured by the Swiss rider Martin Fuchs and the 9-year-old chestnut stallion Viper Z (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Grannus – F: Guido Sperveslage), with whom he also won a 1.50m class at the Royal Windsor Horse Show last month. Fuchs and Viper Z, who also placed 5th during the opening day on Thursday in a 1.50m class, also managed to ensure a clear round during this 1.45m class.

It became also a successful show for the Belgian rider Alexander Housen with the 10-year-old mare Karenina Z, a daughter of Kannan and Quick Star who was bred by Hanna Remans. Both during the 1.40m high opening class on Thursday and during the 1.40m class on Sunday morning, Housen and Karenina Z managed to jump to a nice 2nd place in the ranking.