18 December '24
Another Grand Prix success for Laura Renwick and Enjoy CK Z
© Hervé Bonnaud
The Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, Spain, concluded its Autumn Tour 2024 with a genuine three-star competition last weekend. There was Grand Prix success for British rider Laura Renwick and her 11-year-old grey mare Enjoy CK Z this time too, as the successful duo secured another podium finish after their Grand Prix victory a fortnight ago.
The CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon was the absolute highlight of the weekend. In the battle for the top prize, 58 combinations appeared at the start, eight of which managed to qualify for the jump-off. Among them, therefore, was Laura Renwick and her Enjoy CK Z, a daughter of Echo van 't Spieveld and Coronado bred by Kristof Ceulemans, who Renwick has been in top form in recent weeks. After a clear basic round, Renwick and Enjoy CK Z also managed to run flawlessly in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 39.36 seconds they managed to secure 3rd place in the standings this time.
Laura Renwick and Enjoy CK Z were not the only ones to ensure blue/yellow success at the Grand Prix, however, as we also saw two other Z horses in the top 10 of the standings. Thus, 5th place went to Renwick's compatriot James Smith with the 13-year-old stallion Eagele Z, a son of Eldorado van de Zeshoek and Ramiro Z bred in the Netherlands by Bart Timmermans. Smith and Eagele Z, also good for 4th place during the 1.45m GP Qualifier on Thursday, also managed to put a nice time on the scoreboard in 39.64 seconds, but also ran into 4 penalties in the process.
Just behind Smith and Eagele Z followed French rider Alexa Ferrer and her 13-year-old mare Vitalhorse Naiade d'Elsendam Z, a daughter of Nabab de Rêve and Quattro B from the breeding farm of François Verhulst. Ferrer and Vitalhorse Naiade d'Elsendam Z also saw a bar roll out of the scoops in the jump-off in a time of 39.83 seconds.
Besides the CSI3* Grand Prix, a 1.45m Longines Ranking class was also on the programme on Sunday and in it it was Frenchman Charles Henri Fermé who managed to claim victory with the 12-year-old gelding Caynen of the Lowlands Z, a son of Concord Z and Quidam de Rêvel bred by Jos Heynickx of Lowlands Stud BVBA. The duo rushed to the finishing line in 27.36 seconds in the2nd phase, narrowly edging the competition. On Friday, Henri Ferme and Caynen of the Lowlands Z had also managed to finish 5th in the 1.40m class.
In the 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Friday, Belgian rider Andres Vereecke then managed to secure another podium place with 11-year-old chestnut mare Halima van het Bonte Hof Z (Hos d'O x Heartbreaker), who was born to breeder Leen Braeckmans. In a class against the clock, Vereecke and Halima van het Bonte Hof Z raced to the finish in 70.88 seconds, which earned them a great2nd place in the standings. Furthermore, Vereecke also managed to finish in the top 5 with the 12-year-old grey mare Call Me de Muze Z, the daughter of Clarissimo Z and Ramiro Z bred by Joris De Brabander and Leon Melchior. After a clear1st and2nd phase, they finished 5th in the Longines Ranking Test on Sunday morning.
Another notable combination in Oliva was German rider Anna-Elisa Schäfer with the 7-year-old mare Charlie's Angel Z, the breeding product of P&C. Van Der Heyden Rijkers who combined the blood of Comme Il Faut with that of Cassini I. Schäfer and Charlie's Angel Z were good for a 4th place during the 1.40m class on Thursday and a day later they managed to secure a2nd place during another 1.40m class.
Finally, two other Zangersheide horses also managed to finish 4th during this final week in Oliva. For the Frenchwoman Penelope Leprevost and the 10-year-old chestnut mare Barbie de La Roque Z (For Hero de Hus x Heartbreaker - B: Alexandrine Hecart) it was during the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test on Friday, while the Italian Davide Vitale and the 13-year-old stallion Earl Grey Z (Elliot van der Hulst x Sandro Boy - B: Gestüt Lewitz) then managed to get their top ranking during the 1.50m Longines Ranking Test on Saturday.