12 February '25
Belgian dominance on opening day
© Sportfot
The beautiful location of the Sentower Park in Opglabbeek is once again the setting this week for 'The Zangersheide International', which is already in its third edition. Riders, breeders and enthusiasts gather there until Sunday for a unique mix of absolute top sport and breeding. Candidate stallions will have to wait until tomorrow to enter the arena, but the jumping competition already started this afternoon. Indeed, three international classes were immediately scheduled during this opening day, in which it was the Belgian combinations who took the lead.
The main class during this opening day of the 2025 edition was the 1.35m-high opening class of the CSI4* competition, which started just before 8 p.m. this evening. In it, it was the Belgian riders who came out strongest, with Jules van Hoydonck and the 12-year-old chestnut mare Elize Z, a daughter of Elvis Ter Putte and Prince Royal, with whom van Hoydonck has already managed to jump some great results, in the lead. Van Hoydonck guided Kris Van Kerckhove's breeding product in the2nd phase to the finish in 26.87 seconds, making them the first CSI4* winners of the weekend!
But2nd place in this opening class also remained in Belgian hands thanks to Limburg rider Michaël Vreys. The latter was in the saddle of the 9-year-old mare Heideroosje Van Plockroy Z (Heidelberg van het Lindehof x Ogano Sitte - B: Vreys Horses) and with a clear2nd phase in 27.08 seconds, he was about a quarter of a second short of surpassing van Hoydonck's performance. Estonian rider Mia Marleen Lanno followed after the Belgian duo in 3rd place in the standings. Lanno counted on the also 9-year-old mare Activity Z (Aktion Pur Z x Cornet Obolensky - B: Stoeterij Zangersheide), whom she sent to the finish in 28.32 seconds.
CSI1* competition
Before the riders of the CSI4* competition could start their competition tonight, two CSI1* classes also took place this afternoon and in them, too, the victories were both Belgian. In the 1.25m qualifier for the CSI1* Grand Prix, it was rider Paulien Schepers who convincingly claimed victory with the 11-year-old mare Egerie de Hus, a daughter of HH Conrad Z and Diamant de Semilly out of the famous French breeding farm of Haras de Hus. Schepers and Egerie de Hus raced to a finishing time of 53.31 seconds in this class against the clock, just over 2.5 seconds ahead of the rest of the field of competitors.
With her victory, Schepers was at the head of an integral Belgian podium withsecond placed Kyle Cuypers and the 9-year-old gelding Quadro Van 't Buxushof (Elvis Ter Putte x Bentley Vd Heffinckx - B: Johan Cuypers & Kelly De Vuyst). Cuypers, however also a fast rider, finished in 55.83 seconds, clearly beating Schepers. Tom Morris was the 3rd podium laureate with the 8-year-old mare Greenvalley's Lady C Z (Global Express x Lord Z - B: Moris Vrolix). He managed to set a time of 56.07 seconds, which thus also earned him a top 3 placing
Nick Loss first winner
At 2 p.m. sharp this afternoon it was the riders of the CSI1* competition who could open 'The Zangersheide International' 2025 in a 1.15m class in 2 phase special. In this, too, it was the Belgian combinations who made their mark with Nick Verlies at the top of the leaderboard. For this weekend's opener he had saddled the 6-year-old mare Tucci van het Bildeken (Nixon van 't Meulenhof x Balou du Rouet - B: Koen Gaublomme) and with a clearsecond phase in 25.49 seconds Verlies managed to outclass the competition.
His compatriot Edwin Franco took both2nd and 3rd place in this class. For2nd place, he steered the 8-year-old mare Corda Z (Comilfo Plus Z x Picasso Z - B: Edwin Franco and Regine Hollants) to the finish in 26.40 seconds, while with the 12-year-old gelding Desperado Z (Der Senaat 111 x Picasso Z - B: Edwin Franco and Regine Hollants), he finished 3rd after a finishing time of 28.17 seconds.