Double for Lillie Keenan and Agana van het Gerendal Z in Wellington!

For the second week in a row, the CSI4* GP of Wellington International has been a great success for an offspring of one of our Zangersheide stallions! After American rider McLain Ward and his Contagio Z son Contagious won last week, yesterday it was his compatriot Lillie Keenan who jumped to victory with her Aganix du Seigneur Z offspring Agana van het Gerendal Z!

Lillie Keenan and the 13-year-old stallion Agana van het Gerendal Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Aganix du Seigneur Z and Topas from the breeding farm of the Dutch Verhey family of Gerendal Stables, had a top week during the ^11th week of the Winter Equestrian Festival at Wellington International. On Friday, the successful duo made their first start at the 1.55m WEF Challenge Cup, in which they immediately managed to make their mark! Indeed, after a clear round, they were one of 17 combinations to qualify for the jump-off. In it, after another clear round, they crossed the finish line in 37.39 seconds, outclassing the competition!

But again yesterday at the CSI4* GP, Keenan counted on her top stallion and once again they managed to live up to expectations. In a jump-off for which 5 out of 41 combinations managed to qualify, Keenan and Agana van het Gerendal Z sped to the finish in 36.75 seconds, scoring a fantastic double!

Lillie Keenan: "Every class I bring him to the start he can actually win. So when I have him with me at a show, I know I have a few chances to win a class. He was already a star at the WEF Challenge Cup on Friday and his performance at this Grand Prix was even better. Moreover, unlike many others, he gets even better in a jump-off. The extra space there allows us to gallop more, which also gives him more power. That is why it is just a lovely horse to have in your team. Regardless of the type of test: he can win! Today I was lucky to be the last to start again. I have had him for many years and he is my partner, but when your emotions run high and you are trying to win, your horse also has to believe in you. And I trust him completely!"

Who also managed to qualify for the jump-off yesterday at the CSI4* GP was Keenan's compatriot Catherine Tyree Flores with the 12-year-old mare Camilla Z, a daughter of Cliff 67 and Sandro Boy Junior bred in the Netherlands by G.S. Groenveld. Tyree Flores and Camilla Z were also unblemished in the jump-off and they secured ^4th place in the standings after a finishing time of 40.33 seconds.

At the WEF Challenge Cup on Friday, in addition to Lillie Keenan and Agana van het Gerendal Z winning,^2nd place was also taken by a Zangersheide horse. This was provided by Mexican rider Carlos Hank Guerreiro with the 10-year-old stallion H5 Ganesh Hero Z, a son of Gemini XX and Diamant de Semilly from the breeding farm of Luc Henry and Gerry Marron. Hank Guerreiro and H5 Ganesh Hero Z also managed to repeat their flawless performance from the basic round in the jump-off, but they managed to stop the clock in 73.76 seconds.

Furthermore, last weekend there was also a victory for Belgian rider Zoe Conter and the 10-year-old mare Tombola Z, a daughter of Toulon and Dominard bred by Verschueren, Witters, Stevens and Van de Velde, with whom Conter already started her competition on Wednesday by finishing ^10th in the 1.45m class. Conter and Tombola Z became the winners of the 1.50m speed class on Thursday, where they were more than a full second ahead of the competition with a finishing time of 67.10 seconds.