Double Grand Prix silver in Wellington

It was another particularly busy weekend at the very highest level last weekend, as in addition to the second leg of the Longines Global Champions Tour in Mexico City, there was also jumping at Wellington International at five-star level. There, the 12-week Winter Equestrian Festival concluded the past few days with the Rolex Finals week. It turned out to be another fantastic weekend for Zangersheide's colours, as both the CSI5* Grand Prix on Saturday evening and the CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon coloured silver blue and yellow.

The absolute highlight of the weekend and by extension of the entire Winter Equestrian Festival 2025 was undoubtedly the $750,000 Rolex US Equestrian Open Grand Prix. That brought a total of 40 combinations to the start on Saturday evening, including six riders from the world's top 10. Brazilian track builder Guilherme Jorge and his team had once again laid out a beautiful course for the more than 10,000 spectators, and of the forty combinations that took their chances at this prestigious Grand Prix, eight eventually managed to qualify for the jump-off. One of those eight barragists was American rider Laura Kraut with her 11-year-old mare Bisquetta, a daughter of Bisquet Balou van de Mispelaere and Taskashi van Berkenbroeck who was born to breeder Claire McCarthy-Winters as Bisquetta Squalls Estate Z. Kraut and Bisquetta, who just a week before managed to finish ^7th at the CSIO5* Grand Prix of Ocala, also managed to ensure a flawless performance in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 39.49 seconds they secured a brilliant^2nd place in the standings.

On Thursday afternoon in Wellington, the 1.55m WEF Challenge Cup was on the programme and in it too we saw some Z-horses shine at the top of the leaderboard. These included a podium place for Kraut's compatriot Kent Farrington and his 11-year-old top mare Toulayna, a daughter of Toulon and Parco who was born as Toulayna van het Bloesemhof Z to her Belgian breeder Jasper Doucé. Farrington and Toulayna were already in good form in recent weeks with a resounding victory in the CSI4* Grand Prix of Ocala and more recently a ^5th place in the Rolex Grand Prix of 's Hertogenbosch and confirmed that good form again last weekend. In a jump-off in which 16 combinations once again made their appearance, Farrington and Toulayna sped to the finish in 38.75 seconds, which also earned them a fine^2nd place.

But the bronze in this final WEF Challenge Cup of the season was also taken by a Z-horse thanks to Irish rider Daniel Coyle and the 15-year-old mare Legacy, the daughter of Chippendale Z and Bon Ami who was born Chavantele Z to breeder Romain Rotty. Coyle and Legacy, also good for ^7th place in the 1.40m opening class the day before, also managed to ensure a clear jump-off at this WEF Challenge Cup, but needed 38.80 seconds to complete their round. During the CSI5* Grand Prix on Saturday, they also closed their competition with a creditable ^eighth place.

After the prestigious Rolex Grand Prix on Saturday evening, on Sunday in Wellington it was then looking forward to the CSI2* Grand Prix and this too brought success for our blue/yellow studbook colours. Indeed, silver was won by Irish rider Niamh McEvoy and the 8-year-old mare Sevilla Van De Berghoeve Z, a daughter of Stakkato Gold and Diamant de Semilly who, as her window suggests, was bred by Paul Vandebosch. In a jump-off for which nineteen combinations managed to qualify, McEvoy and Sevilla Van De Berghoeve Z again had it flawless and in a time of 36.81 seconds.