Grand Prix victory for Belle Amie vd Dassenheide Z in Opglabbeek

Last weekend there was a lot of international action outside our national borders, but there was also another international competition on the programme at home. For the second week in a row, the Meynaerts family hosted the international show jumping company at Opglabbeek's Sentower Park and this for a two-star competition.

The highlight of the weekend there was undoubtedly the CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon and in it victory coloured blue and yellow! It was Belgian rider Wilm Vermeir who managed to claim victory there with the 8-year-old mare Belle Amie Vd Dassenheide Z, a daughter of Bamako de Muze and Emerald van 't Ruytershof bred by Jill Goossens. Vermeir and Belle Amie Vd Dassenheide Z had also jumped into the limelight on Friday with a ^6th place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test and, during the Grand Prix, were one of nine combinations who managed to get through the basic jump-off unscathed by Dutch track builder Henk Linders and his team. In that jump-off, the duo managed to repeat that flawless performance and with a convincing finishing time of 37.18 seconds, they had a comfortable lead of over 1.5 seconds over the competition.

With two resounding victories, Dutch rider Kevin Jochems and the 9-year-old mare Looks Good de Liebri Z also enjoyed a particularly fruitful weekend. Looks Good de Liebri Z was bred by De Liebri BVBA and is a daughter of Lector vd Bisschop combined with the blood of Bentley vd Heffinck. In both the 1.40m class on Thursday and Friday, Jochems and Looks Good de Liebri Z came out particularly strong and managed to outclass the competition.

But Belgian rider Brecht Goossens also managed a blue/yellow victory with the 15-year-old gelding Noukie Z, a son of Nabab de Rêve and Chin Chin born and bred by Rob Santermans. In the 1.40m class on Friday, Goossens and Noukie Z had to settle for^2nd place in the standings, but in the 1.35m class on Saturday they were able to take the top prize.

During the 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Friday evening, American rider Giavanna Rinaldi secured another place in the top five of the standings with the 11-year-old gelding Hh Zorro Z (Zirocco Blue VDL x Escudo I) from the breeding farm of Bart Veldeman. During both the basic round and the busy jump-off, Rinaldi and Hh Zorro Z kept all the balls neatly in the scoops and this performance earned them a nice ^4th place in the standings.

Another notable combination in Opglabbeek was Italian rider Eleonora Sanna with the 12-year-old gelding Elvic V/H Hoeve-Terras Z, a son of Elvis Ter Putte and Landetto bred by Johan Ramaekers. Sanna and Elvic V/H Hoeve-Terras Z immediately started their competition well with a ^7th place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and a day later they managed to secure a ^9th place in the standings in another 1.40m class.

Finally, Estonian rider Margareth Eikner also managed to jump twice in the prizes with the 9-year-old gelding Corvette 2G Z (Comme Il Faut x Quasimodo Vd Molendreef), with the letters 2G referring to breeder Geoffrey Geerts. Eikner and Corvette 2G Z gained a ^6th place during the 1.35m class on Saturday and a day later they closed their competition with a ^3rd place during the 1.40m class.