02 July '24
Grand Prix victory for Lars Kersten and Chuck Marienshof Z
© Sportfot
Besides the CSI Twente in Geesteren, a second international show was on the programme on Dutch soil last weekend, and more specifically at the beautiful accommodation of the Peelbergen Equestrian Centre in Kronenberg. In the CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, Dutch rider Lars Kersten triumphed with the 9-year-old grey gelding Chuck Marienshof Z, a son of Colestus and Emerald bred by Stal Marienshof. Kersten and Chuck Marienshof Z managed to get through the basic round held by Dutch arena builder Henk Linders and his team without a scratch, making them one of 23 combinations to secure a place in the jump-off. In it, after another flawless round, they managed to stop the clock in 42.44 seconds, putting them almost half a second ahead of the competition.
However, Kersten and Chuck Marienshof Z were not the only combination to succeed in this denouement of the weekend, as 3rd place also came in blue and yellow. American rider Laura Kraut took care of that with the also 9-year-old gelding Tres Bien Z, a son of Toulon and Nabab de Rêve from the S.T. Dingen stud farm. Kraut and Tres Bien Z, also good for a2nd place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and a 6th place in the 1.45m class on Saturday, also managed to stay clear in the jump-off and with a finishing time of 43.16 seconds they secured 3rd place in the standings.
In the 1.45m Medium Tour Final on Saturday, Dutch rider Maikel van der Vleuten managed to jump to victory with the 8-year-old stallion Kentucky TMS Z, a breeding product of Tal Milstein Stables who combined the blood of Kannan with that of Toulon. In a jump-off for which 13 out of 47 combinations managed to qualify, van der Vleuten and Kentucky TMS Z again kept all the bars in the scoops and with a convincing finishing time of 40.37 seconds, they were just under 1.5 seconds ahead of the competition.
Also on Saturday, Lars Kersten managed to secure another podium place with the 11-year-old gelding Boebka vh Marienshof Z, a son of Balou du Rouet and Clinton who was also bred by Stal Marienshof and with whom he finished 6th in the 1.40m class the day before. During the 1.45m Big Tour, they produced a tight clear round and this performance earned them2nd place in the standings.
Another eye-catching combination was Swedish rider Petronella Andersson and 8-year-old grey mare Eden Jeleena Dr Z, a daughter of Elvis Ter Putte and Tornedo Fcs bred by Christel Baert. Andersson and Eden Jeleena Dr Z were good for a2nd place in the 1.35m class on Saturday and during the final day on Sunday they gained another 6th place in the 1.40m class.
Finally, both German rider Gerrit Nieberg with the 9-year-old gelding Gazpacho Vd Berghoeve Z (Gitano Van Berkenbroeck x Calvaro Z - B: NV Vadebo) and young Belgian rider Louis Lambrecht with the 15-year-old grey mare Cevrine du Banney Z (Chippendale Z x Papyrus de Chivre - B: Frederic Delforge - Earl Elevage Du Banney) managed to finish in 3rd place. For Nieberg and Gazpacho Vd Berghoeve Z, this was during the 1.40m class on Friday, while Lambrecht and Cevrine du Banney Z secured their podium place during the 1.40m class on Thursday during the opening day.