Pieter Devos and Karamba de Poteau Z triumph in the CSI2* GP of Lummen

For the second week in a row, last weekend's CSI2* GP of Lummen brought success for Zangersheide horses and more specifically for the stable of Belgian rider Pieter Devos. Following last week ^2nd place finish by rider Elke Appeltans and the gelding Basic Instinct Z, this time it was Pieter Devos himself who jumped to victory with his 10-year-old gelding Karamba de Poteau Z, a son of Kannan and Calando I bred by Pgmbh Hammes and descended from the same dam line as his former GP mare Claire Z. On Monday, Devos and Karamba de Poteau Z were one of 13 combinations to stay clear in the first round, thus securing a ticket for the jump-off. In it, they had the luxury of being the very last combination to start again and with a clear round in 38.09 seconds they wrote this GP on their record of achievements.

But Devos and Karamba de Poteau Z were not the only ones to achieve blue/yellow success at this CSI2* GP. ^Fourth place went to Devos' compatriot Mathias Hazebroek with the 10-year-old chestnut gelding Cointreau Vd Wouwerse Velden Z, a son of Cupido Van De Hoefslag Z and Der Senaat Z, who was bred by Theo Hazebroek and with whom he had already finished ^3rd in the 1.40m Final the day before. Hazebroek and Cointreau Vd Wouwerse Velden Z also kept clear in the jump-off, but crossed the finish line in 41.96 seconds. With this performance, they were then just a fraction of a second faster than Swedish rider Beata Hermelin and the 12-year-old gelding Happiness DK Z, a son of Hooch DK and Andiamo Z bred in the Netherlands by De Krochten Stables. Hermelin and Happiness DK Z were also unerring in that jump-off and after a finishing time of 41.98 seconds they followed in ^5th place in the standings.

Who also had a strong weekend was Belgian rider Alexander Housen with the 13-year-old gelding Cayadix Hero Z, the breeding product of Luc Henry who combined the blood of Cadence Van 't Gelutt Z with that of Wandor van de Mispelaere. Housen and Cayadix Hero Z finished ^eighth at the CSI2* GP after a fault in the jump-off, but already experienced their highlight of the weekend the day before with a resounding victory in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test. In a jump-off for which 11 combinations managed to qualify, they sped to the finish in 39.52 seconds, just under half a second ahead of the competition.

In this Longines Ranking Test, Housen's compatriot Kim Thiry also managed to finish in the top five with 11-year-old grey gelding Chayne Z, a son of Clarissimo Z and Chellano Z from the breeding farm of J.A.M. Hoogers in the Netherlands. Thiry and Chayne Z, also good for ^9th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday, again held it clear in the jump-off and that performance secured them ^4th place in the standings.

On Monday morning, Tristan Guisson managed to secure a victory with the 9-year-old mare Valencia CI Z, a daughter of Vagabond de la Pomme and Flamenco de Semilly bred by Alexander Liefsoens and also a half-sister of former GP horses Aristo Z (Andiamo Z) and Sea Coast Pebbles Z (Picasso Z). In the 1.40m accumulator class, Guisson and Valencia CI Z crossed the finish line with a maximum score of 65 points and with a finishing time of 53.52 seconds, they were more than half a second ahead of the competition. For Kris Christiaens there was then another ^5th place in this class with the 8-year-old chestnut mare Katusha Hero Z (Kassander van 't Roosakker Z x Aganix du Seigneur Z - B: Herman Goedhuys & Luc Henry). They too managed to ensure a flawless round.

There was also victory for Brecht Goossens and the 15-year-old mare Noukie Z, a daughter of Nabab de Rêve and Chin Chin from the breeding farm of Rob Santermans. Goossens and Noukie Z won the 1.35m class on the opening day on Saturday and on Monday they confirmed their good form with a ^3rd place in another 1.35m class.

Finally, Catherine van Roosbroeck also managed to win two more prizes with the 9-year-old mare Jess de La Croix Renard Z, a daughter of our stallion Jenson van 't Meulenhof Z and Cabrio Z bred by De La Croix Renard Ecurie. Van Roosbroeck and Jess de La Croix Renard Z were immediately good for ^4th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday during the opening day, and on Monday they managed to finish ^9th in the 1.40m accumulator class.