Silver and bronze in the CSI3* GP of Le Touquet Classic

In France last weekend, one could of course enjoy the Longines Global Champions Tour of St. Tropez, but in addition to that, the past few days also saw a second international show on the programme with the three-star competition of Le Touquet Classic. It was a particularly successful edition for the blue/yellow colours of Zangersheide, because in addition to some resounding victories, yesterday we also saw two Z-horses on the podium during the CSI3* GP.

One of those horses was the 10-year-old stallion Touardo Blue Z, a son of Toulon and Arko III who was bred by Hugues Delattre and who has been a combination with Belgian rider Nathan Budd for some time now. At yesterday's CSI3* GP, the duo was one of seven combinations to stay clear in the basic round, securing a place in the jump-off. In it, Budd and Touardo Blue Z managed to repeat that flawless performance from the basic round and with a finishing time of 42.12 seconds they secured^2nd place in the standings.

But Israeli rider Theodore Boris also managed to make it onto the podium with his 9-year-old chestnut stallion Cazan Z, a son of Comme Il Faut and Vagabond de la Pomme, who was born Cazan van het Schaeck Z to breeder Perry De Winter. Boris and Cazan Z were also unblemished in the jump-off and after a finishing time of 43.02 seconds they followed in ^3rd place.

But there were also some Zangersheide victories to be noted in Le Touquet, and one of them was provided by British rider Oliver Fletcher and the 12-year-old stallion Hello William, a son of Waldo van Dungen and Stakkato born as Willie Wonka LVS Z at breeder Lissava Stud Farm in Ireland. In the 1.50m main class on Friday, Fletcher and Hello William were one of 13 combinations who managed to advance to the jump-off, in which they outclassed the competition with a clear round in 41.55 seconds.

Also on Friday, French rider Alexis Borrin recorded a victory with the 8-year-old mare Catapulte Destiny's Z, a daughter of Contendro I and Continue bred by Audray Fromager Ecurie Destiny's. Borrin and Catapulte Dentiny's Z, also good for ^3rd place the day before, became the winners of the 1.40m class, where they were 2 hundredths of a second ahead of the competition with a clear^2nd phase in 35.12 seconds. For Borrin's compatriot Marie Hecart, there was another ^4th place in this section with the 11-year-old mare Cartouche Vd Cumel Z (Contadoro van de Helle x Orioso vd Cumul - B: Marc Kempeneers).

The 1.45m main class on Thursday during the opening day was then won by Brazilian rider Rodrigo Pessoa with the 10-year-old mare Dhalida Diamond Vd Krekebeke Z, a breeding product of Robrecht and Patricia Segaert who combined the blood of Diamant de Semilly with that of Calvaro Z. In a class against the clock, Pessoa and Dhalida Diamond Vd Krekebeke Z raced to the finish in 63.61 seconds, outsmarting the competition by more than half a second.

In addition, French rider Guillaume Foutrier also managed another victory with the 11-year-old grey mare Corneska de la Falize Z, a daughter of Cornet Obolensky and President bred by Alain and Remy Gilson. In the 1.40m speed class, they were just under 1.5 seconds ahead of the competition with a clear round in 66.70 seconds. The following days Foutrier and Corneska de la Falize Z also confirmed their good form with a ^10th place in the 1.40m class on Friday and with a ^7th place in the 1.40m class on Saturday.

Finally, Foutrier's compatriot Jerome Hurel also managed to jump into the prizes three times with the 11-year-old gelding Sacramento vh Bontehof Z, a son of Sandro Boy and Zandor Z from the Coeck and Braeckmans stud farm. Hurel and Sacramento vh Bontehof Z started their show in Le Touquet with a^2nd place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and they also gained a ^5th place in the 1.40m class on Friday and a ^10th place in the 1.45m class on Saturday. The 1.40m class on Thursday also saw British rider Michael Whitaker and the 10-year-old chestnut mare Karamel de Mauretus Z (Kannan x Darco - F: Erik Van der Veken) finish in ^3rd place.