Silver for Chica Bomb by Plockroy Z in the CSI2* Grand Prix of Opglabbeek

While there was plenty of action outside Belgium last weekend, there was also an international show on the programme at home: a two-star competition at Opglabbeek's Sentower Park. Here, too, several Zangersheide horses managed to jump into the limelight.

The CSI2* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, for example, saw Belgian rider Michaël Vreys and his 9-year-old homebred Chica Bomb van Plockroy Z, a daughter of Comment van het Lindehof combined with Ogano Sitte, take the podium. Vreys and Chica Bomb van Plockroy Z were already good for a ^7th place in the 1.40m class on Thursday and a ^10th place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test on Friday and were among the 12 combinations that managed to advance to the jump-off during the CSI2* Grand Prix. In it, they again kept it neatly clear and with a finishing time of 36.63 seconds they secured 2nd place in the rankings.

Also in the CSI2* Grand Prix, Maurice van Roosbroeck provided a strong performance with the 10-year-old gelding Emir du Coeur des Collines Z, a son of Elvis Ter Putte and Calypso III, bred by Eric Vandewiele. Van Roosbroeck and Emir du Coeur des Collines Z, already good for ^6th place in the Longines Ranking class on Friday, also kept the bars in the jump-off and took 4th place after they managed to stop the clock in 38.32 seconds. Amazon Elke Appeltans and the 11-year-old gelding Basic Instinct Z (Balou du Rouet x Quintus - B: Klaas De Coster) followed in ^6th place after another clear jump-off.

With two resounding victories in Opglabbeek, it was also a particularly successful weekend for Vreys' compatriot Christophe Vanderhasselt and his 12-year-old grey gelding Arthuro de Sarlar Z, the son of Breemeersen Adorado and Obourg bred by André Tavernier, with whom Vanderhasselt has already amassed a fine record in recent years. Vanderhasselt and Arthuro de Sarlar Z proved once again in Opglabbeek that they are a strong duo and both in the 1.40m class on Thursday and the 1.45m main class on Saturday they managed to outclass the competition.

In the 1.45m main class on Saturday, Belgian champion Gilles Thomas secured^2nd place with the 8-year-old mare Lavanoche T&L Z, a daughter of Lavallino Ter Klomp and Bentley van de Heffinck, bred by Guy Vandeven. They stayed clear in both the^1st and^2nd phases, but with a time of 26.00 seconds they were exactly 30 hundredths of a second short of knocking Vanderhasselt and Arthuro de Sarlar Z off the throne.

In addition to his good performance with Chica Bomb van Plockroy Z, Michaël Vreys also had a strong weekend with Chica Bomb's half-sister Heideroosje Van Plockroy Z, an 8-year-old daughter of Heidelberg van het Lindehof, who was also born and raised at Vreys' home. After already having gained a ^6th place in the 1.35m class on Friday, they had their highlight of the weekend on Sunday with a great ^4th place in the 1.40m class.

Last but not least, Dutch Niels Knape managed to jump into the prizes twice with the 9-year-old mare Cinderella Z, a daughter of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Chacco Blue, bred by Monika Egarter in Germany. Knape and Cinderella Z started their competition on Thursday with a ^5th place in the 1.40m opening class and a day later they managed to secure another ^3rd place in another 1.40m class.