14 October '24
Tabasco de Toxandria Z wins the CSI3* Grand Prix of Valencia
© Moura Tours in Valencia
Last week was a busy one on Spanish soil, because in addition to the second week of the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, the first week of the three-week Moura Tour also started in Valencia. It immediately turned into an excellent opening weekend for Zangersheide's blue-and-yellow colours, as the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon saw a Z horse at the top of the leaderboard.
It was Irish rider Tom Wachman who took victory with 9-year-old Tabasco de Toxandria Z, a son of Thunder van de Zuuthoeve and Cento Lano, bred by Werner Dierckx. Tabasco de Toxandria Z already shone high last summer under the saddle of German rider Kendra Claricia Brinkop by, among other things, jumping clear twice at the Mercedes Benz Nations Cup in Aachen. Wachman and Tabasco de Toxandria Z started their competition on Thursday with 10th place in the 1.45m main class and were among only four combinations to qualify for the jump-off on Sunday. In that, they delivered a unique performance wan being the only combination to stay clear again, convincingly winning this prestigious Grand Prix.
Also in the jump-off of this Grand Prix we saw British rider James Smith with the 13-year-old stallion Eagele Z, a son of Eldorado Vd Zeshoek and Ramiro Z bred in the Netherlands by Bart Timmermans. Smith already achieved a brilliant 3rd place in the 1.45m Longines Ranking Test on Friday. In the jump-off of the Grand Prix, Smith and Eagele Z were almost 3.5 seconds faster than Wachman and Tabasco de Toxandria Z, but a fault in that jump-off eventually relegated them to 4th place. His compatriot Laura Renwick finished 5th with the 11-year-old mare Enjoy Ck Z (Echo Van'T Spieveld x Coronado - B: Kristof Ceulemans), who, with 4 penalties in the basic round, still achieved a nice top 5 ranking thanks to her fast time.
Besides James Smith and Eagele Z's 3rd place, there was also a podium place for Frenchwoman Alexa Ferrer at the Longines Ranking Test on Friday. Riding her 13-year-old mare Vitalhorse Naiade d'Elsendam Z (Nabab de Rêve x Quattro B - B: François Verhulst), Ferrer jumped to2nd place after staying clear in both the basic round and the jump-off.
Finally, Belgian rider Yenthe Schrijvers also had a successful weekend with his 14-year-old gelding Que Bueno de Hus Z, a son of Que Guapo and Canto who, as his name already suggested, was bred by Haras de Hus). Schrijvers and Que Bueno de Hus Z were good for a 3rd place in both the 1.30m class on Thursday and the 1.35m class on Friday, and on Sunday they closed their competition with a nice 4th place in the 1.40m class.