30 June '23
Verdini d'Houtveld Z triumphs in the CSI3* GP of Ocala!
![Lauren Balcomb en Verdini D’Houtveld Z (Verdi TN x Caretino - F Xavier Van Melckenbeke) Lauren Balcomb en Verdini D’Houtveld Z (Verdi TN x Caretino - F Xavier Van Melckenbeke)](/uploads/media/landscape_large/01/3921-Lauren%20Balcomb%20en%20Verdini%20D%E2%80%99Houtveld%20Z%20%28Verdi%20TN%20x%20Caretino%20-%20F%20Xavier%20Van%20Melckenbeke%29.jpg?v=1-0)
©Andrew Ryback Photography
A few weeks after their victory in the CSI3* GP of Kentucky, the New Zealand lady rider Lauren Balcomb and her 12-year-old gelding Verdini d'Houtveld Z, a son of Verdi TN and Caretino who was bred by Xavier Van Melckenbeke, again managed to add a GP victory to their list of honors last weekend! In the beautiful World Equestrian Center of Ocala, the duo jumped to victory during the CSI3* GP.
![nieuws-s3a0724e-1536x1097 nieuws-s3a0724e-1536x1097](/uploads/media/landscape_large/06/3916-nieuws-s3a0724e-1536x1097.jpg?v=1-0)
Balcomb and Verdini d'Houtveld Z became already 8th on Thursday during a 1.50m class and were one of the 11 combinations that managed to qualify for the jump-off during the CSI3* GP. As the first combination at the start, she rushed to the finish line in 37.62 seconds, a time that no other competitor was able to catch!
![nieuws-s3a0947e-2-1536x1097 nieuws-s3a0947e-2-1536x1097](/uploads/media/landscape_large/07/3917-nieuws-s3a0947e-2-1536x1097.jpg?v=1-0)
Lauren Balcomb: “Verdini has really matured in the past year, and I have certainly tried to as well. I feel like we are growing together, which is very exciting. He is just unbelievable, and I feel like the luckiest person to ride him. The plan is to jump the next two weeks with him here, and hopefully a trip to Europe and Mexico is on the cards as well! It’s been an exciting year, and I am so happy to have this facility right in our backyard.”
![nieuws-s3c4264e-1536x1097 nieuws-s3c4264e-1536x1097](/uploads/media/landscape_large/08/3918-nieuws-s3c4264e-1536x1097.jpg?v=1-0)
Next to the victory of Balcomb and Verdini d'Houtveld Z, also the 2nd place during this CSI3* GP colored blue and yellow. The Brazilian rider Marcelo Ciavaglia took care of this with the 12-year-old stallion HST Cartouche, a son of Premiere Carthoes B Z and Chester Z who was bred by Haras Santa Therezinha. They also managed to stay clear in the jump-off, but crossed the line in 38.02 seconds.
![nieuws-s3b2931e-1536x1097 nieuws-s3b2931e-1536x1097](/uploads/media/landscape_large/09/3919-nieuws-s3b2931e-1536x1097.jpg?v=1-0)
Finally, the Argentinian rider Luis Pedro Biraben also jumped into the picture in Ocala with the 9-year-old stallion Chapeau PS Z, a son of our chestnut stallion Comilfo Plus Z and Calato Z who was bred by Peter Simons and who is also approved for Studbook Zangersheide . During the 1.45m class on Friday they remained clear in both the 1st and 2nd phase and this performance was good for a 5th place in the ranking.