Victer Finn DH Z and Elize Z win in Opglabbeek

For the second week in a row, there was international action on Belgian ground last weekend at Opglabbeek's Sentower Park, this time jumping at four-star level. The Zangersheide horses once again managed to put their best foot forward and produced many fine performances throughout the weekend.

The 1.45m Longines Ranking class on Saturday afternoon, for example, saw Mexican rider Eugenio Garza Perez and the 16-year-old gelding Victer Finn DH Z, a son of Va Vite and Stakkato, bred by De Dwerse Hagen and with whom he has already amassed an impressive record in recent years, win. In a class against the clock, Garza Perez and Victer Finn DH Z raced to the finish in 63.08 seconds, just under a quarter of a second ahead of the competition.

Also in this section was a podium place for Brazilian rider Yuri Mansur and the 13-year-old gelding Curiano Van Maarle Z Marathon, a breeding product of Corneel Verhaeren who combined the blood of Canabis Z with that of Germus R. Mansur and Curiano Van Maarle Z Marathon also provided a flawless performance, but they needed 64.33 seconds to complete their run. Belgian Champion Gilles Thomas followed in ^4th place with the 12-year-old stallion Feromas Van Beek Z (Fantomas de Muze x Tangelo van de Zuuthoeve - B: Guido Herrijgers), ahead of Christian Ahlmann with our 9-year-old stallion Dourkhan Hero Z (Sea Coast Don't Touch Tiji Hero x Zandor Z - B: Stud Hero/Luc Henry) and Spaniard Mariano Martinez Bastida with the 11-year-old stallion Quark de Preuilly Z (Quaprice Bois Margot x Dobel's Cento - B: Soc. Fermiere de Preuilly).

During the final day on Sunday, the CSI4* GP was of course the absolute highlight of the day, but in the morning a 1.45m Longines Ranking Test also took place for the CSI4* competition in which we saw two Zangersheide horses shine on the podium. Thus,^2nd place was reserved for Liechtenstein rider Jennifer Hochstadter and the 13-year-old gelding Tinka's Hero Z, a son of Tinka's Boy and Caretino 2 bred by Vincent Jourdan and Luc Henry. In a jump-off for which 20 combinations managed to qualify, they only had to beat Belgian rider Thibault Philippaerts with a clear round in 36.05 seconds.

There was also another top ranking for Philippaerts' compatriot Anthony Wellens with the 9-year-old mare Da Silva Van 't Schaaphof Z, a daughter of Diamant de Semilly de Semilly and Clinton bred by Maurice Van De Walle, with whom Wellens was also good for^second place in the 1.40m class on Friday. They also kept it clear again in the jump-off and with a time of 36.34 seconds they followed in ^3rd place here.

In the 1.50m Longines Ranking class on Friday, Gilles Thomas then managed to jump into the spotlight again with the 10-year-old stallion Elfra Van Beek Z, a son of El Salvador and Vagabond de la Pomme who was also bred by Guido Herrijgers. Thomas and Elfra Van Beek Z were one of the 10 combinations who managed to advance to the jump-off, in which they secured ^4th place in the standings. But French rider Simon Delestre and the 11-year-old gelding Dexter Fontenis Z (Diarado x Voltaire - B: S.C.RI S.Ky Horses) also came on strong here by claiming ^5th place.

During the opening day on Thursday, it was Belgian rider Jules Van Hoyconck who recorded a convincing victory with his 11-year-old mare Elize Z, the daughter of Elvis Ter Putte and Prince Royal bred by Kris Van Kerckhove. In a class against the clock, van Hoydonck and Elize Z sped to the finish in 55.27 seconds, making them the only combination to manage to keep the chrono under 60 seconds.

But^2nd place in this section was also blue and yellow and this thanks to van Hoydonck's compatriot Michael Vreys and his 9-year-old home-bred mare Chica Bomb Van Plockroy Z, a daughter of Comment vh Lindehof combined with Ogano Sitte. Vreys and Chica Bomb Van Plockroy Z also stayed nicely clear, but with their finishing time of 60.44 seconds they clearly had to acknowledge their superiority to van Hoydonck and Elize Z.

But Michael Vreys also managed to jump into the prizes twice with his 11-year-old homebred mare Extra Z, a daughter of L.B. Eagle Eye and Ogano Sitte and thus also a half-sister of Chica Bomb Van Plockroy Z. In both the 1.35m class on Friday and Saturday, Vreys and Extra Z did not have any faults and this earned them a^2nd place in the standings twice.