Victor Bettendorf and Cancun Torel Z shine with silver in the CSI3* GP of St. Tropez

Most of the attention over the past few days was of course focused on the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses in Lanaken, but in addition, international competitions were scheduled elsewhere. In France, for example, there was international show jumping at the Gassin Polo Club of St. Tropez, where Luxembourg rider Victor Bettendorf produced a strong performance by finishing on the podium in the CSI3* Grand Prix.

He did so with the 13-year-old mare Cancun Torel Z, which he took over from French rider Julien Epaillard earlier this summer. Bettendorf and Cancun Torel Z, bred by Francois Xavier Guyard and a daughter of Cosinhus and Grannus, got off to an excellent start immediately on Thursday with a fine^2nd place during the 1.50m GP Qualifier. During the CSI3* Grand Prix on Sunday afternoon, the duo qualified as one of 14 combinations for the jump-off, in which they once again ensured a flawless round. They finished in 34.45 seconds and this performance earned them another^2nd place in the standings.

In addition to his success with Cancun Torel Z, Bettendorf also managed to impress again with his experienced grey gelding Simolo de la Roque Z. The 12-year-old son of Spartacus TN and Casall ASK, bred by Alexandrine Hecart of Haras de la Roque, gave Bettendorf a victory in the 1.40m class on Thursday, thus getting the opening day of the show off to a perfect start for him. For Liechtenstein rider Jennifer Hochstadter, there was a ^5th place in this class with the 13-year-old gelding Tinka's Hero Z (Tinka's Boy x Caretino 2 - B: Vincent Jourdan & Luc Henry).

In the 1.50m Grand Prix Qualifier on Friday, it was French rider Jean Luc Mourier who took victory. Riding the 9-year-old gelding Quaker Brimbelles Z, a son of Quicksilver St. Simeon and Hickstead, Mourier rushed clear to the finish line in 39.06 seconds, beating his competitors by just five hundredths of a second. Mourier and Quaker Brimbelles Z, bred by Haras des Brimbelles, also performed strongly on Thursday, when they finished ^6th in another Grand Prix Qualifier.

That 1.50m Grand Prix Qualifier on Thursday then saw another podium finish for Mourier's compatriot Nicolas Layec and the 8-year-old gelding Georgio Louvou Z, a son of George and Quintus, bred by Yves Berlioz. Layec and Georgio Louvou Z neatly kept all the bars in the scoops in this class against the clock, securing a nice ^3rd place as the final result. On Saturday, Layec and Georgio Louvou Z also confirmed this performance by jumping to ^10th place in the 1.50m class with Winning Round.

Finally, in the CSI3* competition there was also a podium place for Briton Jack Whitaker and the 10-year-old chestnut mare Karamel de Mauretus Z, a daughter of Kannan and Darco bred by Erik Van der Veken. During the 1.40m speed class on Friday, Whitaker and Karamel De Mauretus Z stayed for a clear round, finishing in^2nd place.