Z-horses have excellent start at Andalucia Sunshine Tour

After two weeks of 'preparation' during the Pre-Sunshine Tour, the effective starting shot of the Andalucia Sunshine Tour 2025 was given last week in Vejer de la Frontera, Spain. The next seven weeks will see intense show jumping in Vejer de la Frontera, with up to 13 international classes on the programme on the weekend days. The opening week was very promising for our blue and yellow colours, with numerous Z-horses getting off to an excellent start and immediately winning one or more prizes.

One of those striking combinations was Belgian rider Nathan Budd with the 11-year-old stallion Touardo Blue Z, a son of Toulon and Arko III from the stud farm of Hugues Delattre. Budd and Touardo Blue Z immediately started their competition well on Thursday with a ^10th place during the 1.50m Big Tour, but had their highlight of the weekend on Sunday afternoon with a top five placing during the CSI4* Grand Prix. In a jump-off for which seven combinations managed to qualify, they saw a bar roll out of the scoops in their haste, which eventually earned them ^4th place in the standings.

Also in the Big Tour, Belgian Champion Gilles Thomas had a strong weekend with the 11-year-old black stallion Elfra van Beek Z, a son of El Salvador and Vagabond de la Pomme born and bred by breeder Guido Herrijgers. After a nice ^3rd place during the 1.50m class on Thursday, they did just a little better a day later and managed to secure^2nd place during the 1.50m class on Friday.

Besides the CSI4* Grand Prix, the Big Tour riders also had a 1.45m class on the programme on Sunday, in which Swiss rider Noah Keller managed to jump into the spotlight with the 11-year-old chestnut mare Carina Z, a daughter of Carthino and Guidam bred in the Netherlands by J.R.J. Evenhuis and L.G. Morsink. In this class against the clock, Keller and Carina Z neatly kept all beams in the reels, which also earned them^2nd place in the standings.

In the 1.45m Big Tour on Friday, Dutch rider Sanne Thijssen managed to finish^second with the 10-year-old mare Lolandria Z, a breeding product of Oldenaller Stud who combined the blood of Lux Z with that of Quidam de Rêvel. Thijssen and Lolandria Z could not be faulted in either the^1st or^2nd phase and with a finishing time of 32.96 seconds they were about half a second short of victory. Moreover, a day later Thijssen and Lolandria Z were back on the deal, when they secured ^5th place in the 1.50m Medium Tour.

Furthermore, Thijssen also managed to jump into the prizes with the 12-year-old mare Cupcake Z, a daughter of Chacco Blue and Caretano Z bred by Sandra van den Broek-Wilmes. At the Tesalia Small Grand Prix on Saturday, they were one of 13 combinations who managed to advance to the jump-off and after another flawless round they secured ^4th place.

Another notable combination was German rider Kendra Claricia Brinkop with the 9-year-old mare Eau de Vie Jeleena Dr Z, a daughter of Elvis Ter Putte and Tornedo FCS from the breeding farm of Dylan De Rycke. Brinkop and Eau de Vie Jeleena Dr Z followed in ^3rd place during the 1.45m-high Big Tour on Friday, while during the 1.45m-high Big Tour on Sunday they finished their competition in ^9th place.

Then in the 1.50m-high Medium Tour on Saturday, there was another podium place for Belgian rider Andres Vereecke with the 13-year-old grey mare Call Me de Muze Z, a daughter of Clarissimo Z and Ramiro Z bred by Joris De Brabander and Léon Melchior. In both phase 1 and phase 2, they were not at fault, with a ^3rd place final result. The day before, Vereecke had also jumped into the limelight with the 9-year-old chestnut stallion Cuba Libre van Paemel Z, a son of our grey stallion Cicero Z and Calvaro Z from the breeding farm of Stoeterij Van Paemel BV. They were good for a ^4th place in the 1.45m-high Big Tour after a flawless round.

Finally, there were also a few combinations who had a 1.35m class on their record of achievements during this opening week of the Andalucia Sunshine Tour On Thursday, for example, Portuguese Hugo Tavares won with the 7-year-old mare Barlouke AL Z (Berlin x Baloubet du Rouet - B: Theo Alders), British Ava Vernon won on Friday with the 13-year-old mare Volnay de Choc Z (Vivaldi du Seigneur x Galopin du Boele - B: Gabin Chocu) and for Belgian Roy van Beek with the 10-year-old mare Celbrity - H (Comme Il Faut x VDL Groep No Limit) and on Sunday during the final day for Moroccan Farid Amanzar with the 16-year-old gelding Elvis Van Overis Z (Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN x Udarco van Overis - B: Studfarm Overis).