30 January '24
Save the best for last!
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Studbook
© Hervé Bonnaud
German rider Philippe Weishaupt and his 14-year-old gelding Coby 8 ended their participation in the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva, Spain, in style last Sunday. After winning the Longines Ranking Test during the opening week and finishing 2nd at the CSI3* GP last week, the successful duo put the cherry on the cake with a Grand Prix victory last weekend! On Sunday at the CSI3* GP, Weishaupt and Coby 8, a son of our grey stallion Contagio Z and Escudo 19 bred in Germany by Jürger Geffken, were one of only five combinations to stay clear in the basic round, which qualified them for the jump-off. Once again they proved their excellent form of the past few weeks, as a clear round in 35.94 seconds put them more than four full seconds ahead of their closest competitors.
Philippe Weishaupt: "I knew I have a super-fast horse and he felt good during our time here in Oliva, so my plan was to let him go a bit looser. But I didn't go all out and just rode a very smooth round. I'm glad it worked out so well and that I was fast enough to win in the end. Coby is such a special horse to ride. His way of doing things, his mentality and his carefulness are fantastic. The number of competitions he has already won is incredible. He may not look like the flashiest horse, but we have already achieved great results."
Who still managed to make it into the top 10 of the standings during this final CSI3* GP was the Belgian rider Elke Appeltans with the 11-year-old gelding Basic Instinct Z, a son of Balou du Rouet and Quintus bred by Klaas De Coster. Appeltans and Basic Instinct Z did manage to stay clear in the basic round, but 3 penalties for time eventually kept them out of the jump-off and made them settle for 7th place in the standings.
Another combination that managed to jump into the limelight last weekend was Appeltans' compatriot Constant van Paesschen with the 10-year-old mare Kannavara Z, a daughter of Kannan and Contender from the breeding farm of Dave Blyau. Van Paesschen and Kannavara Z shined a first time on Saturday with a 6th place during the 1.50m Longines Ranking Trial, but held their best during the 1.45m Longines Ranking Trial on Sunday morning. Both during the 1st and 2nd rounds, they ensured a flawless performance and with a finishing time of 24.37 seconds they wrote this class on their record.
But also the other podium places during this 1.45m class on Sunday coloured blue and yellow and the Guery family took care of that. For example, there was a 2nd place for Jérôme Guery with the 10-year-old mare Come Away Flamingo Z (Cardento VDL x Dollar du Murier - F: S.A.R.L. Cavalex), while his son Mathieu Guery jumped to 3rd place with the also 10-year-old gelding Tender Dream Hero Z (Thunder van de Zuuthoeve x Carthago Z - F: High Jumper Sprl). Moreover, Jérôme Guery and Come Away Flamingo had also finished 3rd during the 1.45m high Longines Ranking Test on Friday.
The 1.50m Longines Ranking Test on Saturday saw another top placing for French rider Titouan Schumacher with the 10-year-old gelding Azote Brimbelles Z, a son of Amadeus Z and Toulon bred by Haras des Brimbelles. In a jump-off in which 11 combinations managed to qualify, Schumacher and Azote Brimbelles Z finished in 33.76 seconds and this performance earned them 2nd place in the standings, 10 hundredths of a second from the winner.
Finally, it was also a successful weekend for Spanish rider Carlos Borho Giron with the 12-year-old mare Esprit de l'Esprit Z, a daughter of Elvis Ter Putte and Quantum bred by Nico Esprit. In both the 1.30m class on Thursday and the 1.35m class on Friday, Borho Giron and Esprit de l'Esprit Z managed to outclass the competition and write a class on their record.
Translated by deeple.com