Silver for Quirados Z in the CSIO3* GP of Gorla Minore

Last weekend, the first Nations Cup of the season on European soil took place at the Equieffe Equestrian Center in Gorla Minore, Italy. During the CSIO3* GP on Sunday afternoon, a leading role was reserved for the Portuguese rider Rodrigo Giesteira Almeida with the 11-year-old stallion Quirados Z, a son of Quidam de Rêvel and Coronado who was bred by PGMBH Hammes and who is also a half-brother of Claire Z (Clearway), the top mare of the Belgian rider Pieter Devos. Giesteira Almeida and Quirados Z were already placed on Thursday during a 1.40m class and were one of the 11 combinations that managed to qualify for the jump-off during the 1.50m high CSIO3* GP. They again managed to ensure a clear round and with a finish time of 40.35 seconds they only had to tolerate the Italian lady rider Giulia Martinengo Marquet (Scuderia 1918 Calle Deluxe) ahead of them.

Also on Sunday there was a 1.40m class on the program for the CSIO3* competition and in that class the Belgian rider Thomas De Wit managed to jump into the picture again with his 8-year-old home bred stallion Ecuador DW Z (El Torreo de Muze x Quasimodo vd Molendreef). De Wit and Ecuador DW Z remained clear in this class against the clock and became this 4th in the ranking, after their 6th place the day before. On Saturday, De Wit also managed to secure a podium place with his 12-year-old home bred stallion Tools DW Z (Toulon x Cicero Z). During the 1.50m main class they remained clear in both the basic round and the jump-off, resulting in a nice 3rd place.

During the Nations Cup on Friday, several Zangersheide horses also achieved strong results and thus made an important contribution to the performance of their national team. There were 2 clear rounds for the Portuguese rider Mario Prieto with the 12-year-old chestnut gelding Othello Z (Ogano Sitte x Concorde – F: B. Verhagen) and for the Belgian lady rider Gudrun Patteet with the 9-year-old stallion Sea Coast Enjoy van de Kromsteeg Z (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Parco – B: Ann Van Putte). The Bulgarian rider Konstantin E. van Damme and the 11-year-old stallion Caesar Z (Cancara Z x Heartbreaker – B: Betty Noens) ensured 1 clear round and during the second round they ran into 1 time penalty.

CSI2* competition

Next to the CSIO3* Nations Cup, there was also a CSI2* competition in Gorla Minore, in which the Italian rider Luigi Polesello was a striking combination with his 12-year-old mare Dior On Top Z, a daughter of Diarado and Crown Z who was bred by Luc Geirnaert. After Polesello and Dior On Top Z started their show on Thursday with a 6th place during a 1.40m class, they were 1 of the 4 combinations that managed to qualify for the jump-off during the CSI2* GP. They again managed to deliver a flawless performance with a 4th place as result.

Also on Sunday there was a 2nd place for Polesello's compatriot Gregorio Zucchini Affronti with the 10-year-old gelding I'm Monte Carlo Z (I'm Special de Muze x Eldorado van de Zeshoek TN – B: F.D.B. Company BVBA – Eric Vandenbroeck) during the 1.35m class and on Saturday, the Turkish rider Derin Demirsoy also took a 2nd place with the 10-year-old gelding Empire EH Z (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Darco – B: Eurohorse BVBA). They did this in a 1.40m high speed class.