Valkenswaard, 23 August – The 14th edition fo the International Concours Valkenswaard started under good weather conditions. In total 93 riders from 25 nations travelled to the beautiful show grounds of the Tops Stables to compete for the well filled prize purse of 450,000 euros. The complete Dutch team (Albert Zoer, Jeroen Dubbeldam, Vincent Voorn and Gerco Schröder), which won the gold medal at the European Championships in Mannheim last weekend is present in Valkenswaard as well as the individual silver and bronze medallists Jos Lansink and Ludger Beerbaum.
The opening competition, the Acorn Hill Farm Prix, was an international jumping competition Table A against the clock for six- and seven-year-old horses. Britain’s Nick Skelton won the class with the seven-year-old Holsteiner stallion Concas (by Contender x Caletto II). This horse is owned by John Hales, president of the British Show Jumping Association. Runner-up was Skelton’s compatriot Robert Smith with the seven-year-old KWPN stallion Talan (by Concorde x Burggraaf). Belgium’s Ludo Philippaerts finished in third position with the seven-year-old SBS mare Quincy de Rosseignies (by Cruising x Shogun II).
The Welcome Stakes, a Table A against the clock competition, was convincingly won by the 37-year-old US rider Richard Spooner, who saddled Apache for this class. Apache is an eight-year-old SF gelding by the stallion Mescalaro. Belgium’s Wilm Vermeir was over two seconds slower and finished runner-up with the BWP gelding Wizard van de Donkhoeve (by Canaletto x Chin Chin), followed by Britain’s John Whitaker and Lactic 2 (Holstein, by Landjunker II x Capitol I).
Victory in the Special Invitational for amateur riders, a Table A competition against the clock 1m10/1m20, went to Kuwait. Ali Al Khorafi had the fastest clear round in 59.28 seconds with the nine-year-old mare Femina (by Amatie x Lord Major). Just a bit slower was the US rider Anne McWane with the nine-year-old KWPN mare Rusi (by Ircolando x Cavalier) in 60.24 seconds. Third place went to Danny Vandenbosch from Belgium with the BWP gelding Whisky d’Or (by Kannan x Nonstop).
The second Special Invitational for amateur riders, a Table A competition against the clock 1m35, saw Belgium’s Bart Soetaers take first prize with the 14-year-old KWPN mare Lelie (by Damiro x Fresco). Runners-up were Canada’s Jennifer O’Neill and Sun (KWPN by Iroko x Concorde). Emma Augier de Moussac from the Czech Republic finished in third place with Laksha de Reve (SF by Paladin des Ifs x Bhakti de B.).
Today’s closing competition was the qualification for the VDL Grand Prix, which will be held on Saturday 25 August at 2 am. No less than 19 combinations made it to the jump-off. Brazil’s Alvaro de Miranda had the fastest clear round with the 10-year-old KWPN mare AD Picolien Zeldenrust (by Indoctro x Concorde). Nick Skelton seems to feel at home in Valkenswaard. This morning he won the opening class, now he finished runner-up with the 12-year-old Holsteiner stallion Russel (by Corofino I x Lincoln). The Swedish lady rider Malin Baryard-Johnson finished in third with the SWB mare Butterfly Flip (by Robin I Z x Moderne).
More information and results: www.csivalkenswaard.com
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