Jordy Van Massenhove is the only Belgian rider competing at 'The Al Shira'aa Hickstead Derby Meeting' this week. Nonetheless, he achieved impressive results from day one in both the Derby Qualifier and the 1.50m main class within the four-star competition, although the Qualifier was somewhat coincidental. "I didn't actually know it was a qualification for the Derby," laughed Van Massenhove. "My in-laws have been here before and they always spoke very positively about this show. It’s also a four-star event, so definitely not the least. For us, since we are not too far from the border, it's not such a long drive. There are some papers you have to sort out, but that's the same with other international competitions as well."
"I only arrived late Wednesday evening," began the 29-year-old rider when we called him. "On Thursday morning, there was the Derby Qualifier at 1.40m height, in which I participated."
The fact that the 1.40m course was a qualification for the Derby was also a surprise to the rider himself. "I must admit, I didn't know it was a qualification for the Derby. When I inspected the course, I thought, 'These are quite different obstacles than we are used to' (laughs)."
Despite this, Van Massenhove did well with the 9-year-old mare. The duo finished with a faultless ride in fourteenth place. "Konita HX (Vingino) performed great, she gives her all and always cooperates. We did well. So, I am very satisfied. I don't think I will ride the Derby itself on Saturday; in my opinion, the horses need a bit more experience for that. The mare is more accustomed to jumping slightly larger courses."
Van Massenhove's best result was in the main event on Thursday, the CSI4* 1.50m Derby Tankard. Riding Nand van't Bergske (Scendix), he placed ninth with just one jumping fault in a challenging class. Only six combinations, five of which were local and thus more experienced, made it to the jump-off. "Nand had his first course this week, and he wasn't really impressed by the size of the arena and the rather unusual style of obstacles."
"The course of the 1.50m event was manageable in terms of height, and technically it was certainly doable. But what shouldn't be underestimated here is that the arena is not completely flat. You ride uphill or downhill in certain directions, and that affects how you approach the obstacle. Additionally, the obstacles are not the 'normal' ones you usually encounter at competitions. Some stands, for example, are 2 meters wide with 3-meter poles, while other obstacles are 5 meters wide. Today, I noticed that some horses have difficulty with that if they are not used to it."
"There was also a built-in water tray under one obstacle, which many horses looked at. If you encounter something like that in a 1.50m course, penalties can add up quickly. Nand doesn't have much experience at this level yet, so I am just as satisfied with him."
"On Friday, I will jump the 1.45m with Konita, and then we will see from there. In that event, I will also ride a second horse. There is also the Derby qualification at 1.60m height that day, but I won't be competing in that. As for the Speed Derby on Saturday, I still need to think about whether I will ride in it or not. With Nand, the 1.50m class on Saturday is still on the schedule."