Last year at the 2015 Autumn MET, Great Britain's Tim Wilks and the now seven-year-old Joker S won the final for six-year-olds and today the promising combination continued their success in Oliva. Tim Wilks and IN Showjumpers' Joker S impressed in the jump-off in the final for seven-year-old horses that concluded the MET I youngster circuit. "Today the course was a whole lot bigger and that really suited my horse," Tim stated after his impressive win.
Joker S is a Belgian bred gelding by Toulon out of a dam by Poor Boy, and has proved to be a very promising and competitive horse for the future. Next to that, Joker S seems to feel very comfortable at the showgrounds in Oliva. "He felt great today! He really seems to like it out here, as last year in the autumn he also won the six-year-old final," Wilks says. "It was my plan to save him for today's class. The first two days I kept it quiet with him, but I know he is a really quick horse. Today's course suited him very well and he is super careful and quick off the floor."
Three young horse finals were staged today in Oliva, starting with the five-year-olds continuing to the six- and seven-year-olds.
Tim Wilks beating Scott Brash
Spain's Diana Marsa-Lafarge has been in terrific form as well, with her Andi d'Emiralia (Diamant de Semilly x Hurlevent) in the seven-year-old classes in Oliva. Last Tuesday, the two won the class and in today's final they ended as runners-up. World number one Scott Brash gave it a good try with his talented Cademuir (Sebastian III x Concorde), but both Diana Marsa-Lafarge and Tim Wilks were able to beat him. "In a young horse class I can sometimes beat Scott," Wilks laughs. "It is always a joy to watch him. Everything looks so easy with him, so I tried to do the same jump-off as he did. But only a little bit faster and it worked out!"
For Wilks this week will be his last in Oliva for now. "We are here in total with fifteen horses, including my sister's horses. I fully enjoyed myself here, it is really nice! Unfortunately, we will be leaving after this week, but it has been a great pleasure."
[caption id="attachment_79629" align="aligncenter" width="2000"]
Lieven Devis at MET by Fotistica for equnews[/caption]
Diamant de Semilly-offspring dominate in six-year-olds' division
In Oliva, the legendary sire Diamant de Semilly also proves to be the true number one – just like on the 2015 WBFSH Sire Rankings. Not only Diana Marsa-Lafarge's seven-year-old Andi d'Emiralia, but also the winner of the six-year-old final is sired by Diamant de Semilly. France's Guillaume Foutrier and Azur de Lannay (Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel) were again unbeatable in the six-year-old class. Recording their fourth win during the MET I, Guillaume Foutrier and Azur de Lannay beat France's Valentine Beloussoff and Kashmir van het Hagenhof (Edjaz van 't Merelsnest x Heartbreaker) by almost three seconds.
Belgium's Lieven Devos has had a very successful day today in Oliva. With Donna Doria Z – also sired by the great Diamant de Semilly – he ended up in third place in the six-year-old final, while he won the five-year-old final with the promising Zangersheide approved stallion Mr. Quality Z (Mr. Blue x Casall Ask). Ireland's Darryl Walker became the runner-up, riding WKD Spice (Heritage Fortunus x Clover Echo). Great Britain's Anna Wilks ended up third aboard L. Primero di Gala, sired by Toulon and owned by IN Showjumpers.
Last year at the 2015 Autumn MET, Great Britain's Tim Wilks and the now seven-year-old Joker S won the final for six-year-olds and today the promising combination continued their success in Oliva. Tim Wilks and IN Showjumpers' Joker S impressed in the jump-off in the final for seven-year-old horses that concluded the MET I youngster circuit. "Today the course was a whole lot bigger and that really suited my horse," Tim stated after his impressive win.
Joker S is a Belgian bred gelding by Toulon out of a dam by Poor Boy, and has proved to be a very promising and competitive horse for the future. Next to that, Joker S seems to feel very comfortable at the showgrounds in Oliva. "He felt great today! He really seems to like it out here, as last year in the autumn he also won the six-year-old final," Wilks says. "It was my plan to save him for today's class. The first two days I kept it quiet with him, but I know he is a really quick horse. Today's course suited him very well and he is super careful and quick off the floor."
Three young horse finals were staged today in Oliva, starting with the five-year-olds continuing to the six- and seven-year-olds.
Tim Wilks beating Scott Brash
Spain's Diana Marsa-Lafarge has been in terrific form as well, with her Andi d'Emiralia (Diamant de Semilly x Hurlevent) in the seven-year-old classes in Oliva. Last Tuesday, the two won the class and in today's final they ended as runners-up. World number one Scott Brash gave it a good try with his talented Cademuir (Sebastian III x Concorde), but both Diana Marsa-Lafarge and Tim Wilks were able to beat him. "In a young horse class I can sometimes beat Scott," Wilks laughs. "It is always a joy to watch him. Everything looks so easy with him, so I tried to do the same jump-off as he did. But only a little bit faster and it worked out!"
For Wilks this week will be his last in Oliva for now. "We are here in total with fifteen horses, including my sister's horses. I fully enjoyed myself here, it is really nice! Unfortunately, we will be leaving after this week, but it has been a great pleasure."
[caption id="attachment_79629" align="aligncenter" width="2000"] Lieven Devis at MET by Fotistica for equnews[/caption]
Diamant de Semilly-offspring dominate in six-year-olds' division
In Oliva, the legendary sire Diamant de Semilly also proves to be the true number one – just like on the 2015 WBFSH Sire Rankings. Not only Diana Marsa-Lafarge's seven-year-old Andi d'Emiralia, but also the winner of the six-year-old final is sired by Diamant de Semilly. France's Guillaume Foutrier and Azur de Lannay (Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel) were again unbeatable in the six-year-old class. Recording their fourth win during the MET I, Guillaume Foutrier and Azur de Lannay beat France's Valentine Beloussoff and Kashmir van het Hagenhof (Edjaz van 't Merelsnest x Heartbreaker) by almost three seconds.
Belgium's Lieven Devos has had a very successful day today in Oliva. With Donna Doria Z – also sired by the great Diamant de Semilly – he ended up in third place in the six-year-old final, while he won the five-year-old final with the promising Zangersheide approved stallion Mr. Quality Z (Mr. Blue x Casall Ask). Ireland's Darryl Walker became the runner-up, riding WKD Spice (Heritage Fortunus x Clover Echo). Great Britain's Anna Wilks ended up third aboard L. Primero di Gala, sired by Toulon and owned by IN Showjumpers.