The FEI Sires of The World competition in Lanaken provided a thrilling display of top-class equestrian sport. A total of seven combinations advanced to the jump-off. Under intense pressure, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi claimed victory with the 10-year-old Selle Français stallion, Enjoy de la Mure (Vigo Cece).
The 1.50m Sires Of The World was decided after a six-horse jump-off. Christian Ahlmann was the first to go with the 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion, Otterongo Alpha Z (breeder: Josef Poets). With the Darco offspring, Ahlmann produced a clear round, setting a challenging target for the following riders.
The first, but also only Belgian rider in the start list was Jérôme Guery with the nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion, Jyrado vh Bovenhoekshof (breeder: Luc Kuppens). Guery and the By Ceira d'Ick son remained faultless but were just under two seconds slower than Ahlmann.
Halfway through the jump-off, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi managed to improve upon Ahlmann's time with the 10-year-old Selle Français stallion, Enjoy de la Mure (Vigo Cece, breeder: Beatrice Drigeard Desgarnier). The duo ultimately won the Sires Of the World.
Al Marzooqi: "It was our first show after Paris"
Reflecting on his expectations going into the event, Al Marzooqi said: "Enjoy came here as his first show back after the Olympic Games, and yesterday, in the warm-up he felt really fresh and happy. It's a good way to start again."
Al Marzooqi acquired Enjoy de La Mure at the beginning of this year, with the stallion being considered a prime choice for the Paris 2024 Olympics. "As he has experience in the bigger classes with, amongst others, Eduardo Alvarez Aznar in the saddle, we set eyes on him for Paris."
Looking ahead, Al Marzooqi has plans to take Enjoy de La Mure to Spain for a couple of weeks of competition before returning to the UAE to compete in several five-star events.
In his victory speech, Al Marzooqi paid tribute to the team that supported him throughout. "Without my team, this wouldn’t have been possible."
In the final standings, Christian Ahlmann followed in second place, while Philip Rüping with Baloutaire PS (Balou du Rouet) took third. Jérôme Guery finished fourth as the slowest clear round. With one jumping fault, Kevin Jochems completed the top five in the saddle of the 12-year-old Casillas van de Helle (Casall).
Christian Ahlmann: "He only recently stepped up to this level"
Christian Ahlmann, who claimed second place aboard Otterongo Alpha Z, also had a strong showing. Having walked the course beforehand, he knew it would be a challenge but had faith in his horse's abilities. "Otterongo Alpha Z stepped up to the 1.50m-1.60m level just a few months ago, but he’s a careful horse with great scope. He needs a few jumps to build confidence, but once he’s in the rhythm, he does great," said Ahlmann.
In the jump-off, Ahlmann faced some tactical choices, particularly in the last straight line. "I took an extra stride that wasn’t necessary, which led to a time fault. That wasn’t part of the plan, but sometimes it’s how things go," he reflected. "I’m still very happy with his performance."
Looking ahead, Ahlmann plans to take Otterongo Alpha Z to larger shows in December, while his next immediate focus will be taking three other horses to Mexico for a series of competitions over the next two months.
Philipp Rüping: "The warm-up was nothing compared to what came today"
Philipp Rüping, fresh off a successful season with Baloutaire PS, shared his thoughts on the performance after securing third place. Reflecting on the day before, Rüping described the previous class as a warm-up round but acknowledged the sharp contrast in difficulty between the two days. "Today was on a whole different level. The course was tough—many jumps, a short time allowed, and the fences were built high. It was real sport we saw today."
Rüping knew his horse was up to the task, given their consistent track record. "I've had Baloutaire PS for a few years now, and he's had an outstanding season, winning several Grand Prix events at the 1.60m level. I knew if I did a good job, he would too."
Rüping was the last to enter the jump-off, a position that can be both a blessing and a curse. Reflecting on his round, he admitted, "Normally, he's a really fast horse, but I didn't catch the first distance between jumps two and three. From three to four wasn’t as fluid as I would’ve liked. I think that’s where I lost most of my time. But overall, he jumped super, and I’m really happy with how he performed."
The 1.50m Sires Of The World was decided after a six-horse jump-off. Christian Ahlmann was the first to go with the 10-year-old Zangersheide stallion, Otterongo Alpha Z (breeder: Josef Poets). With the Darco offspring, Ahlmann produced a clear round, setting a challenging target for the following riders.
The first, but also only Belgian rider in the start list was Jérôme Guery with the nine-year-old Belgian Sport Horse stallion, Jyrado vh Bovenhoekshof (breeder: Luc Kuppens). Guery and the By Ceira d'Ick son remained faultless but were just under two seconds slower than Ahlmann.
Halfway through the jump-off, Omar Abdul Aziz Al Marzooqi managed to improve upon Ahlmann's time with the 10-year-old Selle Français stallion, Enjoy de la Mure (Vigo Cece, breeder: Beatrice Drigeard Desgarnier). The duo ultimately won the Sires Of the World.
Al Marzooqi: "It was our first show after Paris"
Reflecting on his expectations going into the event, Al Marzooqi said: "Enjoy came here as his first show back after the Olympic Games, and yesterday, in the warm-up he felt really fresh and happy. It's a good way to start again."
Al Marzooqi acquired Enjoy de La Mure at the beginning of this year, with the stallion being considered a prime choice for the Paris 2024 Olympics. "As he has experience in the bigger classes with, amongst others, Eduardo Alvarez Aznar in the saddle, we set eyes on him for Paris."
Looking ahead, Al Marzooqi has plans to take Enjoy de La Mure to Spain for a couple of weeks of competition before returning to the UAE to compete in several five-star events.
In his victory speech, Al Marzooqi paid tribute to the team that supported him throughout. "Without my team, this wouldn’t have been possible."
In the final standings, Christian Ahlmann followed in second place, while Philip Rüping with Baloutaire PS (Balou du Rouet) took third. Jérôme Guery finished fourth as the slowest clear round. With one jumping fault, Kevin Jochems completed the top five in the saddle of the 12-year-old Casillas van de Helle (Casall).
Christian Ahlmann: "He only recently stepped up to this level"
Christian Ahlmann, who claimed second place aboard Otterongo Alpha Z, also had a strong showing. Having walked the course beforehand, he knew it would be a challenge but had faith in his horse's abilities. "Otterongo Alpha Z stepped up to the 1.50m-1.60m level just a few months ago, but he’s a careful horse with great scope. He needs a few jumps to build confidence, but once he’s in the rhythm, he does great," said Ahlmann.
In the jump-off, Ahlmann faced some tactical choices, particularly in the last straight line. "I took an extra stride that wasn’t necessary, which led to a time fault. That wasn’t part of the plan, but sometimes it’s how things go," he reflected. "I’m still very happy with his performance."
Looking ahead, Ahlmann plans to take Otterongo Alpha Z to larger shows in December, while his next immediate focus will be taking three other horses to Mexico for a series of competitions over the next two months.
Philipp Rüping: "The warm-up was nothing compared to what came today"
Philipp Rüping, fresh off a successful season with Baloutaire PS, shared his thoughts on the performance after securing third place. Reflecting on the day before, Rüping described the previous class as a warm-up round but acknowledged the sharp contrast in difficulty between the two days. "Today was on a whole different level. The course was tough—many jumps, a short time allowed, and the fences were built high. It was real sport we saw today."
Rüping knew his horse was up to the task, given their consistent track record. "I've had Baloutaire PS for a few years now, and he's had an outstanding season, winning several Grand Prix events at the 1.60m level. I knew if I did a good job, he would too."
Rüping was the last to enter the jump-off, a position that can be both a blessing and a curse. Reflecting on his round, he admitted, "Normally, he's a really fast horse, but I didn't catch the first distance between jumps two and three. From three to four wasn’t as fluid as I would’ve liked. I think that’s where I lost most of my time. But overall, he jumped super, and I’m really happy with how he performed."