Belgian horses and riders successful in Valkenswaard Youngster finals

The third day of the third event at Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard staged three finals for the Young Horses. First to go were the seven-year-olds and Olivier Philippaerts clocked the fastest clear round in the jump-off. He won with the BWP mare Miss Marple (Ugano Sitte x Vigo d’Arsouilles). “This mare is very fast, but I saved time at the first three fences and in the last two turns before the last fence,” said Oliver afterwards. The Belgian top rider rides Miss Marple for eight months and is hoping to qualify for the world championships for young horses in Lanaken in September.

Runners-up also carried the Belgian flag: Gregory Wathelet and Melia de Regor (BWP, Elvis ter Putte x Cento). This combination was also successful during the first event in Valkenswaard with, among others, a victory. Spain’s Carolina Aresu Garcia Obregon finished in third place with Holisca (Spartacus x Ramiro Z).

France’s Lara Postillon and her horse Ethic Z won the six-year-old final. Ethic Z is a son of ET Cryozootech Z CL, a clone of the legendary ET FRH with whom Austrian Hugo Simon wrote history. Lara stayed at the stables of Gregory Wathelet for eight years and since September of last year she runs her own stables in Belgium. “This is a great stallion, he is very easy to handle and he always tries his best.”
Belgium’s Guy Janssens finished runner-up with the BWP gelding Nostalgie (v. Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof) followed by Britain’s Emma Stoker with Q Seven (HANN, Quaid x Stakkato).

In the final for five-year-olds it was again a Belgian rider who took the victory: Jos Verlooy and the BWP mare Orphea HQ (Emerald van ‘t Ruytershof x Epleaser van ‘t Heike). “This is a super opportunity for young horses. This horse has learnt so much over the past few weeks. It is all about education. During this last day I could go a little faster, take shorter turns and win!” according to a happy Verlooy. Emma Stoker, who has been very successful during the three week in Valkenswaard, finished runner-up with Skylandria Z (Super Trooper de Ness x Indoctro). Yesterday they finished third and Monday they were runners-up. Third place went to Holland’s Aniek Diks with the Holsteiner gelding Zensationall (v. VDL Zirocco Blue).

Full results