The popular Dutch rider also won last year's edition – and on the same horse, VDL Groep Sapphire (Mr. Blue x Grand Veneur SF).
With four home riders on the top, Timothy Hendrix finished second, Albert Zoer third and Frank Schuttert fourth the Limburg crowd got value for their ticket money and the atmosphere reached a climax in the ring at MECC.
Ten out of the fourty riders produced clear rounds over Loius Konickx first round twelve fence 1.55 track. It was a hard task that waited for the riders, especially the final four fences asked for special caution with a tight turn back by the in-gate from the VDL vertical at nine to the following vertical at ten before a bend line on six forward or seven short strides waited to an oxer at eleven that many had down. Then it was four more strides to the final oxer, before riders and horses could take time to breathe crossing the finish line.
As last to go in the ring, it was a determined Maikel van der Vleuten who set off on VDL Groep Sapphire. Few is as fast as this couple, and Maikel left little doubt he was in the jump-off to win. The 15 year old mare responded to Maikel's wishes, and opened with a race down the first opening stretch before clearing the combination then turning tight back to the Audi oxer that lead to the Longines oxer. Coming speeding in on an angel to the penultimate VDL vertical, Maikel did an amazing turn inside the oxer in front of it to roll back in racetrack tempo to the final oxer – cheered on by the audience who gave Van der Vleuten a standing ovation when the clock stopped on 38.90 seconds to win the competition for a second year in a row!
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