Tom Schellekens wins the Grand Prix qualifier!
With ten classes spread over the three different slopes, it was again a very busy day on our Z-Tour in Lanaken yesterday. The highlight of this day was undoubtedly the 1.50m high qualifier for Sunday's Grand Prix yesterday afternoon, in which the Dutch rider Tom Schellekens claimed the victory with his 12-year-old mare Fiarabo (Diarado x Padinus). In a class against the clock, Schellekens finished in a convincing time of 70.20 seconds, giving him more than two full seconds ahead of the competition.
The French rider Emeric George was good for second place in the ranking. He crossed the finish line in 72.28 seconds with the 14-year-old gelding Chopin des Hayettes (Radco d'Houtveld x Nimmerdor) and with that he clearly had to recognize his superiority in Schellekens. Third place went to the young Belgian rider Roy Van Beek, former Belgian Junior Champion. In the saddle of his 13-year-old stallion Chacco Me Biolley (Chacco Blue x Argentan) he had set a time of 73.79 seconds.
Pius Schwizer beats Cloe Aston
Before the start of this Grand Prix qualifier, a 1.45m class took place on the Ratina Z Arena. The victory went again to the Swiss rider Pius Schwizer, who also won two classes last week during Z-Tour week 2. In the saddle of his 11-year-old mare Bakatina de Beaufour (Ogano Sitte x Burggraaf) he finished in 36.62 seconds and thus again beated the competition.
Second place went to British lady rider Chloé Aston, who won the 1.40m high opening class on Thursday. This time she was sitting in the saddle of the 10-year-old gelding Melvin Vd Bisschop (Elvis Ter Putte x Nabab de Rêve) with whom she managed to set a time of 38.37 seconds. The Brazilian rider Eduardo Pereira De Menezes followed Aston in third place in the ranking. He also managed to keep it twice clear with the 9-year-old gelding H5 Nostalgie (Emerald van ’t Ruytershof x Understone van de Kapel), and this in a time of 39.51 seconds.
Castro starts the day with a victory
In the 1.40m high speedclass it was the Brazilian rider João Victor Castro who managed to ensure a victory with the 10-year-old mare Helga (Clarimo x Concorde). As the last starter in te ring, Castro rushed to the finish in 55.91 seconds and with that he had almost a full second ahead of the competition.
The Luxembourg lady rider Odile Gierech and the 9-year-old gelding Nostradamus Vd Watertoren (Glasgow-W vh Merelsnest x Saygon) followed in second place in the rankging. They crossed the finish line in 56.85 seconds. Third place again went to Andres Vereecke with his 14-year-old grey mare In The Mood (Winninmood van de Arenberg x Calypso III), with whom he also won two classes two weeks ago during the opening week. Vereecke finished yesterday morning in 56.85 seconds and this performance gave him a third place this time.
Another victory for Chloé Aston
At the Almé Z Arena, the day started yesterday morning with a 1.30m class in 2 phases special in which the British lady rider Chloé Aston secured another victory. This time she had the 12-year-old gelding Collezione Cesaro Delano (Diamant de Semilly x Escuo I) under the saddle and with a finish time of 24.46 seconds in the second phase she again managed to ensure a victory.
For the Belgian rider Mike van Olst there was a second place here with the 10-year-old mare Harania B (Dakar VDL X Ojasper). Van Olst also managed to keep it clear twice in a time of 24.65 seconds. The Swedish rider Erika Lickhammer-Van Helmond completed the podium here in third place with her 7-year-old mare Koberlina TN (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x Verdi TN), with whom she also finished second on Thursday. She cantered to the finish in 24.94 seconds in the second phase.
Last but not least
The last CSI3* class on the program yesterday was a 1.35m high speed class. Here it was the Colombian rider Santiago Diaz Ortega who became the winner with the 10-year-old mare Muzete (Emerald van 't Ruytershof x Numero Uno). Diaz Ortega rushed to the finish line in 56.28 seconds and that performance put him almost a full second ahead of the competition.
Second place went to the Swedish rider Peter Eriksson with the 9-year-old gelding Alfred (Lordanos x Dagomba). Eriksson also managed to ensure a clear round here and crossed the finish line in 57.23 seconds. Finally, the Dutch rider Lars Kersten was good for third place in the ranking, just like Thursday during the 1.30m class. In the saddle of the 8-year-old mare Big Beauty Z (Big Star Jr KZ x Padinus), he finished in 58.59 seconds and so again secured a podium place.
