Press release from Tops International Arena

Competition at its finest is the best way to describe the second day of the Spring Event at Tops International Arena. Speed and handiness were the main ingredients of today's competitions.

The main class, the 4* 1.50/1.55m against the clock, was won by Belgian top rider Jos Verlooy with the 12-year-old BWP mare Jacobien Dwerse Hagen (Va-Vite x Querlybet Hero). A great victory and the 25-year-old from Grobbendonk was happy with the performance of Jacobien, "I am very happy, my horse did a great job. I had a plan and it went like I wanted." He does admit that he was nervous when Marcus Ehning came into the ring. "You always get nervous when Marcus comes into the ring when you are leading. He came close, but today I was better," he said smiling afterwards. "My horse is naturally very fast and I think I gained time on the vertical towards the double, but I rode a good pace everywhere."

German Marcus Ehning was thus second with Calanda (Calido I x Chasseur) and young Bryan Balsiger finished in third place with Dubai du Bois Pinchet (Kashmir van Schuttershof x Andiamo) for Switzerland.

What a ride of Jeroen Dubbeldam and his Forever SFN (Azteca VDL x Nonstop). They rode a fluent, beautiful and clear round and then immediately after that a fast barrage ride. Jeroen took quite some risks here and there but they all worked out well and so they won this 4* 1.45 m competition presented by AMADUS, just like yesterday. "Yesterday was more or less a warm-up with a very friendly built course. Today it was a bit harder and more demanding and it was a ranking test. My horse felt very good, just like yesterday. I had seen Willem Greve riding and he took the lead. That put me on edge! My horse gave me a fantastic feeling and he cooperated very well." 

Jeroen likes the new format of a jump-off after a clear first round: "I must say I like it. All the adrenaline is still there from the first round. I would almost say that it is easier this way than a jump-off in the first round. You have to warm up the horses again then. I think it's a good format and it's better for the horses. What are Jeroen's plans for tomorrow after yesterday's and today's victory: "Of course I hope to win again, but tomorrow will be a bit tougher. I don't think I will start Forever. He has done a great job for two days now and tomorrow he can stay in his stable. Tomorrow I want to start Oak Grove's Carlyle in the Grand Prix. He gave me a good feeling yesterday as well."

Willem Greve and Highway M TN (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Chellano) had to settle for second place and American Lucas Porter came third with Hope Street (Casall x Quick Nick I).