Press release from the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour 

The third and final week of Spring MET II 2025 in Oliva Nova, Spain, concluded on Sunday with a Dutch win in the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort. 

Marc Houtzager (NED) and his 17-year-old Sterrehof’s Dante (Canturano x Phin-Phin) took the top honours in Sunday’s CSI3* Grand Prix after clocking the winning time of 36.94 seconds in a jump-off between ten horse-and-rider combinations. 

Simon Buckley (GBR) and Millfield Hickson (Hickstead White x Quinar) took the runner-up spot with a time of 40.45 seconds, while Alica Janout (AUT) and Esprit d’Intro Z (Elvis Ter Putte x Erco van’T Roosakker) placed third in 44.85. Only the top three delivered a double clear result, while four faults from Krzysztof Ludwiczak (POL) and Vestari (Vigo d’Arsouilles x Cassini I) in 37.27 seconds and Jenny Krogsaeter (NOR) aboard Laurier (VDL Zirocco Blue x Chin Chin) in 37.53 left them fourth and fifth respectively. 

“She's in good shape after Amsterdam,” Houtzager said about Dante, who won the Longines FEI Jumping World Cup™ of Amsterdam in January. “The jump-off was nice. I was the first to go, so I didn't take the last risk but then in the end it was enough. After three weeks here, a win like this is of course super.”

“Oliva Nova is a fantastic venue,” Houtzager said about Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova. “The timetable was changed today due to the weather forecast, but in the end, we were lucky with the weather. However, it was a good thing to change the schedule and I appreciate the effort from the organizers to make sure everything runs well. The facilities are great, and if I would have to pick only one word for the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour it would be ‘fantastic’.”

Spring MET continues with the third part of the tour, which kicks off on March 11th – followed by Spring MET IV in April.