Ruben Romp and Picasso Vd Zwartbleshoeve, winners of the CSI3* 1.50m Trofeo Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort Grand Prix at Spring MET III 2024. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud/1clicphoto.com.
Press release from Mediterranean Equestrian Tour
Ruben Romp (NED) and Picasso Vd Zwartebleshoeve (Cornet Obolensky x Zidane) won the CSI3* 1.50m Grand Prix presented by Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort at Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova as the second week of Spring MET III 2024 in Oliva Nova, Spain, concluded on Sunday.
Five pairs out of the 47 horse-and-rider-combinations at start in Sunday’s CSI3* Grand Prix cleared the first-round track set by Dutch mastermind Louis Konickx. In the jump-off, it was Romp and the 9-year-old Picasso Vd Zwartebleshoeve who clocked the fastest time – taking the win in 38.34 ahead of Pieter Clemens (BEL) and Ehllo d’Argouges (Canturo Bois Margot x Opium de Talma) in second in 38.77.
“It was a proper course,” Romp commented on the first-round track afterwards. “My horse jumped really good, even though he does not have so much experience on this level – but he was the star today. For the jump-off, I saw the first three and they were all quite fast, especially Pieter. My horse covers ground very easily, he has a big stride and he can also shorten easily, and to the last one I saw a very flat distance but I did not want to take that risk, so I pulled for one more and kept the poles up – so I was lucky today.”
“Picasso is by Cornet Obolensky, and I have had him now for one and a half years. Last year, as an eight-year-old, he already did some good classes, he did the Sires of the World in Lanaken and then during the winter I just kept him going. Here in Oliva he jumped a three-star Grand Prix already during the previous tour and he did it really good. Today he was in top form!”
Ruben Romp and Picasso Vd Zwartbleshoeve. Photo © Hervé Bonnaud/1clicphoto.com.
“The conditions here are super,” Romp said about the venue in Oliva Nova. “They have really good course builders, there are many horses here but not too many, which I find a positive thing and they really do their best to keep it all tidy, clean and comfortable for everyone – first of all for the horses but also for the people. Over the years, I have been here almost every year for one tour, last year I was here for the Autumn Tour as well, which I really liked – I am always happy to come back.”
Joseph Clayton (GBR) and Gentlemen vh Veldhof (Quite Easy 958 x Calido I) placed third in 39.85, while Hilmar Meyer (GER) and Orion Ter Doorn (Elvis Ter Putte x Lord Z) finished fourth in 40.27 and Frederic Vernaet (BEL) aboard Okina van de Bien (Toulon x Blue Boy V. Berkenbroeck) fifth with a fence down in 38.40.
Then