Text © World of Showjumping

Belgium’s Seppe Wouters and the 9-year-old Quito de Mariposa (Comme Il Faut 5 x Air Jordan Z) won Friday night’s CSI4* 1.50m Sires of the World at the 2025-edition of Zangersheide International.

For the third time, Sentower Park in Belgium has dressed up in blue and yellow – the colours of Studfarm Zangersheide –  to host their annual four-star event which combines jumping with stallion presentation and approvals. On Friday night, it was time for the Sires of the World, a competition counting for the Longines Rankings Group D for approved breeding stallions.

Ten horse-and-rider combinations from the 27 at start cleared their way into the deciding jump-off, where the penultimate pair, the hosts’ 17-year-old Seppe Wouters on Quito de Mariposa crossed the finish line in 32.28 and took over the lead from Kim Emmen (NED) and Kaiser DMH (Cardento 933 x Concerto II). Last to go, Germany’s Christian Ahlmann and Untouched LB (United Touch S x Cornet Obolensky) got close to Wouters but had to settle for second with only 0,04 separating the former world number one from the young local talent.

Only the top three managed to deliver a double clear perfomance, with Wouters taking the win ahead of Ahlmann in second and Emmen in third. With a fence down each, Sacha Beghuin (BEL) and Elcup Van Beek II Z (Elvis Ter Putte x Armitage) finished fourth in 32.85, ahead of Alexa Stais (CYP) and Diaron Old (Diarado x Come On) in fifth in 32.88.