Belgium's Pieter Devos and Espoir have definitely hit a high note, and on Thursday night the pair recorded their third win in one month. The 12-year-old gelding by Surcouf de Revel x Laudanum xx came to the Belgian rider in the autumn last year, but the two have despite their relatively new partnership quickly formed a bond and after wins at both CSI5*-W Mechelen and CSI5* Basel another victory came last night against a world-class field of riders at CSI3* Drachten. 

As the biggest show in the schedule in Western Europe this weekend, several well-known names have opted to ride at the Dutch show - so the competition was fierce. In the end, nobody could do anything about Devos and Espoir though who had almost a second down to runner-up Lorenzo de Luca in this 1.50 speed class counting for the Longines Ranking. The Italian rider was aboard Homer de Reve (Nabab De Reve x Heartbreaker) for the occasion, and was followed by home rider Jur Vrieling on Arezzo VDL in third (Chin Chin x Heartbreaker). Vrieling's compatriot Michael Greeve finished fourth, and Belgium's Francois Mathy Jr was fifth. 

Text © World of Showjumping // Picture ©  Leanjo de Koster/www.digishots.nl.