Maikel van der Vleuten and Beauville Z N.O.P. won the VDL Groep Prize in 's-Hertogenbosch. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
Text © World of Showjumping
Maikel van der Vleuten (NED) and the 14-year-old gelding Beauville Z N.O.P. (Bustique x Jumpy Des Fontaines) took a popular home in Friday night's CSI5* 1.55m VDL Groep Prize at the 2024-edition of The Dutch Masters.
A total of twelve horse-and-rider-combinations out of the 42 at start cleared the first-round track set by the Dutch course designer Louis Konickx, and with Bertram Allen (IRL) opting not to start with his Pacino Amiro (Pacino x NC Amiro) the battle for the win was left between eleven pairs.
Stopping the clock on 42.04 seconds, van der Vleuten took the win ahead of Switzerland's Steve Guerdat – reigning European Champion – and Dynamix de Belheme (Snaike de Blondel x Cornet Obolensky).
Steve Guerdat and Dynamix de Belheme had to settle for second. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
"I spoke with Daniel Deusser about it, and it felt quite heavy actually," van der Vleuten said afterwards about the course in the first round. "However, it is often like this here, because you jump far into the corner and then some oxers out of the corner again. The 4ab double of oxers was massive and it felt a bit heavy, so it was good that I could do the jump-off with a forward rhythm and I hope it gives me a bit more confidence for Sunday."
Speaking about his plan for the jump-off, van der Vleuten said: "It's a beautiful show here, and it's close to my home, so of course you want to do your best. We were quick but without doing anything stupid. However, I took some risk because I wanted to win today."
"It's a beautiful show here, and it's close to my home, so of course you want to do your best," van der Vleuten said. Photo © Jenny Abrahamsson for World of Showjumping.
"A Coruña was actually the last big show for Beauville," van der Vleuten said about his winning ride, who was his championship medallist at both the 2021 Olympic Games as well as the 2022 World Championships. "I gave him a two month show break and then built him up again. We did two small national shows before coming here. He's very special. He's quick over the ground, and a real winner."
Marc Houtzager (NED) and Sterrehof's Dante (Canturano x Phin-Phin) placed third in 44.37, while Daniel Deusser (GER) and Otello de Guldenboom (Tobago Z x Caretino) finished fourth in 44.73, followed by Lars Kersten (NED) aboard Funky Fred Marienshof Z (Fantomas de Muze x Libero H) in fifth in 50.00.
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