On Tuesday 19th of January, the 2016 Spring Mediterranean Equestrian Tour started off with the international young horse classes at the stunning venue in Oliva. Europe’s most talented young showjumpers competed in the classes for five, six and seven-year-old horses, including world number one Scott Brash and his seven-year-olds Hello Mr. President and Cademuir. “I think this is a fantastic show, it is brilliant for producing horses out here,” Scott Brash states about his first week at 2016 Spring MET.

For Scott Brash the 2016 Spring MET is his first appearance in Oliva. “For the young horses, I think it is fantastic. Every day they go into another ring, next week they will go into the grass ring – which is beautiful – and the courses are excellent for them. Although I am world number one, not everything is about the rankings. For me, it is also part of my job to produce young horses and bring horses back in the ring after a break or an injury,” Scott Brash states.
 
The British rider also made his comeback with both Ursula XII and Hello Guv’Nor in Oliva this week. "I am really happy with them, they jumped excellent. Ursula felt fantastic, she is fresh and she is happy to be back in the ring again. We will take our time with her, but she feels very good!”

Scott Brash’s seven-year-old horses Cademuir (Sebastian x Concorde) and Hello Mr. President, sired by the Cumano-son Comme d’Api, both made an excellent impression at MET 2016. “I think both of them are special horses for the future, potential top horses! It is nice to be spending time on them here in Oliva."

In today’s class, both Cademuir and Hello Mr. President jumped a double clear, finishing on 6th and 7th position. The victory went to France’s Olivier Robert, aboard the talented Vivaldi des Meneaux (Chippendale Z x Bamako x). Germany’s Andreas Knippling and Papa Roach (Perigueux x Zeus) became runners-up, followed by Italy’s Silvia Bazzani and Clide (Cassini I x Cash and Carry).

Spain’s Rutherford Latham and the French bred Gurana Champeix-son Valentino d’Auge took home the win at day two, beating Guillaume Foutrier and Eoin McMahon.

The five-year-old showjumpers started off first at the beautiful venue of the Spring Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva this week. On the first day, Tuesday, it was only about penalties – but on day two and three a ranking was made after a second phase and a jump-off respectively. Belgium’s Lieven Devos and his Zangersheide approved stallion Mr. Quality Z (Mr. Blue x Casall) showed excellent form during all three competitions, claiming the victory on day two and ending up second on the third day.
 
Today, France’s Valérie Simon and the Dutch bred Gilanda (Ukato x Jumbo Jet) took home the victory – beating both Lieven Devos and Great-Britain’s Anna Wilks, who ended up third riding the Belgian bred L’Artiste de Toxandra (Toulon x Kashmir van Schuttershof).

At the 2016 Spring MET, also the six-year-old horses got the chance to get to know the wonderful rings and were only ranked by penalties on the first day. The second day, France’s Guillaume Foutrier claimed his first win, riding the Selle Français bred Azur de Lannay (Diamant de Semilly x Quidam de Revel), followed by runners-up Matthias Gude from Germany and the Westphalian bred Candy Day (Comme Il Faut x Lavaletto). Again, it was Belgium’s Lieven Devos who performed well aboard his young horses, finishing third on Donna Doria Z, like Azur de Lannay sired by the 2015-world-number-one sire Diamant de Semilly.
 
Today’s class turned out to be quite similar to Wednesday’s class, with Guillaume Foutrier and Azur de Lanny on top again followed by Matthias Gude and Lieven Devos. For a second day in a row, Germany’s Dirk-Heiner Strobel and Antonia HU (Aragon x Capitol) ended up fourth.

Source: Press release from the 2016 Spring MET // Picture © Hervé Bonnaud / www.1clicphoto.com.