Text © World of Showjumping

This weekend, Domein Zangersheide in Lanaken, Belgium, has been host to the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship for Young Horses 2021, and on Sunday it was time for the prestigious finals in each age group. From the 230 horses that started their championship journey in Thurday’s first qualifier for the 5-year-olds, the starting field was narrowed down to 55 participants for the final – which was jumped over a 1.30m course.

A total of 16 pairs cleared the first-round track and joined the deciding jump-off. With Germany’s Christian Ahlmann in the saddle, it was the BWP-stallion Querido VG Z (Dominator 2000 Z x Chellano Z, bred by Alois van Gorp) that turned out as the winner, after stopping the clock on 37.49. The BWP-gelding Quabriolet van het Bildeken (Anakin van Schuttershof x Burgraaf, bred by Koen Gaublomme) and Arnaud Gaublomme (BEL) took silver with a time of 39.40 second, while the bronze went to the KWPN-mare Loharna-P (Carrera VDL x Burggraaf, bred by B.J. Platzer) and Nicole Eggens (NED) with a clear round in a time of 40.99.

"In general he jumped amazing, every single jump," Ahlmann praised his winning mount. "We are very sure about the quality of the horse, but he had a strong breeding season where he was really busy. He is back from the breeding season since 4-5 weeks, I did one training show that was ok and then we came here. Here, it is a totally different level, but with the quality he has, he can do it – but you never know what can happen. We took it day by day and in the jump-off he gave me a good feeling, so I tried to do as good as possible. He is very careful and very clever, the whole team at Zangersheide is very proud of this horse. We are so happy with him and looking forward to the future."

However, Ahlmann was not sure about the victory after his jump-off – the Irish were coming after him. "Honestly, I was sure it was not enough," Ahlmann told about his feelings watching the rest of his competitors. "I was thinking that the Irish coming after me are very focused and prepared for this event. I had a good shot everywhere, but I had to add strides here and there. I was totally happy with Querido, with the round, and how he was concentrated on me and the fences, that was the most important thing for me. At the end to win, I did not expect that, but I am obviously very happy."

"Better than this is almost impossible," Ahlmann said when asked how he felt winning at Zangersheide with a son of Dominator. "When you believe in a horse, like we believed in Dominator, and get a result like this – it is what we all wished for."