Edited press release from Zangersheide

Just like Thursday's first qualifier at the FEI WBFSH Jumping World Breeding Championship 2023 at Domein Zangersheide in Lanaken, Belgium, the second qualifier for the 7-year-old horses took place at the centrally located Ratina Z Arena on Friday. This time, judged against the clock, the class saw a total of 195 combinations making their appearance with a course designed by Bernard Mathy and his team.

The victory went to Belgian rider Gilles Thomas and the Zangersheide mare Lavanoche T&L Z, a daughter of Lavallino Ter Klomp and Bentley van de Heffinck, who is bred by Guy Vandeven. After a clear round, Thomas and Lavanoche T&L Z managed to stop the clock in 66.12 seconds, giving them just under half a second ahead of the competition.

Irish rider Michael Duffy followed in second place with the KWPN stallion Budweiser, a son of Berlin and Materhorn, bred by G.W.F. Woudenberg. Duffy and Budweiser also jumped clear and crossed the line in 66.52 seconds.

The third place went to Dutch rider Hendrik-Jan Schuttert with the Zangersheide mare High Energie VK Z, who was bred by Stoeterij van Kleef. High Energie VK Z is a daughter of Heineken VK VDL in combination with Toulon. Schuttert and High Energie VK Z crossed the finish in 67.12 seconds and completed the podium.

Belgium's Thibeau Spits and the Zangersheide stallion Conrad Quality Z (Connor x Corrado I, bred by Quality Stud) and Germany's Kendra Claricia Brinkop with the Zangersheide mare Cinnamon Pommex Z (Cornet Obolensky x Kannan, bred by Haras de la Pomme & Stephex Stables) were the other combinations that finished in the top five.

The Ramiro Z Arena was the setting for the qualifier for the 6-year-old horses on Friday. Just as for the 7-year-old horses, this was a class against the clock and a total of 245 combinations appeared at the start during this second qualifier in which the fences were at a height of 1.35m. 

The victory went to Belgium's Nathan Budd and the Zangersheide stallion Ely des Rosiers Z, a son of Emerald van 't Ruytershof and Thunder van de Zuuthoeve, bred by Herik Duran and also approved for Studbook Zangersheide. Budd and Elly Des Rosiers Z delivered a clear round in 64.86 seconds and outclassed the competition.

The second place was taken by the Slovakian Peter Kopecky with the Hannoverian gelding Banaba Joe 6, a son of Uriko and Quidam de Rêvel, bred by Frank Plock. Kopecky and Bababa Joe 6 also stayed clear and crossed the finish line in 65.00 seconds.

Irish rider Jessica Burke jumped to the third place with the Zangesheide mare Marieke Z, a daughter of Moncler van Overis and Chellano, bred on Belgian soil by Jens Vandenberk. Burke and Marieke Z crossed the finish line in 66.38 seconds. 

Italian rider Antonio Campanelli with the stallion Afro (Colestus x Indoctro, bred by Pieraccianti Ettore) and the Dutch rider Hessel Hoekstra with the Oldenburg stallion Stargos VDL (Stakkato Gold x Conthargos, bred by Wilhelm Winkeler) were the other combinations in the top five of the standings on Friday. 

Vincent Zacharias Bourguignon (MAR) and Simply The Best X (Ermitage Kalone x Indoctro, bred and owned by Johan Bourguignon) were the best combination in the second qualifier for the 5-year-old horses, followed by Jason Foley (IRL) and SVS Symphony (Comme Il Faut 5 x Air Jordan, bred by Brian Hutchinson and owned by Brian Hutchinson) in second and Jeroen de Winter (BEL) aboard Soory-Linn vh Netehof (Denzel van 'T Meulenhof x Diamant de Semilly, bred by Erik De Winter and owned by Stal Het Netehof) in third.