Release date: 17/07/2016

The last day of the Global Future Champions Week at Tops International Arena was opened by the Children division with a 1.20/1.25m competition. The class was won by 13-year-old Beau Schuttelaar and the NRPS gelding Caretino. Beau is daily trained by her mother and now and then she receives some help from jumping rider Leon Thijssen.
Kevin Jochems and his stallion Happy Feet scored another win in an U25 competition, 1.35/1.40m. “My horse certainly proved he is currently in top form!” Kevin smiled.
Holland’s Sanne Ter Haar (12) had a great weekend at Tops International Arena  in Valkenswaard. Today she added a third win to her list with Whoopi in the Pony division (0.70m) although she thought the course was quite technical. “I enjoyed every minute here!” she smiled afterwards.
A rising star of the Qatar team, Hamad Ali Mohamed A Al Attiya, was the winner of the U25 Final (1.50m) with his Westphalian gelding Appagino 2. “It was a well-built course, quite technical and I learnt a lot,” Hamad explained. Two years ago Hamad and Appagino 2 became partners. “In the beginnen we had a few ups and downs, but now we are a close team and he is my number one horse.”
The top three on the podium of the 1.05/1.10m pony class was entirely Belgian. Liesl Mertens and Orchid’s Colyne won followed by Gilles Nuytens with Kantje’s Carter in second and Thibeau Spits and Kadans van de Groenheuvel DH third place.
Holland’s Iris Zwienenberg was the winner of the Pony Final (1.25/1.30m) with her small pony Bora Bora. The 16-year-old was really happy with the result, “Bora Bora likes to work and although she is small, she can jump just as high as a tall pony."
The Juniors Final (1.35/1.40m) was won by Belgium’s Dieter Vermeiren with Kingston Town 111 Z ( by Kashmir van Schuttershof). Dieter rides this horse for two years now and is trained by his father, who is a veterinarian.
Winner of the Young Riders Final (1.45/1.50m), Belgium’s  Jeroen De Winter, was thrilled about his victory. He rode his BWP mare Gretel S who he bought as a five-year-old. All looked very promising until the mare got ill when she was eight-years-old. “I am so happy she is ok again and that we are on our way back. It took almost eight months before I could take up training again,” he said.
The last class of the Global Future Champions Week was won by Italy’s Micaela Bosso and Avalanche. Runners-up were Iris Hakvoort and Al Capone for the Netherlands followed by Belgium’s Dieter Vermeiren with Ilias van het Hof Ter Velde.

The Global Future Champions Week team at Tops International Arena in Valkenswaard wants to thank riders, grooms, horse owners, officials and staff for their trust and involvement. It made this inaugural edition of the Global Future Champions a great success.