Release date: 05/08/2016

Sheikh Yousuf Al Sabah, a pupil of Jurgen Stenfert, won the first class on the second day of the Longines Global Champions Tour Valkenswaard at Tops International Arena, the CSI1* Magic Millions 1.35m Two Phases Special. The rider from Kuwait won with his BWP mare Femke EC, who he bought one year ago. “This mare has a great attitude and at home she is really relaxed during training,” he says. “In competition she exactly knows how important it is for me and really fights for me.”
 
Britain’s Alicia Store and her grey gelding Uriko van Sint Antoniushoeve were the winners of the  CSI1* Magic Millions 1.10m Two Phases Special. The course fitted this horse as he can turn really fast. “He’s a special character,” smiled Alicia, “he used to escape from his stable every evening and would charge the area. He just didn’t like it to be on his own, he wanted to be in the house with us. That why we call him the ‘White Charger’.”
 
The class for Young Horses was won by Ireland’s Darragh Kenny and his KWPN stallion Audi’s Fanmail Z. Kenny lives in Wellington, FL and in September 2012 he set up his own stables called Oakland Ventures, LLC, which he runs with British business partner Tom Davison. Part of the year he competes in Europe.
 
James Emblen and Skelwith Lady Delilah (Balou du Rouet x Pachat II) took the victory in the CSI1* Magic Millions 1.20m class. Skelwith Lady Delilah is without doubt James’s favourite horse: “She is so focused and she is small but so brave,” said James afterwards. The rider from Great Britain loves it here at the Longines Global Champions Tour in Valkenswaard: “Everyting is so very well and professionally arranged, it is a great concept.”
 
Celine Schoonbroodt-De Azevedo from Hodeige, Belgium, set a very fast time with her eight-year-old mare Une Elite d’Avril and convincingly won the CSI2* Small Tour competition (1.35m). The 31-year-old rider of Ecurie Fape was over four seconds faster than runner-up Roberto Previtali from Italy.
 
The USA’s Laura Kraut won the CSI2* 1.40m class with her KWPN mare Bialda. Laura is riding this horse for only a short period and LGCT Valkenswaard is their first show. Today they competed in their second competition. “She is such a lovely horse and really wants to do everything right, it is a pleasure to ride her,” said Laura. When we asked her if Bialda had Grand Prix potential she said that “her attitude will not stand in her way, but you never can tell.”
 
Tomorrow’s programme.
 
Full results.