Release date: 08/05/2017

The first event at Tops International Arena opened with three competitions for young horses. In total 134 young horses entered the arena’s at the beautiful facilities at Tops International Arena.
The class for six-year-olds was won by Czech rider Emma Augier de Moussac and her mare Gradetty (Crespo VDL x Silvio II). She was one of the last starters and took over the lead from Sjaak Sleiderink. Emma lives in Eindhoven and runs a stable, EAM Sporthorses with her trainer Vincent Voorn. Holland’s Sjaak Sleiderink had to  settle for the runner-up spot with the KWPN mare Glamour (Numero Uno x Iroko). The 24-year-old rider from Denekamp was 0.38 seconds faster in this Two Phases competition than third place Katharina Offel with Gerton (KWPN by Ukato) from Ukraine.
Jos Verlooy and the BWP gelding Karibou Horta had the fastest clear round in the seven-year-olds class. The Belgian combination rider, who rides for his father Axel Verlooy’s stable Euro Horse, was over 2 seconds faster than runner-up Bertram Allen who rode the Holsteiner mare Calafrieda (Canto 16 x Lavall 5) from Ireland. Bertram, who lives in Hünxe, Germany, is a member of the Valkenswaard United team in the Global Champions League. Spain’s Armando Trapote finished in third place with the mare Tinkerbell (by Chacco-Blue).
First prize in the competition for five-year-old horses was for Saudi Arabia. The 45-year-old Ramzy (Hamad) Al Duhami, who won the bronze team medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, rode a clear round in 39.09 second with the mare My Presley Girl. Runners-up were Holland’s Eric van der Vleuten Jr. and the KWPN mare Helga Utopia (Zirocco Blue VDL x Haarlem). Australia’s James Paterson Robinson finished in third with the gelding Heiniken.

Full results