Release date: 10/05/2017

Early in the morning the seven-year-old horses competed in their Final. The 1.35m class counted 12 combinations that went through to the jump-off and was convincingly won by Germany’s top rider Daniel Deusser with the BWP mare Killer Queen VDM (Eldorado van de Zeshoek x For Pleasure). “This horse arrived only one week ago in our stables. I rode her once just before I travelled to Versailles. I took her to Valkenswaard to see how she would do and it I am very happy. She has a lot of power and she is very mature for her age. She is a horse I would like to work with in the future.”
Runners-up were the USA’s Michael Hughes and his mare Contara 15 (OSD, Conthargos x Con Air).  Holland’s Ivo Biessen jumped to third place with the stallion Cor-Leon v. Vlierbeek Z.

The Final for six-year-olds was won by Britain’s Tim Wilks and Loeki van het Lindenhof (BWP, by Toulon). Tim runs, together with his parents and his sister, who is an international jumper too, IN ShowJumpers near London (Oxfordshire). “Loeki is the best horse I ever had. He has all the qualities I look for in a horse. In the warming-up arena he can be a bit spooky but in the ring he is super focused. He has all it takes to become a Grand Prix horse.”
Runners-up were Holland’s Willem Greve with the KWPN gelding Garant (Warrant x Verdi TN NOP) followed by Norway’s Kristine Seierstad with Corsini (Hann, v. Connor).  

The last Final for the young horses was for the five-year-olds. Australia’s James Paterson-Robinson, who rides for Waldman Horses in Putten, Netherlands, won with the gelding Heiniken. They cleared the course in a very fast time, almost three seconds faster than runners-up Holland’s Demi van Grunsven and Hucinta (KWPN, by Namelus). Afterwards the 38-year-old rider said: “I rode Heiniken for the first time last Saturday, he just arrived at our stables last week. Before he had competed only at B-level at regional shows. Valkenswaard was his first international performance and he did just great. He does have a very good character. His dam is Marlou, a great mare, who returned to our stables after she was sold to the American rider Kim Prince, who finished fifth with her in the 2005 World Cup Final in Las Vegas. Now Marlou is a broadmare at our stables.”
Third place also went to the Netherlands: Eric van der Vleuten Jr. with the SF stallion Cabinet Noir (Mylord Carthago HN x Papillon Rouge).

Full results