Release date: 16/05/2017

The first competition for Young Horses kicked off under a blue sky on Tuesday. Australia’s James Paterson-Robinson repeated yesterday’s win in the five-year-old category with Happy Girl (KWPN, Eldorado vd Zeshoek x Jus de Pomme. “It ride her for the first time, at home she was ridden and trained by one of the other stable riders. She has a great character and that can hardly be a coincidence. She has the same dam, Marlou, as Heiniken, the horse I won the five-year-olds Final with last week. Marlou is a great broadmare, she was sold to the USA’s Kim Prince, who took fifth place at the 2005 World Cup Final in Las Vegas.” Asking him if he was going for a hattrick with Happy Girl he answered, “I will certainly try, but I have to wait and see how she feels tomorrow. It is all quite impressive for such a young horse.”
Holland’s Tim Franssen was runner-up, as he was yesterday, with Clindoeil A Mormoulin (by Diamant de Semilly). Third place was also for the Netherlands, Eric van der Vleuten Jr and Helga Utopia (KWPN, Zirocco Blue VDL x Haarlem).

Germany’s Katharina Offel won the competition (1.30m Table A against the clock) for six-year-olds with the elegant KWPN gelding Gerton (by Ukato). The 40-year-old rider who lives in Puth, the Netherlands, was very enthusiastic about her horse: “We bought him at the Dutch Sporthorse Sales at Hendrix Stables last year and I am super happy with him! He has had only one pole down so far. During the Spring Tour in Lanaken he was placed sixth, third and second and last week here in Valkenswaard sixth, third and first. The breeder the Michiels family, is very proud too and comes to watch as often as they can. It was their first foal ever. I am very confident that this horse has a bright future.”
Runners-up were the 24-year-old Norwegian rider Kristine Seierstad and Corsini (Hann, by Connor) followed by Nathan Budd with Cashpaid J&F (Holst, Casall x Chicago Z) for Belgium.

Daniel Deusser and Killer Queen VDM were the winners in the seven-year-old competition. The BWP mare (Eldorado vd Zeshoek x For Pleasure) won last week’s Final in Valkenswaard. Daniel rides the horse for about a week and is very satisfied with him. “A promise for the future.”
Spain’s Armando Trapote finised in second place with the mare Tinkerbell (by Chacco-blue) followed by Britain’s top rider Ben Maher and the Oldenburger mare Concona (by Conthargos).

Full results