Release date: 16/07/2018

It was a lovely first day at Tops International Arena. The sun was shining bright and the ambiance was just as good. In total around 500 horses and 205 riders from 29 nations travelled to Valkenswaard.
 
The winners of the five- and six-year-old classes were both registered with the KWPN. The five-year-olds class, a Two Phases course with fences of 1.10-1.15m, was won by the bay gelding It’s Me (Charisma x Niagara) with Dutch rider Bas Knijff in the saddle. The runner-up spot was for Knijff too with Irocca van de Postbaan (KWPN, Montender 2 x Colino). Bas started riding when he was 10 years old and when he turned 12 he got his first own pony. He started to compete and took part in the talent training for Ponies, Juniors and Young Riders. When he was 21 he started to ride for other horse owners and when he turned 24 he had his own stable. Bas about what he likes best in horses: “Horses are honest and pure and every horse is different and to find the right approach makes it very interesting.” The Holsteiner mare Fee (by Casall) finished in third with Holland’s Rob van Bussel.
The two top placings in the six-year-old class also went to the KWPN. Bas Moerings took first place with the gelding Hervesther (Elvis Ter Putte x Guidam). “It was a nice course with good lines and not too difficult for the horses. Hervesther did a real good job and I’m proud of him,” said Bas afterwards. Runners-up were William Rekert and Hot Bluebird (Plot Blue x Heartbreaker) for Great Britain followed by Holland’s Bert Jan van de Pol with Ginette (sBs, Non Stop).
Mohamad Mogheeth Al Shehab from Syria was very happy with his victory in the competition for seven-year-olds. He rode the gelding Dante RZ (BAY, Diarado / Alvarez 17) which he rides for one year. “This year he already was very successful at national competitions in Germany. This is his second international show.” Britain’s Carron Nicol finished in second place with Galerius (KWPN, Diamant de Semilly x Sandro Boy). Third place went to Poland’s Monika Dulczewska and the SF stallion Basquiat du Lozon.
This day was concluded with the eight-year-olds. Local favourite Henk van de Pol took victory with the Zangersheide gelding Looyman Z (Numero Uno x Wellington). He was 23rd to go of the 61 horse competitor field and nobody could better his time. Ireland finished runner-up and third: Ivan Dalton and the SF mare Ajaccienne (Calvaro x Benroy) followed by Philip McGuane with Antigone Gravelotte (SF, Breemeersen Adorado x Caretino).

Veterans
New at the Longines Global Future Champions is the CSI for Veterans. There were three competitions: a Large, Medium and Small Tour.
The Large Tour (1.20m) was won by Belgium’s Jean-Jacques Lorques and the 14-year-old SF mare Quetsche du Breau (Apache d’Adriers x Totoche du Banney). They were over 2 seconds faster than runners-up Benedicte Dewez and Ilena v. Mispelaere (BWP, Equistro x Wandor van de Mispelaere), also for Belgium. Third place went to France, Eric Loin with Akane de l’Oiseliere (SF, Kannan GFE x Oberon du Moulin). Victory in the Medium Tour went to Ireland’s Carol Gee and Fernhill Splash (KWPN, Vaillant x Crown Z). Carol Gee lives in Kilkenny in the south of Ireland. “I used to be active as an eventer, but when a grew older it was physically getting to heavy. That is why I turned to jumping. My horse was bred by a very good friend and well-known breeder Ronan Rothwell. Fernhill Splash started his career as an eventer, but did like to gallop more than 8 minutes. So we couldn’t get any further than 2* events. So now we are jumping.”
The Small Tour was won by Frenchman Andre Jactel with Quouros de Hyame (SF, Jeff d'Or SF x Flirt I).