Release date: 19/07/2019

Tops International Arena was taken over by the most talented youngsters from 25 countries on Friday. It resulted in a vibrant atmosphere and all enjoyed the great competitions during this Longines Global Future Champions.
 
Belgian Gilles Thomas won both Young Riders classes in the morning. He won the 1.30/1.35m with the Holsteiner mare Evita and just a bit later he was the fastest in the 1.45m with the SBS gelding Editson van Schuttershof (Darco x Tenor Manciais). Gilles was active at the European Championships for Young Riders last weekend were he won team silver and was placed fourth individually with Konan.
 
The Childrens class was won by Belgium’s Anjolie Vanhecke with the 19-year-old mare Melodie du Centaure (Fidji du Fleury x Nabab de la Pierre). The mare is 19 but she doesn’t show it. “I ride her for 2,5 years, previously she was mainly used for breeding. She is just great, she always wants to jump and she is always willing to work, but she can be a hand full sometimes,” according to Anjolie.
 
Holland’s Hilde Veenstra won the first Junior class with the KWPN mare After Pleasure Toltien (For Pleasure x Voltaire). The mare was formerly successfully ridden by her brother Gerrie Veenstra. Hilde is training with Alwin Duiven since one year and she also has two ponies, among them Gossie Gossie, with whom she became regional champion and won a silver medal at the Dutch Championships.
Italy’s Maria Vittoria Matari won the 1.35m with her KWPN stallion Concento (Lord Z x Oklund). Maria is riding the stallion since March and competed five times to date. She is trained by the well-known Italian ridere Gianni Govoni. “If I would be a 5* rider I would love to have a horse like Henrik von Eckermann’s Tovaks Mary Lou,” she smiled.
 
In the ponies division Ireland’s Rory Kavanagh and India Piper-Dadswell were the fastest. Rory won the 1.10m class with the stallion Machnus d’Hyrencourt Z (Machno Carwyn x Dancer Prince). India won the 1.15m class with Ballykeelaune Euro. It was the 14-year-old British rider’s first big victory with Euro. A happy India, who is trained by her mother Judi, says afterwards: “Ballykeelaune Euro is a very honest and friendly pony, he is also very playful and does anything for a snack!”
 
The U25 combinations were last to go and the 1.35m class was won by another Belgian ridere, Arnaud Gaublomme with the BWP gelding Gladstone van het Bildeken (Clinton I x Paladin des Ifs). How did you win? “Gladstone is very fast by nature and in the last line I gained a stride.” The victory in the 1.45m class went to Belgium: Alexander Housen. Alexander has already won multiple classes in Valkenswaard with Esprit van de Wellington, this time he saddled Lorelei van het Waterschoot Z (Zang, Lord Z x Parco).