Release date: 20/08/2021

The highlight of the competition season at the top venue Tops International Arena, the Longines Global Champions Tour of Valkenswaard also offered an extensive programme for 2*, 1* and Young Horses combinations.
 
There was a fierce battle for victory in the Big Tour of the CSI2*, a 1.45m two phases class sponsored by Roelofsen Horsetrucks. Course builder Uliano Vezzani had put down a beautiful and challenging course. The vertical in the second phase and the first double in the first phase caused some trouble for some combinations. The Brazilian was the first to set a clear round with the powerful jumping stallion Cartaro (Carinue x Chacco-Blue). In perfect style they stopped the clock at 23.88. 15 combinations later it was the Dutch Kim Emmen who managed to improve Zanotelli's time with the strong and fast stallion Warriors Glory (Warrior x Caretino Glory): 23.39 seconds. It was a time that no other rider could match, even though there were serious attempts by Harrie Wiering (NED), Kenneth Graham (IRL), Jane Richard Philips (SUI) and the Chilean Augustin Covarrubias, who was one of the last riders and who came close. He realised a time of 23.56 with the nine-year-old mare Vida Loca Della Marca (Vigo d'Arsouilles x Heartbreaker). A time that was good enough for second place.
 
Speed specialist Julien Epaillard won the Medium Tour (1.40m) in the 2*. The 44-year-old from Cherbourg, France, had a clear round and finished the second phase in 32.74 seconds with Jalanta P (BWP, Catalano x Fortinbras). Sweden's Denise Svensson came second with the OS stallion Come and Fly (Cornet Obolensky x Calido I). Also in this class Kim Emmen was in front, but this time she had to settle for third place with the SF stallion Daham (Diamant de Semilly x Premium de Laubry).
 
In the Small Tour (1.35m) victory went to the Dutchman Johnny Pals. The 39-year-old rider, who is based in the Belgian town As and rides for Black Horses, stopped the clock at 28.77 in the second phase. He rode the 11-year-old Holsteiner mare Cukuta (Carthago x Diamant de Semilly. The brand new bronze medal winner of Tokyo Maikel van der Vleuten came second with the mare Svea Douch Z (Spartacus TN x Nelson Z). Anastasia, who won a class earlier in the day, came third with Buffy (Balloon x Caletto I) for Monaco.
 
CSI1*
Sweden's Alice Borglund took the win in the 1* 1.35m (Two Phases Special). The 16-year-old rode a clear round in 34.97 seconds with the seven-year-old Holstein gelding Clair II (Clearway x Lavall II). Molly Hughes Bravo finished in second place with HHS Javas Gucci (Luidam x Cruising) for Portugal. Third was the Belgian Ines van den Bosch with Infinity vd Heffinck (Contact van de Heffinck x Triomphe de Muze). Best Dutch rider was Teddy van de Rijt with Urville Z in fourth place.
 
In the 1.20m class Anastasia Nielsen was the fastest with Tailormade Contou (OS, Conthargos x Toulon). The 15-year-old had already proved in spring that she was in good shape when she came second and third in the 1* Grand Prix with Buffy and Castro W respectively. 23-year-old American Lucas Porter, who is trained by Jeroen Dubbeldam, came second with Whisker Eb Z (Zang, Alpha Z x Calato Z). Susana Epaillard came third with the SF mare Urpita One (Lauxley de Breve x Oberon du Moulin) for Spain.
 
The 1.10m, sponsored by Clinica Veterinaria della Brughiera, had 11 competitors but the battle for the victory was fierce. Britain's Imogen Beecroft set a fast time of 35.48 seconds, but her happiness lasted only for a moment when her elder sister Isabella Beecroft-Luckett entered the ring. Isabella proved to be even faster and set a time of 35.35 with Zandara Z (Zandor x Darco). Imogen was therefore relegated to second place with Roscoe's Amour (Ontario x Azett). Dutchman Emile Tacken finished in third place with Clint Easter (Clinton x Indoctro).
 
Young Horses
Dutch rider Kim Emmen was the fastest in the 1.30/1.35m class for young horses with the AES gelding Astrid's Lad (Luidam Elite x Ascendant xx). Emmen is in form, because a little later she also managed to win the main prize in the 2* competition. In the young horses class, she was almost two seconds faster than second-placed Harrie Wiering and Jamal E.B. (KWPN, Action Breaker x Diamant de Semilly). German Tobias Meyer, who had already won this class twice in previous editions with Celebrity-H (Zang, Comme Il Faut 5 x No Limit) finished third today and his horse was also the best six-year-old.