Three Prinsjesdag references to top ten results in GP dressage
In addition to a number of internationally performing show jumpers, Foal Auction Prinsjesdag has also been strongly represented at the highest level in dressage in recent weeks. For example, First Apple (by Vivaldi) won several Grand Prix classes. Horses such as E'Special PS, Edinburgh, Baron and Thunder GZ provided great advertising in show jumping.
Nine-year-old Thunder GZ (Tyson x Dutch Capitol, breeder John Geerets) performed well on Spanish soil. In Oliva he jumped double clear with Mark McAuley to eighth prize in the 2* Grand Prix and last weekend the duo even finished second in the two-phase 1.45m at CSI3* Valencia. The KWPN-approved stallion Edinburgh (Vleut x Darco, breeders Evert Meijer and Gerard Lindeboom) has also found his niche with Maikel van der Vleuten. At the CSI5* in Doha this resulted in a second prize in the two-phase 1.45m, a fourth prize in the 1.45m against the clock and a seventh prize in the 1.50m. In February they had already made their mark by winning the 2* Grand Prix of Lier. At the CSI3* in Thermal, Karl Cook emerged as the winner in the classic 1.45m class with E'Special PS (Berlin x Caruso), bred by Peter Simons. In the 3* Grand Prix (1.50m) of Vilamoura, Roberto Turchetto jumped to third prize with the double clear jumping Baron (Colman x Numero Uno, breeder Stoeterij 't Heemskind). Another notable reference is Feeling Luckey (Bustique x Krunch de Brêve) who finished fourth in the 1.50m at CSI5*-W Sharjah with Karim Elzoghby and sixth in the 1.55m World Cup in Abu Dhabi.
Three times Grand Prix dressage
One of the most striking Prinsjesdag references at the highest level in dressage sport is the Vivaldi son First Apple (ds.TCN Partout). Sarah Lockman performs very remarkably with the chestnut bred by Nico van Maaswaal. In February they won the international Grand Prix Special at CDI3* Wellington as well as four (!) national Grand Prix classes at the same competition. They also performed strongly in the regular Grand Prix during the CDI3*, where they came in second. Boston STH (Johnson x Quattro B, breeder Jan Temmink) also did good business last month. Under Denise Nekeman the stallion took eighth prize twice with nice percentages. In the Freestyle, the Dutch duo even surpassed the 77%. At the national show in Wellington, the now 20-year-old (!) Akribori son MT.Athos (ds.Donnerschlag, breeder Ingrid Blonk) made the switch to Grand Prix dressage. Under Barbara Wendy Denton he finished sixth and eighth with percentages of around 60 percent.
